Featured Amateur Rider
A/O Champion Sarah Ward Talks About Winter Show Series By Sydney Masters
Sarah Ward is one of the nation's top Amateur Owner Hunter riders and when trains with Jack Towell and Liza Boyd at Finally Farm in South Carolina. She has piloted two of her award— winning hunters Onassis and Isaac to the top of the year-end standings, both regionally and nationally since was a junior. Now 21 and attending the University of South Carolina, she still gets excited with every horse show and every class - especially the Handy Hunters, which she won at the 2010 Washington International Horse Show aboard Onassis. She has also been focusing on the Amateur Owner Jumpers and has been very successful aboard her Warmblood gelding Ludwig Storgaard. This winter Sarah set off to Florida to experiences many of the winter circuit shows as possible. We had a chance to sit down and talk to Sarah in between Florida shows and school about her showing in both the hunters and the jumpers.
Onassis was also won classes at indoors and was Reserve Champion at Devon Horse Show in 2010. In 2011 and continuing into this year, I have turned my focus to my studies as I am trying to get into Law School.
However, I still ride and compete when I can and will set my goals on Devon, which is one of my favorite shows, and Indoors. This winter I was lucky enough to get to a bunch of different shows and circuits in Florida. At WEF with Isaac we won classes almost every week we were there, and then showing in Ocala with Onassis and my jumper, Ludwig Storgaard.
What was your high point in the Juniors and now in the Amateurs? In the Juniors, my high point was being Grand Champion at PNHS/Harrisburg. It was a huge honor and very exciting. As an amateur, the high point has been being Reserve Champion at Devon. I always have struggled at Devon, so for it to finally come together for me was amazing.
When was the first time you competed at any of the big Florida horse shows? My first year at at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington was in 2007, which was the first year I started showing in the Junior Hunters. It was a great and humbling experience for me, as I was so new to the 3'6" as well as to showing in Florida! I learned a lot that really helped shaped me in that year.
How do you feel that the Florida circuits differ from horse shows like Aiken and Atlanta, Kentucky and also Indoors? Showing at WEF you are competing against the best riders and horses both in the country and in some classes in the world.
Sarah Ward on Onassis
When did you first start to ride on the A- Circuit and tell me about the Junior years as you didn't start really young?
Riding Ludwig Sorgaard
Tell us about how this year is going for you in the A/O Hunters and the A/O Jumpers. Since I've become an amateur, I have been lucky enough to have a lot of success! My horse, Isaac, was USEF Reserve Champion in the nation in 2009, and Onassis won the same title in 2010.
I first started on the A-Circuit when I was 15, so I was extremely behind! But when I started training with Jack Towell and Finally Farm my show career completely turned around. That year I was champion at Capital Challenge with Bling Bling, the next year was my first year in the Juniors and Onassis and I won the stake at PNHS in Harrisburg only to come back the next year and win Grand Junior Hunter Champion - it was an amazing feeling. I always felt as though I was playing catch up, so for it to all come together for me at the end of my last Junior year was fantastic. But it really is never to late, as long as you focus and work hard at your goals. I had great support from my family, friends and my trainers and it made all the difference.
6.
It is the absolute toughest competition, and it really gives you a good feel as to how you and your horse can do at Devon and Indoors, and it shows you what you need to work on. It is way different from shows like Aiken and Atlanta; I feel like there is a lot more pressure – but it's always a lot of fun.
What do you think stands out as your most memorable moment with horses? My most memorable moment would be when my first horse, Happy, stepped off the trailer and right into my heart. I never knew where the journey would take me, I certainly didn't think I'd get here – but I owe it all to him. He is happily retired at my farm now!
What was your lowest moment and why? My lowest moment was losing my mom, it affected every aspect of my life. She
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