ShowBiz Feature
T he very first thing that becomes apparent in a conversation with Macella O’Neill,
is that she is possibly one of the most open, honest and funny individuals in the show jumping
industry. Her humor, smile and quick wit are absolutely contagious and envelope you in
whatever it is she is talking about. There is nothing pretentious, dishonest, disingenuous or
fake about her. Her openness will actually take you back a few steps; it is so unique.
Raised on a farm in the 60’s, there were animals everywhere of every assortment, including
horses, goats, cows, chickens and all the other usual critters found in a farming community.
The house was always full of people and everyone was welcome. Back when people opened
their homes and hearts with open arms, the family house was a mixture of quiet solitude and
M
never ending activity.
Her riding interest came about by necessity when she was 3 years old. Born with a congenital
defect that included no internal or external ear, no jaw and no right jaw joint, one of the
complications was a bit of a balance problem. To the rescue came her Grandfather, Condido,
with a scraggly old donkey riding in the back of his pickup. Bought from Sears and Roebuck;
yes, they sold them back then, the donkey “Sultan” was considered a life saver for this child.
Macella would get up every morning, be put up on Sultan and play her ukulele till lunch.
That way her parents knew where Macella was, the donkey very rarely moved fast, and Macella
gained valuable time figuring out physical balance. The time really paid off and the bond
between her and the donkey became a key factor in her survival. Over 17 surgeries, starting
at the age of 2, Macella spent more time recovering than she did enjoying what other kids
experienced as their ‘normal’ childhood.
When asked “How did you survive all that and become such a Pollyanna?”
“Wow, that is SUCH an interesting question,” she said with a sudden seriousness. “I think it has
a lot to do with biochemistry and genetics and just how all that interacts with the environment.
My parents were really aggressive about how they wanted me ‘socialized’ with my situation,
and how they wanted me to actually deal with it. There was just simply never an option to feel
“I believe that whatever you do, do it with GREAT passion and
integrity, then you have accomplished something with your life.”
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