Equestrian 101 with Ally Worthington
Ally Worthington, a junior at OHS, is a nationally competitive equestrian athlete. At 16, Ally has competed at national finals for the past 5 years, and is at the top levels of the junior ranks. Here is our conversation with her about the sport.
Pixel Journal: What sport do you compete in?
Ally: I compete in horseback riding. There are three main divisions in this sport: hunters, jumpers, and equitation. I compete in the latter two, which are objectively timed/scored, and subjectively judged on the rider’s fluidity and position, respectively. Competing in these two divisions provides a nice balance between effectiveness, correctness (in terms of position), and smoothness.
PJ: At what level do you compete?
A: The sport is broken up into classes (or different events) for riders under 18 years old, professionals, and riders over 18 years old who chose to maintain their unpaid, amateur status. I currently compete in the highest level of the under 18 junior divisions; the “Big Equitation” and the High Junior Jumpers. The Big Equitation consists of 4 classes: the ASPCA Maclay, USEF Hunt Seat Medal, Washington International Horse Show Equitation Classic, and the USET Talent Search class. Each of these classes emphasize a different style of riding, while staying true to the classical position and basics. The jumps in the High Junior Jumper division are set to 1.40-1.45m (4’7”-4’9”) in height, and the goal is to make it around the set course as quickly as possible without any faults. Faults are incurred by either going over the allotted time, or knocking down any poles.
Ally with her horse Manchester in 2013.
PJ: Why are you passionate about riding?
A: Riding is fulfilling for a variety of reasons, but I’m most passionate about the sport because of the bond between horse and rider. There’s something to be said for communicating with a 1500-pound animal without words, using only signals given through body position, legs, and arm/hand pressure. When the bond is strong, riding appears to be effortless and it gives the rider a magical feeling. I don’t compete solely for winning, but seeing my hard work from years of training pay off in the form of a win is validating and keeps me coming back.
PJ: How does riding affect your lifestyle?
A: Riding has had a profound effect on my lifestyle, and it was actually one of the driving forces that brought me to OHS. On a normal week without a competition, I train five or six days a week, for many hours per day. I am on the road approximately 30 weeks every year for competitions, and I move down to Florida each winter to compete for approximately 12 weeks. This intense schedule has required me to hone my time-management skills into a well-oiled machine so that my academics never suffer. I believe that riding has allowed me to further challenge myself academically as my hectic schedule always keeps me working.