New in 2021, we’d love to hear about you and your horses journey and what you hope to accomplish as apart of the Area 1 Young Rider Program! Kicking off the new “Rider Spotlight” are Peytyn Geer and Lexie Evans. Welcome to the YR program Peytyn and Lexie!
Peytyn Geer and Dublin Red
⭐ Tell us a bit about you and your riding journey including your current trainer(s)…
I started riding around age 4 or five. I’ve had a couple trainers along the way and has led me to where I am now. But my current trainer now, Jean Donnan, has really helped my riding career bloom. I got my first pony around age 7 which I only really did game rallies on. Then I got my second pony around age 10. She then got lame and therefore led me to the horse I have now. I have learned so much from him.
⭐ Tell us a bit about your horse. How long have you had them, how you got them, etc…
My horse’s name is Dublin Red. He is 12 years old and is an off-the-track thoroughbred. I’ve had him for about 3 three years now. I got him from my trainer who had recently gotten him off the track. He hadn’t been anywhere and only had very minimal training. So with the help of my trainer, I started to bring him along.
⭐ What are your goals for the 2021 season? Any long-term goals that you’d like to achieve one day?
I don’t really know where 2021 is going to take me but I have qualified for nationals in Kentucky and I’m hoping to go there. I just recently moved up novice for the upcoming horse trials. So I just want to go with the flow.
⭐ Why did you decide to join the Young Rider Program?
I thought it would be a fun experience to meet other people and get recognized.
⭐ Describe your most memorable horse trial and/or biggest riding accomplishment so far…
My biggest accomplishment so far is winning the Western Regional Dressage Rally in Cazenovia and getting overall high score for the whole show. It helped me qualify for nationals so I am very proud of myself and my horse.
⭐ What are you looking forward to the most during the 2021 season?
I am looking forward to just competing this season because last season was so weird with COVID. I just want to get out and try and give my horse and myself as much experience as possible.
Lexie Evans and Cuz I Can and Top Scholar
⭐️ Tell us a bit about you and your riding journey including your current trainer(s)…
I started riding at a small, local barn when I was 9 and that’s where I fell in love with eventing. When I got my first pony, I was lucky enough to work in exchange for board at Huntington Farm where I received lots of guidance and lessons from Ann Kitchel and Deb Dean-Smith. My first few ponies were tough and they taught me patience and perseverance and how to sit a buck and bolt! Since then, I’ve worked at multiple barns as either a working student or barn hand. Every barn I’ve worked at has been instrumental in helping my reach my goals and I’m incredibly grateful for the support and coaching I have received from so many different trainers including Bekki Read, Joe Forest and my current trainer Madison Tilton. Madison has supported me through it all and I wouldn’t be where I am without her. She is such a competent trainer and teacher and helps me stay relaxed and focused with my riding. Madison has also connected me with other riders and trainers such as Ariel Grald. Ariel was generous enough to invite me to be her working student at Setter’s Run Farm this spring and she was incredible! Ariel is everything a great horse person should be and I learned so much from her.
⭐️ Tell us a bit about your horse. How long have you had them, how you got them, etc…
I currently own two horses: a lovely Holsteiner Thoroughbred mare named Cuz I Can “CC” that I purchased from Wetherbee Farm last fall and a sweet and spunky thoroughbred gelding named Top Scholar “Jax” that I bought this spring. Neither horse had ever evented, so it’s been quite a journey bringing them both along. CC is a x country machine and lives to jump. She has so much heart and drive and will give me everything she has on course. She comes from a long line of successful event horses and has several siblings who are currently eventing. Jax is the sweetest, easiest horse to take to shows, but is still learning so can be a handful when competing. Both have a lot of potential and I’m excited to see how far they both will go.
⭐️ What are your goals for the 2021 season? Any long-term goals that you’d like to achieve one day?
I’ve started both horses from scratch, but they are so capable, so my goal is to get both of them to training level this year. My long-term goal is to own an equestrian facility where I will train horses and hopefully have my own students. I would love to run an eventing program or camp to help train up and coming young riders.
⭐️ Why did you decide to join the Young Rider Program?
I joined the Young Rider Program so I would have access to opportunities such as the Young Rider Camp and the support I need to move up through the levels.
⭐️ Describe your most memorable horse trial and/or biggest riding accomplishment so far…
My most memorable event was the most recent event at GMHA. After all the work we’ve done together my mare and I just came together as a team and totally killed it. It wasn’t even our best placing and we didn’t get a ribbon, but I was beyond proud of how far she’s come in such a short time. She really is my heart horse.
⭐️ What are you looking forward to the most during the 2021 season?
I’m really excited to see what both my horses are capable of this season. Each show is exciting and I just look forward to every opportunity I get to ride them!
If you or anyone you know would like to be featured in the YR Spotlights, let us know!
