One Big Thing: Adult Amateurs, Front and Center (As They Should Be)
There’s a certain kind of eventer who doesn’t make headlines often —- usually because they’re too busy doing the unglamorous work of the “do what you love, but also make enough money to pay at least some bills each month” juggling act. They close the laptop, drive to the barn, ride in the dark, and still show up the next morning like nothing happened.
That’s the point of the C Square Farm / Excel Star Sporthorses Adult Amateur Scholarship: celebrating the riders who quietly do it all. Careers, families, life, and horses.
For 2026, the program, helmed by 5* rider Courtney Cooper and her husband, Neal, awarded two scholarships, and after reviewing many thoughtful applications, it has named this year’s recipients: Amanda Gantz and Elizabeth Espinosa.
The scholarship includes seven days of board for horse and rider, daily lessons, housing, and coaching at a competition, redeemable in Aiken, SC or Nottingham, PA, depending on Courtney’s travel schedule. This creates the kind of support that can make a real difference for an adult amateur trying to stretch time, funds, and energy as far as they’ll go.
Amanda Gantz came to eventing in 2015 after watching the Kentucky Three-Day Event. Her story since has been a masterclass in resilience: navigating breast cancer, multiple horse setbacks, and the loss of her mother, one of her biggest supporters. In 2022, with her mom and husband’s support, she took a leap and imported a green four-year-old Connemara gelding off a video, named Meg O’Pint (“Pint”). After an injury sidelined them in 2023, Pint returned in 2024, and by 2025 the pair hit their stride at USEA events, qualified for the AECs, and earned a spot on the national leaderboard. Amanda plans to use this opportunity to keep building her partnership with Pint and has dedicated her 2026 season to her mom, watching from above every time she leaves the start box.
Elizabeth Espinosa, an Area II eventer, partners with Benediction, a 2014 Oldenburg gelding she has leased since he was four. With the support of the horse’s owner, her trainer, and barn community, Liz and Ben have grown together from first rides under saddle to completing the Novice Rider division at the AECs, plus earning USDF Bronze Medal scores at First and Second Level. Liz lives in Maryland with her husband and cat and works for the federal government. After a year of injuries for both horse and rider, her goals for the season ahead are to rebuild confidence, return to form, and potentially move up to Training Level. Training with Courtney is a meaningful step toward bringing those goals to life.
Congrats to both riders! This award is what adult amateur grit looks like, and the kind that truly deserves its own spotlight.
US Events This Weekend
Ocala Winter I (FL): [Website] [Scores]
Pine Top Intermediate HT (GA): [Website] [Scores]
Other Links & Reading
- Have you entered our contest with Five Star Eventing Tours yet? You could win an all-inclusive trip to this year’s Defender Burghley (August 31-September 7)! More information here.
- ‘Vets who haven’t seen the horse in the flesh are stopping riders from buying,’ warns Richard Sheane of Cooley Farm
- The Open X Super Bowl LX: 7 Lessons
- Why Linear Coverage Matters for the Future of Equestrian Sport
- Making Progress With PRP in Horses
Training Tip of the Day
Tom McEwen and Lucinda Fredericks share their insights on fitness work for younger horses:
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Go Eventing
A real “not touching it!” moment from Emily Hamel’s rising star, Newman, who’s likely getting some tips from a certain barnmate…
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