Sydney and Pancho Villa
So I’m not sure if you have noticed, but the website you are currently perusing is called “Eventing Nation:” In the spirit of nationalism, I would like to introduce a new series of posts that will be profiling a rider from each of the 10 areas within America aka the land of winners aka Charlie “Tigerblood” Sheen (had to work that in here somewhere, sorry guys). To launch these “Area Spotlights” I decided to start with what I call home, the great Area V. In the next few weeks I will work my way around the country and each Area will be featured.
Here are the fast facts about Area V from a slightly biased perspective: It’s in the best part of the country (the South, specifically Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma), it’s a lot of territory (I mean the closest CCI is at least 7 or 8 hours away…nothing like an overnight haul to whet your showing appetite), and it’s got some super talented horses and riders in the seams. I had the pleasure of training and riding with them for 10 years until college dragged me away.
The purpose of these posts is to highlight the people who really represent their particular area through talent and sportsmanship. I am planning to interview those riders who may not receive the publicity of pros but are on track to get there one day.
The first person I talked to is a woman I’ve had the pleasure of knowing since I started Eventing, and she certainly is both talented and sportsmanlike. Sydney Elliott was one of the “big kids” when I was 10 and getting eliminated at Beginner Novice on my hunter pony. Today she is an up-and-coming professional who rides out of Conley Stables in Benton, Louisiana. She grew up riding at Holly Hill Farm, also in Benton. Starting lessons at age 6, she got into Eventing right off the bat and was hooked. Growing up I watched her work very hard and clearly it’s paid off. Just take a look at her recent results: two weeks ago at Texas Rose Horse Trials she had a one-two finish in one Open Novice division in addition to winning another AND winning the Open Preliminary. Without further adieu, her interview:
As a professional, what are your current goals?
“I’ve got mostly babies in right now, I’ve got a three-year-old that’s just broken that I want to get competing over the summer. I’ve got a four-turning-five year-old that’s going training right now. I think he’s going to be really nice and I’m hoping he’ll be an upper level prospect. And then I’ve got a new one that just came in at the end of last year, he has actually been there done that. He ran intermediate…I’m hoping I can get on developing riders list with him by the end of the year. That will be my goal for this year.”
What has been your crowning achievement so far?
“I won the Midsouth event with my old mare, Dawn, and then we kind of fell off the map because I had so many babies to compete and bring up. I think just really getting out there and competing at every event almost, with a ton of babies and just continuing to do it.”
Have you had moment you consider your lowest point?
“Oh my gosh yes, this was actually a few years ago. I had two Thoroughbreds, both were very difficult. They were at Champagne Run, and I had probably with those horses the worst dressage tests I’ve ever had in my life…I left the arena and started crying and was like ‘I think I need to go back to school and I might not need to do this for a living.’ And then a few months later I just kept getting the dressage better and things started turning around. I started getting nicer horses in, nicer quality horses to work with. Things were looking up. Champagne Run was the lowest point, I think I almost hung it up.”
What defines Area V for you?
“I would say all the Texas events! Texas defines Area V. I think Heather [Morris] and Jessica [Pye]–I think Area V has so many good riders, a lot of talent. I think the riders define it, Texas for sure defines it. There’s undiscovered talent too….We have a lot of horses in the area that are really, really nice but it’s hard to sell them because we don’t get enough publicity, you know? It’s really hard because we’re not at Boyd’s or Phillip’s or Karen’s.”
Favorite event: Chattahoochee Hills and Poplar
(Within Area V: Holly Hill)
Song that plays when you leave the start box: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
First horse: Princy D, a pony with Morgan, Quarter Horse, and everything else mixed in.
Farthest traveled to an event: Maui Jim in St. Charles, IL
If you could ride any horse: Courageous Comet
Go Eventing and Go Area V
