OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The 2018 National Equitation Championship wasn’t the first time Sophia Schults found herself on the medal platform.

A year earlier, she achieved team success at the 2017 Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) North American Youth Championships on her horse, Farley. That year marked Schults’s debut as a young rider, and she was just 16 years old.

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“It was a ton of fun,” says Schults, who rides for Hampton Green Farm. “I was actually on a team with my childhood best friend, Jacqueline Mackey. It was really special to be able to do that with her. That was the first podium I had ever achieved. That is a moment that I cherish. It was amazing.”

Setting the Standard 

Schults first attended the competition in 2015 at the age of 14. Since then, she has returned multiple times with different horses and at various levels. In 2024, Schults competed again, this time riding her horse Conocido HGF.

“He and I went under-25, which is sort of the grand prix level,” explains Shutts. “It’s basically the transition from being a young rider and then working your way into being a professional—but not quite throwing you into the deep end yet.”

Programs offered by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and the United States Dressage Federation (USDF) provide young riders with a pathway to professional competition. Schults credits these initiatives, such as the North American Championships and the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions, for shaping her growth as a rider.

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“As a junior, coming back as a young rider, and now having the opportunity to come back as a young professional at the under 25 level, it’s a really fantastic pipeline and a wonderful experience,” says Schults. “I’m very thankful to have done it as much as I have.”

Realizing Dreams

Schults always dreamed of becoming a professional rider—a goal she set her sights on at an early age.

“I wouldn’t say specifically being a professional in dressage wasn’t on the forefront of my mind until I was probably 12 or 13,” Shuts reflected. “[That’s] when I made the decision that this was something I was going to take super serious in the sense that horses were always going to be in my life.”

Despite her dedication, Schults recognizes the importance of having a backup plan.

“This is not a dangerous sport per se, but these are big animals that you are working with. You have to be realistic that injuries do happen,” she says. “You need to have a plan in place in case things don’t work out the way you anticipate. Ever since I was a kid, this has been my dream. I’m very thankful to live it every day.”