Classic Eventing Nation

It’s easy to get trapped in the bubble of our own existence, and nothing makes us more excited than seeing the citizens of EN looking beyond themselves and stepping up to help make a real difference in the world. Emma Knight, an eventing enthusiast and student at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, has undertaken an effort to share her passion for horses with at-risk youth in her community. It just goes to show that you never know what can happen when you take the time to care. 

Photo courtesy of LUCK.

In January 2018, Leslie Wylie wrote an Eventing Nation article called “Where Is the Diversity in Eventing?” It struck a chord with me, and I began to wonder what I could do about the issue as a white, broke college student. Most of the comments both in and around the article agreed that the major issues are financial status and urban settings.

Please bear with me as I write this, because I acknowledge that there are many well-off men and women of color that live in many areas. However, I decided to focus on those issues because they are real issues that face equestrian sport. Horses require quite a bit of money and space; many urban environments offer neither.

I started thinking about how we could bring diversity into the sport more. As everyone knows, the next generation is the future of any sport. I started focusing on kids, and what we could do to provide more opportunities. Kids means schools.

Photo courtesy of LUCK.

I’m lucky to attend John Carroll University, where service is an important part of education. So, I knew I could start a service club at JCU. I called it JCU’s Equine Opportunity, where urban kids and JCU students could work together with horses. I pulled inspiration from organizations like the Compton Jr. Posse in Los Angeles, City Ranch, Inc. in Baltimore, and the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club in Philadelphia.

I wrote up a proposal and brought it to JCU. Imagine my surprise and delight when John Carroll told me that a similar program had already been started in Cleveland. With the blessing of the school to go out to the program about starting a JCU student service club to provide volunteers, I contacted LUCK.

Photo courtesy of LUCK.

Leg Up for Cleveland’s Kids, or LUCK (www.luck4kids.org), is a program that provides free instruction and transportation for urban kids in Cleveland to horse barns nearby. The area that LUCK runs in is primarily hunter-jumper, but you better believe I’ll be bringing a little eventing touch. It is not a therapeutic program, though the kids benefit from the calming effect horses have.

LUCK’s mission statement:

“Leg Up for Cleveland’s Kids, known as ‘LUCK,’ addresses multiple challenges facing Cleveland’s vulnerable youth. A shortage of extracurricular and career-readiness activities, coupled with a sustained environment of community trauma and strained relations between neighborhoods and authority figures, negatively impacts young people’s ability to create viable and sustaining futures.

“Through riding and caring for horses, program participants acquire valuable job-training and social-emotional skills that prepare them for success. A partnership with Cleveland’s Mounted Unit offers unprecedented collaboration and community engagement, while immersion in the equestrian industry allows Cleveland youth access to previously unreachable social capital and career pathways.”

Photo courtesy of LUCK.

When I reached out to LUCK, they were excited to have me. Not only could JCU students provide support, my website experience came in handy as LUCK had yet to build theirs (check it out at www.luck4kids.org). I’ll continue to provide publicity support as the organization grows.

In my planning meeting with co-founder and, ironically enough, JCU professor, Laura Hammel, I realized just how much impact LUCK can have. She told me about a girl who lost her sibling in a gun accident that coped with the trauma with “her” horse. She told me about a boy who rides every month and has the drive to continue riding as long as possible as he wants to become a mounted unit police officer. She told me about a girl who said, “If I could be around horses more, maybe I wouldn’t be so angry all the time.” The students that work with LUCK enjoy it and learn from it.

Photo courtesy of LUCK.

What started out as a push for diversity has transformed into something bigger. LUCK gives kids a chance to discover something new. To push themselves. To take care of another. To learn a trade. To make connections. These kids are strong, intelligent, and ready to thrive; they just need a Leg Up.

I have so many ideas swirling in my head about how to make LUCK better and how to reach more kids. We have a Friend-raiser coming up November 3 for potential donors and friends of the program to meet LUCK students and see what we do. If you’re interested in attending, please email [email protected].

Photo courtesy of LUCK.

The kids have loved the clinics and workshops that LUCK has provided so far (farrier, vet, braiding), and I’d love to have clinicians from different disciplines (eventing, dressage, western disciplines, etc.) come in to teach or demonstrate. They also enjoyed attending the Chagrin Hunter Jumper Classic and volunteering. If you would like to donate a clinic or workshop or have another idea LUCK kids would enjoy, please reach out!

Many thanks to LUCK for the good and important work it is doing, and to Emma for sharing her experience. Learn more about the program here. 

“That feeling a good Thoroughbred gives you on cross country.” Photo by JJ Jayhawk Sillman.

Still reeling from their success in the 2018 NAYC CCIJ1* at Rebecca Farm, Georgia Phillips and her OTTB Menue Rendevous (“Lundee”) reflect on their journey from track to team Young Rider gold.

