Chloe Love, an eighth grader at Cornwall Middle School, qualified to compete in the 2015 Interscholastic Equestrian Association national championships, in West Palm Beach, Fla., as an individual, as well as with her equestrian team out of Lucky C Stables in New Paltz. After three days of competition, at the end of April, Love walked away with a second place ribbon for her individual performance.
“I was ecstatic,” Love said when she received the red ribbon. “I was thankful to all the people who helped me get to that spot.”
Love notes she wouldn’t have made it to nationals without the help of her two trainers, Kristy Fink out of Ivy Rock Farms in New Windsor, and Jess Anselmo from Lucky C Stables.
The road to nationals wasn’t easy. The season began with five shows where riders earn points based on how they execute a series of tasks including walking, trotting, canters, and jumps. Teams and individuals who earn enough points move on to regionals. Those who finish in the top four move on to zones. From there, the top four competitors make it to nationals.
Love has been leasing a horse, Dino, which she rides when she practices at Ivy Rock Farms three days a week. During competitions, however, riders don’t get to use their own horses.
“Wherever the show is they have barns,” Love said. “The barns bring in horses to ride. You draw out of a hat to decide what horse you ride.”
The purpose is to make it fair to all competitors, especially those who don’t own a horse. The downside is having to ride an unfamiliar steed with no time to practice.
“It’s difficult,” Love said. “It takes a lot of practice to control the horse the way you want to.”
Fortunately, during competition, judges look more for position, rather than the horse itself.
Love didn’t let the strange horse prevent her from performing her task. As she sat atop the horse she was very focused on her routine.
Reason, her horse for the first round, was very cooperative, said Love. The same went for Jelly Beans, the horse she drew in the second round as one of the top eight finalists.
Love admits she was nervous at first, but once she got into her routine, she settled down.
“I realized that you can’t go anywhere else after nationals. This is it, This is my time to shine.”
Love plans to compete again next year individually and with her team and she hopes to make it back to nationals. To do so she’ll need to spend more time in the saddle as there’s always something to work on.
I’m really glad I found this interest,” Love said. “I wouldn’t change my interest for the world. I wouldn’t want to play any other sport.”
