Growing up in horse country, equestrian sports were always something I had dreamed of participating in. Every Sunday in the summer, we would order a pizza and watch polo at the historic Myopia Polo Fields. Every Thanksgiving, my mom and I would watch the “Blessing of The Hounds” and I would admire the horse and rider pairs as they galloped through the fields of Hamilton, Massachusetts. After years of begging, I finally started riding at age 10. In 2016, I began riding lessons at a small barn in Ipswich Massachusetts called Ascot Riding Center with Jerry and Kat Kenney.
At my first horse show in 2018, I was Champion of the Walk-Trot division with a clean sweep with my first pony “Applepie”. In 2020, I was New Hampshire Hunter Jumper Association Year-End Champion of the Large Children’s Ponies with my large pony “Comanche”. In 2021, “Comanche” and I moved to The Ethel Walker School and began training with Linda Langmeier and Joanna Seaver. In the start of 2021, I was doing the Large Children’s Ponies. By early 2022, I was successfully showing in the 3’3″ Junior Equitation thanks to the expertise of the team at Ethel Walker and Kelianda Farm. In 2023, I am competing in the Children’s Jumpers, Large Junior Hunters, and the Junior and Big Equitation and will be attending Hunter and Equitation Finals this summer and fall.
I am currently a junior at The Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, CT and I maintain a 3.79 unweighted GPA. I will be taking all Advanced humanities courses. When I am not in the ring, I am a Co-head of the Cicerone Society, EWS’s student tour-guide committee. I am also a head of a community service group that writes testimonies for bills with the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund, sing in an Acapella group and partake in a book club.
Being given the opportunity to bring my skills in and out of the arena to an NCAA Collegiate Equestrian team would validate the worthwhile efforts, triumphs and sacrifices I have put in to this sport in pursuit of success. I am passionate about finding a college that fosters my love for not only my sport but my intense love for learning and academics. The equestrian sport has blessed me with opportunities and lessons beyond what I could ever have imagined as a young girl. It has taught me to be accountable for myself, to always stay humble, and above all, that hard work is the key to success. I look forward to embracing the privilege and opportunity to commit myself and efforts to my future team!
~ Kipley Kagan