Leg Up Scholarship: Maryland International Equestrian Foundation Awards 4 Scholarships
Strides for Equality Equestrians is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Maryland Competition Series Leg Up Scholarships: eventers Hannah Jaeger, Josephine Long, Gabrielle McDaniel, and Raegan Nalls. Each awardee has received a $500 scholarship to compete this season in the Maryland Horse Trials series at Loch Moy Farm in Adamstown, Maryland. This Leg Up Scholarship series establishes a new partnership between SEE and the Maryland International Equestrian Foundation (MIEF). Our partnership focuses on offsetting the costs of competing for young riders with past experiences volunteering with MIEF who have passions for increasing BIPOC visibility in equestrian sport and who work to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in their riding lives and beyond. The Maryland Leg Up recipients will begin their competition years with a wide variety of riding backgrounds and eventing aspirations.
Photo provided by Hannah Jaeger
Hannah Jaeger, 16, is making the transition from 2’6”–2’9” show jumping to eventing this year with her lease horse, Nova. She hopes to establish her eventing competition record during high school before pursuing a collegiate equestrian competition career. Hannah shared that her equestrian experiences so far have not included many role models of riders who share her Hispanic heritage and that she would like to be a role model for other riders like her. In her application she wrote, “I hope that I become a role model for other young Hispanic girls, that are discouraged by feeling like they are different compared to their white counterparts, to continue riding and not be ashamed of their background.”
Photo provided by Josephine Long
Josephine Long, 11, is a lifelong Pony Clubber who competes in eventing on her mother’s horse, Prim, and her pony, Fizz. This year she hopes to move up to the Starter–Elementary (2’–2’3”) division. Josephine has volunteered with the Maryland Special Olympics and aspires to ride at a 3* level and own a farm that runs programming with the Special Olympics when she grows up. Her own experiences with scoliosis have informed her approach to riding and competing, and in her application, she wrote, “It makes me resilient and able to empathize with people with physical challenges because I have to wear a back brace most of every day. … In my lifetime I hope to advance the eventing world and the people that can reach it by letting all people have access to it in ways that people do not today.”
Photo provided by Gabrielle McDaniel
Gabrielle McDaniel, 16, has competed through Beginner Novice in eventing and First Level dressage with her horse, Copper. Gabrielle works five evenings a week as the junior assistant barn manager at her farm to afford her horse care and competition costs, and she hopes to be a role model for other riders who might see equestrian sport as out of their financial means. In her application, she wrote, “There are so many amazing people in this world that are willing to help out if you show them how much you truly want it and that you are willing to work hard for it. I would love to show other kids that think the equestrian world is out of their reach that it is not.”
Raegan Nalls, 17, has competed through Training in eventing and Second Level dressage, and this year she is bringing along her young mare, Hot and Spicy. She hopes that the MIEF Leg Up will help her take this first project horse through Beginner Novice and maybe even Novice by the end of the competition season. Raegan shared that even though she has a welcoming group of riding friends, she often felt like the “odd one out” due to her Filipino background and that her passion for increasing BIPOC visibility in equestrian sport comes in part from witnessing the prejudicial treatment of other Southeast Asian riders. In her application, she wrote, “I would love to advocate for change and more inclusivity on all levels. I want to be able to include everyone no matter who they are because the horses are what truly mean the world to us.”
Follow along with our Maryland Leg Up recipients on the Strides for Equality Facebook and Instagram, and on their own Instagram accounts. Hannah is @hannahj_eq. Josephine’s mother is documenting their shared riding journey at @cubbagepatch. Raegan is @rmneventing. For more information on MIEF, please visit https://www.marylandinternationalequestrianfoundation.org/, and check out the Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy Farm at https://themarylandhorsetrials.com/. And if you’re feeling inspired by our Maryland Leg Up recipients, please contact SEE at stridesforequality@gmail.com if your competition series would like to partner with us!
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