The 2028 U.S. Eventing Team is already out there somewhere, and it’s up to us all to nurture their talent and their big dreams. “2028 Olympic Talent Watch” is an (adorable) new series in which we identify junior eventers who are already exhibiting the heart and the guts to lead American eventing to glory in the (distant) future. Any short-stirrup riders you know come to mind? Email us their story at [email protected]. This week’s edition features Ava Davis, age 9, nominated by Pat Schmidt!
Ava Davis prepares to tackle cross country course last year on her first mount, a Shetland pony by the name of Hot Sauce. Photo courtesy of Pat Schmidt.
Ava Davis, age 9, and her horses might be small, but her big heart and love for eventing has gained respect from all other riders she competes alongside.
Last year the St. Clair, Minnesota, young rider captured the adoration of competitors and spectators alike on her first eventer, a Shetland pony by the name of Hot Sauce. This year, Hot Sauce was delivered to greener pastures to help teach other young riders and replaced with a 17-year-old horse of Welsh descent named Sweet Dream.
Sweet Dream and Ava Davis clear one of the jumps in the Starter Division. Photo courtesy of Pat Schmidt.
“Dreams is in her first year of jumping and showing,” Ava says of her new ride. “She didn’t jump until a month before we bought her, so she’s pretty new at it.”
Ava, now in her second year of eventing, schooled with Autumn Schweiss at Roebke’s Run at the Novice and Beginner Novice levels the past two years to better learn the sport and returned to compete in the Starter Division at the Roebke’s Run June 2017 H.T. She also has competed at Otter Creek Farm H.T. in Wheeler, Wisconsin. Her coach is KT Herrington of Mankato, where Sweet Dream is stabled by owner Amy Hannaman.
Davis says dressage is Sweet Dream’s favorite phase. Photo courtesy of Pat Schmidt.
“Some of the other riders help me out a lot too,” Ava explains. “I got started riding because my mom liked horses growing up and also does eventing. She talked to someone at an eventing barn and asked me if I would like to do it. My mom is a pretty good eventer, but she doesn’t like to do the big fences.”
Ava finished with pretty good scores and an impressive seventh-place ribbon in the Starter division. She says she would have finished better but Sweet Dream had time penalties for going too fast on the cross country course.
Together, Ava Davis and her new trusty mount, Sweet Dream, earned an impressive seventh-place ribbon at Roebke’s Run Horse Trials. She is pictured here with her coach KT Harrington (middle) and schooling coach Autumn Schweiss. Photo courtesy of Pat Schmidt.
“Dreams is best at dressage, but together we are best at stadium and I am best at cross country,” says Ava. “In the future we are going to be in Beginner Novice, probably this year. The sport is fun, and I liked the flow of the course. Roebke’s Run is a very, very nice facility.”
When asked if she will be in the Olympics someday, she replies, “If my dad tells me to, I will be.”
Don’t hold your breath — the 2028 Olympic Equestrian Games are closer than you think!
