OCALA, FL (352today.com) – It’s a partnership that has caught the selectors’ eyes, and whose influence will endure for a lifetime.

An enduring partnership

The bonds Sophia Schults has formed with her horses have been instrumental in her success. Schults and Conocido HGF have shared an eight-year journey together.

“Conocido is a horse that I purchased from Kim Van Kampen when I was 15,” says Schults, who rides for Hampton Green Farm. “She (Van Kampen) bred him. He was born at the farm in Fruitport, Mich. I have partnered with him ever since. He’s 12 years old now, and he’s really one of my best buddies. He’s taught me more than any horse I’ve ridden because we’ve been together so long.”

Schults has trained the PRE (Pura Raza Española) gelding from a 4-year-old to competing in the Under 25 Grand Prix. Together, they were selected by the United States Equestrian Federation to represent the U.S. at the 2024 Discover Dressage Federation Equestre Internationale North America Youth Dressage Championships. Schults, 23, began showing Conocido HGF in the young rider division at age 20.

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“When we did the young rider test together, and it went well, we were coming into our last year of eligibility for the young rider championship, and so we made a push for it,” says Schults. “We were able to qualify and go on the team. We went to the North American Youth Championships, and that year we anchored the team and brought home the Young Rider gold medals. We also brought home the individual bronze medal in the freestyle, which is incredible to me. I didn’t think we’d be able to qualify, let alone bring home a couple of podiums.”

Their bond has propelled them to success on the national stage, including a third-place finish at the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions.

“He’s not perfect, and I’m definitely not perfect, but we’ve managed to do it together,” said Schults. “What he has taught me I’m now able to apply to some of the other horses. It’s something that you can’t put a price on. I’m thankful for everything he has taught me and for all the coaches who’ve helped me along the way. I couldn’t do it without them. I’m incredibly fortunate for this partnership.”

Prospect with Potential

Schults is also working with Didacus, another horse with whom she sees great potential. Now 12, Didacus presents unique challenges typical of top sport horses, offering Schults valuable lessons in refining her training methods.

Rising to the Occasion

In December, the USEF announced Schults’s selection for the East Coast 2025 Dressage Training Series, part of the USEF’s pathway program. Her results in upper-level competitions earned her this invitation as a U25 participant.

“It’s a huge opportunity,” Schults says. “I’m a big believer in education, and I’m a very big believer in continued education and participating in different activities to supplement your riding off of the horse. What clinics like this give you the opportunity to do is meet other young people who are having the same hopes and dreams, and you kind of see where their dreams are taking them, and perhaps there are things that they’re doing that we can implement into our program. You get to work with a lot of top-notch people. I absolutely love it.”

No Place Like Home

Schults first came to Ocala in 2019, stopping briefly before heading to Wellington. She quickly appreciated the benefits of Ocala’s spacious farms and cooler climate for her horses.

“I have found the fitness of the horses to be much better since we’ve been here because we have hills and much more room to take them out,” explains Schults. “We’re very fortunate that the farm we’re based at has a racetrack and a two-mile grass track that goes through the woods with a little bit of undulation on some hills and it’s incredible. I’m able to take the young horses and the older schooled horses and work on their cardio-fitness. It keeps their minds and our minds fresh.”

The nearby World Equestrian Center has been another advantage.

“I love it,” said Schults. “I think it’s one of the best facilities in the world. The footing is amazing, and the stabling of the horses is wonderful. We have a really great relationship with everybody we’ve met, both the staff and the other competitors. I’m very thankful that we’re as close as we are and are able to show there all the time.”