Grace Allen, 16, and Jillian Pizzi, 14, were presented with the awards by the United States Equestrian Federation’s Equus Foundation.
Winston Churchill once said, “No hour is wasted that is spent in the saddle.” Proving this to be true after spending countless hours in the saddle each week, Moorestown residents Grace Allen, 16, and Jillian Pizzi, 14, were recently awarded first-place finishes for 2016 Regional Shows, awards presented by the United States Equestrian Federation’s Equus Foundation.
The awards
The USEF has two main types of shows, regional and national, and riders can compete at either level throughout the year. However, most young riders begin competing at the regional level, due to the proximity of the shows tending to be closer to home, and work their way up to the national level.
Then, each year the USEF’s nonprofit foundation, Equus, awards riders nationally and regionally in four categories: Best Junior on a Pony, Best Junior on a Horse, Best Amateur and Best Professional. However, being a regional winner does not mean the riders only won in a particular region of the country; rather it means they were the highest point earners at USEF regional shows.
To earn regional points, judges determine which rider was the best, and their selection earns a point for that particular show. At the end of the show year, which runs from Dec. 1 through Nov. 30, the riders who have accumulated the most BPC points receive the awards.
Having frequented regional shows throughout 2016, Allen earned first place for Best Junior on a Horse, whereas Pizzi came in first for Best Junior on a Pony. The two girls were given the awards on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Gloucester County Dream Park in Logan Township, a major indoor equestrian arena serving South Jersey.
The trot to success
For Allen, a sophomore at Moorestown High School, riding horses began even before she learned how to walk. Growing up on her family’s farm, she has been around these animals her entire life.
“My parents both ride and run a horseback riding lesson business here in Moorestown at Woodedge Stables, so I have been riding all my life,” Allen said. “I am actually the youngest and only one of six children who followed in my parents’ footsteps and took an interest in riding.”
Along with this acquired interest in riding, Allen also took on four horses she now rides and trains. Their names are Shoot The Moon, Dr. Darcy, Bowie and Breda.
Also in 2016, Allen won the High Point Take2 Jumper National Championship with her horse Bowie, and placed third, fourth and fifth with her other horses in this division for the year. In 2014, she was also the National Pony Jumper Champion, the fourth in that division for the year and leading Pony Jumper Owner. Throughout her riding career, she has also been awarded high ribbons in classics and championships at horse shows in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Vermont, New York and Florida.
“I am fortunate to have won my titles this year and thankful to all of my horses that helped me reach my goal, as none of this would be possible without them,” she said. “I also have to thank my parents who help me at each horse show and support me in my career.”
In 2017, Allen plans to travel across the country to compete with her horses. She also aspires to work her way up to jumping bigger and tougher obstacles, asking more of both her horses and herself.
Pizzi’s riding career also began at a young age when her parents saw an advertisement for a horseback riding camp in the newspaper eight years ago. After attending the camp, she immediately knew she wanted to continue riding and advance her competition — doing so at Woodedge Stables.
An eighth grader at William Allen Middle School, Pizzi has since won a few minor awards at end-of-the-year banquets, events held at the end of the competition season, and they are used to recognize the top competitors. Over the years, she has also placed in specific classes at varying horse shows.
“Riding has greatly influenced my life because I do it every day,” Pizzi said. “Riding will always be a huge part of my life, and not only have I learned skills with horses, but I have also learned life skills. Developing a relationship with the horse is truly a one-of-a-kind experience, and horseback riding allows for that to happen.”
Within the next year, Pizzi plans to ride at the Devon Horse Show, an annual horse show held in Devon, Pa., and at the HITS Ocala Winter Circuit in Ocala, Fla. She also plans to compete in the EQUUS competition for the 2017 show year.
“The most challenging part [of riding] is keeping calm, cool and collected before competing. I always get nervous because I never want to show anything less than my best,” Pizzi said. “The most challenging part for me personally is keeping calm even though I’m not always sure about what is going to happen or the possibilities for the day.”