Three years ago while scrolling through Facebook, a flash of chrome on an otherwise scrawny and unimpressive off-the-track mare caught Georgia’s eye. With her top event horse sidelined due to injury, the young rider from Area V was looking for a fun summer resale project. “I have to be honest … she was not very cute in person at the time,” says Georgia. But something told her to look past the thick winter coat and racing fit physique.

The picture that started it all. Photo courtesy of Georgia Phillips.

Georgia’s first time sitting on the mare proved her instincts right with the most uneventful ride on a 4-year-old OTTB there ever was. She and her mom shared a look and the bay mare came home with them that day. The young mare impressed everyone with her laid-back attitude and willing disposition, but not even Georgia knew back then what a once in a life time horse Lundee would turn out to be. “I never had the thought that she would be my Young Riders horse,” Georgia says, “I was hoping when my other horse got sound he would be the one.”

It wasn’t until Georgia took Lundee out cross country schooling for the first time that she began to feel that this mare could be something special. Lundee handled everything that was asked of her like a seasoned pro. “She just made me smile, she gave me this feeling that no horse ever has on cross country,” Georgia recalls. And only a month after her purchase, Lundee and Georgia were entered in their first horse trial together.

All hail Queen Lundee! Photo by Genna Huffman.

“She thought the cross country was amazing,” says Georgia, “It was the first time I experienced that feeling a good Thoroughbred gives you out on cross country.” The mare finished on her dressage score, as she would become known for in the barn, and Georgia fell even more in love with her.

When asked if she had ever come close to selling Lundee, as was her original purpose, Georgia compared the mare to a failed foster dog that turned into all her success. As the jumps got bigger the mare’s skills got better. Lundee became the queen of finishing on her dressage score. This past year the pair traveled to Florida for the winter series and made their Preliminary debut. Of course in true Lundee fashion they finished on their dressage score and that’s when Georgia knew Young Riders was in their sights.

“When I started her over show jumping fences she was always so careful and so natural.” Photo by Tom Cook.

Making the Area V Young Rider team was a dream come true for Georgia. Winning team gold on a horse she produced herself? “I was just so humbled and excited to be there on a horse like Lundee with a story like ours.” Looking back Georgia is still in awe of her “Golden Girl”: “Lundee has been the light of my life and I still can’t believe she did it!” Area V competed with only three horse and rider pairs (the others being McKinsey Wickman with Dassett Profile and Georgia Dillard with Galileo Wp), meaning there was no drop score and no room for error.

“When we won I just couldn’t quit sobbing,” Georgia recalls. “I was galloping alongside two such nice horses, and the fact that Lundee helped get us that gold medal makes me speechless.”

Your 2018 CCIJ1* gold medal team, Area V! Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Lundee wasn’t the only special horse that helped Georgia achieve her goal of competing at NAYC. In 2012 Georgia and her mother traveled to the East coast with the aim of purchasing a more experienced horse for Georgia to move up then levels on and pursue her spot on the Young Riders team. The result was a big bay 1-star horse named Harlee. Harlee took Georgia through Training level and they looked like they were well on their way to contending for a spot on the team when tragedy struck. The beautiful horse fractured his leg in a freak pasture accident and the tough choice to put Harlee down was made.

Harlee showing off his larger-than-life personality. Photo courtesy of Georgia Phillips.

Fast forward to the 2018 NAYC and Georgia and Lundee carried a piece of Harlee with them. As many horse people do when a beloved partner passes away, Georgia saved Harlee’s shoes. They fit Lundee perfectly. “When I got Lundee and she started to show potential I thought… how amazing would it be for Lundee to wear Harlee’s shoes?” says Georgia, “Harlee holds such a special place in my heart, and for his shoes to have one last go was so neat.”

According to Georgia, Lundee and Harlee had many things in common: “A little quirky on the ground, small Thoroughbreds, such vigor for life, and so in love with their jobs.” It was the perfect fairy tale ending that Harlee got to gallop every stride with his girl and her super star mare.

Lundee and her magic shoes. Photo courtesy of Georgia Phillips.

Growing up as a trainer’s daughter, Georgia has had the privilege to work with many different horses. Lundee’s desire to please has always made her stand above the rest. That, and her hidden talent. “Lundee did what so many people didn’t think was possible, including me,” says Georgia. “She went from this scrawny little horse to the most incredible athlete.” Georgia plans to produce more horses up the levels and represent the U.S. on future teams. “The next step for me is to find a new rider for my golden girl to teach,” says Georgia. “We’ve had such a special journey together that I will cherish forever.”

Georgia’s Golden Girl. Photo by Melinda Prince Photography.