USA’s Jessica Springsteen will start a new chapter training with her fellow Gucci team mate Edwina Tops-Alexander at Stal Tops in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands this season. The horses arrived this week in the Netherlands, where Springsteen will be based for the summer season. The top-ranked US rider who delivered terrific results last year including a number of international victories such as the Furusiyya Nations Cup of Dublin with Team USA aboard her top mount Vindicat W as well as the Anglesea Stakes of Dublin aboard Davendy S. For the 2014 season, Springsteen accumulated nine international victories including a number at the 2014 Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida.
Springsteen has built an impressive reputation within the sport for her ability to deliver in a jump off and to shave off the seconds where it counts. Having developed with USA’s great lady rider Laura Kraut and British living-legend Nick Skelton, Springsteen has worked her way up over the last two years to sit 15th on the latest Rolex USEF Jumping Rankings.
“I began training with Laura when I was Freshman in College and had just began showing in Grand Prix’s” says Jessica. “I went to Europe for the first time that summer and competed on the Young Rider tour which is a really great tour for up and coming riders. It gave me great experience doing Nations Cup, which I was unable to get in the States at that age.”
“Training with Laura was a much different experience than I had had at that age. The focus is completely on the horse and what the rider can do to make each horse individually jump and feel their best. After years of equitation and hunters, I had to work on not worrying so much about what my rounds looked like, and focus more on being a strong efficient rider. Laura really taught me how to fight for clear rounds.”
“I remember watching Laura in a Grand Prix when I was on ponies. I have always admired her as a rider so to have trained with her is really special for me. She is not only an incredible trainer, but also an amazing person. She has the best sense of humor and positive attitude. This sport has such ups and downs, and she’s taught me to enjoy the highs, but not to beat yourself up too much during the lows.”
Having graduated from Duke University this year, Springsteen plans on focusing 100% on her time on her professional riding career, as she sets to kick off the month of June with Australia’s top-ranked rider Edwina Tops-Alexander in St. Tropez, Cannes and Monaco, and her top string of horses that include Vindicat W, Davendy S and Lisona.
“I am really looking forward to giving the sport my full focus now that I have graduated” says Jessica. “It has been years since I have been able to train and ride every day, and that is so important of course! I am looking forward to getting a few younger horses and bringing them up, which is something I really didn’t have time to do before.”
We wish Jessica and her team the very best of luck with her exciting new chapter with Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander.
Source: Stone Hill Farm