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Top (left to right): Jessica at the Thunderbird Grand Prix with Rabina, the horse who taught her everything; Jessica winning the Grand Prix at Woodside with the wonderful Classic Europa. Bottom (left to right): New York tour, CBS Broadcasting Studio for Carnegie Hall press junket. Jessica, Tiffany & Carrie; Concert for the Pope at the Vatican, Italy tour; Jessica, Tiffany & Carrie; Jessica in a Civic Light Opera Production of Bye Bye Birdie.


it captivated us as individuals as well as tight- ening a bond between us that is impenetrable. I would have to say that I credit music for ev- ery single thing in our lives that molded us into adults. It taught us dedication, self discipline, goal setting and the thrill of accomplishment. Plus, we were together just about all the time, it strengthened our dedica- tion to each other at a very young age.” Those accomplishments would take the family all over the


world and the girls would appear in concert at places most of us just hear about. Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Chicago Orchestra Hall, the Vatican and especially DISNEYLAND to hear Jessica talk about it as a child. “We were all over Europe and I fell in love with performing. I decided I wanted to be a singer and dancer so I set the violin aside!” “My mom decided to take up a friends offer in Chicago


the theatre so for her it was a hobby but I became obsessive about it.” Jessica adds, “It became part of Tif-


her. We rode at Flintridge with Liz Denney for many years then I went off to college for a music and theatre degree at USC. We moved to the Summit to ride with Jeff Katz and Susie Hutchison and I showed a horse named Fossee in the AA’s while I wrote a play called “Roomate Wanted”. It got picked up for production in Los Angeles, and I actually per- formed in it. Then I went on the road with it to Chicago and I left California for a bit.” Tiffany in the mean time got her Masters Degree in Social


and she went on a blind date. Jim Ellis was a captivating man and in town on business and swooped up our extended fam- ily with gusto. He is such a special man,” says Jessica. “He is THE most wonderful man you could ever meet, we are so blessed he came into our lives as children. They married and we were whisked off to Pasadena, California and the land of sunshine. He made sure we continued with our music, I was nine years old and Tiffany was seven. He saw to it that we flew back to Chicago for our lessons and performances every other week. He is so amazing, even now to us. He is the Dean of the Marshall Business School at USC now and all of us kids devotedly love this man!” Tiffany stayed true to the course of a love connection with animals and she became fixated on taking lessons. “Seemed like every day I pestered my mom about riding,” says Tif- fany. “And finally she said I could ride when Jessica was old enough to drive me. A deal was struck: I could ride if Jessica would drive me there, and she could ride as long as she took me! That started endless hours of the two of us together and I think that is when we really became the real friends and confidents that is such a part of us now. Jessica was pursuing


fany’s very soul, she soaked them into her very core and they became part of


work at USC. “I became a LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) and went to work for two group homes for emo- tionally disturbed kids. It was rewarding and I loved it but then I took a break to continue studying for licensing exams and went to Italy. When I got back I got extremely sick and landed in the hospital with a questionable survival outlook. It was one of the worst things that happened to me but it was also one of the best. There was a lot of time for introspec- tion as I laid there for weeks on end with Jessica and the fam- ily at my bedside. I made the decision to get back to riding and competing and not waste any more time.” “Jessica and I came back to it at the same time, she was with


me so much at the hospital and we talked about the future a lot. The timing as I recovered was perfect for us since we are both single, no kids, and can devote the necessary time to be- ing the very best we can. It was about then I decided to jump in full force and I bought the Summit facility and renamed it for my very first wonderful dog, Haley.” Both ladies agree on one thing. “In our family we do ev-


erything 100%. We got that from our mother and stepfa- ther, Jim.” The violin, dance and theatre for Jessica, riding for Tiffany, college degrees for both, friendships and their dedication to each other all carry a balanced over-achiever approach for them.


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