By Amanda Picciotto Feitosa Portraits by Kacy Brown It was 1987 in southern Illinois when an eventing superstar was born. Lauren Nicholson’s parents were accustomed to seeing horses throughout their neighborhood, but they knew nothing about equestrian sport at the elite level. When Lauren was 6 years old, they helped her pursue lessons at a local stable in southern Illinois, but they had no idea how far those lessons would eventually take her. A passion was ignited that was so strong, it would drive her&n ..read more

By Laura Scaletti Portraits by Lauren Ann Pace Dressage rider Hillary Martin believes it’s not the level of the rider but their passion for improvement that makes it all worth it. As someone whose passion for horses was cemented early on in her youth, Hillary understands how far passion can take a rider. That drive opened the door for Hillary to increase her involvement in the sport that she’s since dedicated her life to. Fast forward to today, Hillary is a USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold medalist, licensed USEF ‘r’ dressage judge, and pursuing her ‘R’ license, all while running her own HC ..read more

By Becky Henderson Portraits by Adrienne Morella As both an eventer and business owner, Caitlin Silliman is well aware of the need for a solid team behind her. Not only has she had supportive family and friends cheering her on, she has ridden and worked under top-notch professionals such as Susie Beale and Silva and Boyd Martin, and now runs her business side by side with her good friend and fellow eventer Erin Kanara at Erin’s farm in Pennsylvania, the state Caitlin has always called home. It all started with six riding lessons for her 6th birthday. “My mom rode as a kid, and her mom rode as ..read more

By Shya Beth Michael Middleton’s ceramic art may not be depicting horses in the traditional sense of paintings and sculptures, yet his work infuses the essence of the wild Corolla Mustangs through horsehair pottery. Never able to recreate the same pattern twice through the process of burning horsehair onto the pot, Michael’s timeless pottery speaks to equestrians and non-equestrians alike. “I moved to Currituck County, North Carolina, in 2012, and I’m surrounded by horses and constantly inspired by their power and beauty,” Michael said. “In this area, we have a long tradition of Colonial Span ..read more

By Allie Heninger Portraits by Kelly Mudd Bribery can get you far, but for young Allison Springer, it led to a lifetime of horse-crazy pursuits at the highest level of the eventing sport. Raised in the outskirts of Chicago in Barrington, Illinois, Allison and her city-grown parents were enjoying their new life in the country when she had the opportunity to ride a neighbor’s pony one day after school—and, as she describes it, “that’s how the disease begins for a little girl.” Allison was still sucking her thumb in kindergarten, and in order to negotiate her quitting, her father offered her a b ..read more

By Kimberly Gatto Portraits by Melissa Fuller As a child growing up in Virginia’s hunt country, William “Will” Coleman III developed a lifelong passion for horses. “I was lucky to grow up in a ‘horsey’ family,” Will said. “Both of my parents rode, and we always had knowledgeable horse people visiting our farm. They instilled in me a deep love of the animals, right from the beginning.” That passion for horses—coupled with his innate talent, strong work ethic and positive outlook—led Will to the pinnacle of success in the sport of eventing. While still a teenager, he earned a gold medal at the N ..read more

By Laura Scaletti Portraits by Kristie Scholten Mother-daughter duo Haydeh and Darya Davoudi are working hand in hand to accomplish their equestrian dreams. As Darya focuses on competing in the hunter and equitation rings, Haydeh has immersed herself in Darya’s equestrian experience. “My journey into the equestrian world took a significant turn when I became a mother. As an equestrian enthusiast myself already, I eagerly embraced the role of a supportive parent,” Haydeh said. “Through Darya’s journey, I’ve had the privilege of observing, learning and gaining invaluable insights into the qualit ..read more

By Allie Heninger Portraits by Lauren Ann Pace While many spousal partners may choose to keep business and family separate, such is not the case for the duo behind Alliston Equestrian. From riding and coaching to winning the American Eventing Championships, husband and wife James and Helen Alliston do everything together, every day. While it’s been more challenging than for most, operating their business on the West Coast rather than further east with the majority of the eventing community, this successful pair has taken it all in stride—and come out on top more than once in their competitive ..read more

By Jessica Sforza Portraits by Melissa Fuller Ever since she was a toddler, Ashley Glica’s life revolved around horses—a fitting origin for the now-30-year-old equestrian business owner. Tracing her roots back to Akron, New York, a village 25 miles east of snowy Buffalo, she had the privilege of being raised in a farm environment with supportive family members backing her every step of the way during the early stages of her riding career, and then some. From the moment Ashley was gifted her first pony, Tara, she caught the horse bug. “I remember my first pony, Tara—she was like 30 years old w ..read more

By Britney Grover Portraits by Isabel J. Kurek While you won’t see Ron Davis in the show ring, you’ll see the show ring in his work. Ron is the director and producer of documentaries such as “Harry & Snowman,” chronicling the journey of Harry deLeyer and his plow-horse-turned-show-jumper, Snowman; “Life in the Doghouse,” shining the spotlight on Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta of Danny & Ron’s Rescue; and “ParaGold,” which follows four para dressage athletes hoping to make it to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.   Based in Wellington, Florida, Ron is now using his talent and experience t ..read more