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Trainers
Laura Hightower
Laura
Hightower's fascination
with horses began
at 3 yrs
of
age on
her
families'
farm
where
her
father  purchased
and
retrained
"rogue"
horses.
Laura
would
watch
for
hours,
along
with
some
local
cowboys,
as her
father
would
calm and
ride the
most
anxious
and
fearful
horses
imaginable.
This
was
before
the time
of the
highly
publicized
"Natural
Horsemanship"
trend,
Laura's
father
simply
called
his
methods
"Horsemanship".
Laura
actually
started
riding
at the
age of
3,
sitting
on
horses
her
father
had
trained
as she
watched
him do
his
work.
When she
was 8,
her
father
decided
English
riding
lessons
were
important,
so she
began
taking
jumping
lessons
and has
been
"hooked',
ever
since.
After
eventing
for a
few
years,
Laura
showed
hunters
and
jumpers,
for the
most
part,
riding
problem
horses
which
belonged
to other
people.
Like her
father,
Laura
really
enjoyed
working
with
green
horses
and
re-schooling
horses
that
have
behavioral
problems.
As an
amateur,
Laura
bought,
trained
and sold
un-broke
horses.
She also
showed
these
horses,
but she
was
primarily
interested
in
furthering
her
Equine
education
with a
strong
emphasis
in
Dressage.
Training
with
Kalman
de
Jurenak,
Robert
Chissus
and
Victoria
Maeckle.
While
living
in
England,
Laura
rode for
Grand
Prix
rider
and
business
woman
Penny
Cornish.
Doing
all of
the
flatwork
and
schooling
over
fences,
at home.
While
riding
at
Penny's
Laura
was
privileged
to ride
some
fantastic
show
jumpers,
belonging
to
Harvey
Smith,
David
Broome and Robert
Smith,
including
the
great
show
jumper, Pavarotti.
In 1993,
Laura
was
asked if
she
would be
interested
in
relinquishing
her
amateur
status
to begin
teaching
and
riding
professionally
at the
Las
Colinas
Equestrian
Center
in
Irving,
Texas.
She
began
teaching
beginners,
quickly
growing
her
lesson
business
from 5
lessons
per
week, to
more
than 75
lessons
per
week, in
six
months
time.
Laura
believes
she
learned
as much
about
horses
during the
2 years
of her
intense
teaching
schedule
at
Las
Colinas,
as in
all of
her
previous
years
with
horses.
In 1996
Laura
opened
Summer
Hill
Farms,
primarily
breaking
and
training
young
horses, re-schooling
problem
horses and
teaching
a few
beginning
riders.
Her
business
has
evolved
into a
successful
show
barn,
with her
horses
and
riders
competing
in all
levels
of
showing
from Short
Stirrup
to Grand Prix, Hunters
as well
as
Jumpers, winning
many
year end
State,
Zone and
National
Awards.
Summer
Hill
Farms
has also
become a
successful
sale
barn,
with
Laura
having a
knack
for
matching
horse
and
rider.
Laura
attributes
her
clients
success
in the
show
ring to
her
determination
to adhere
to the
fundamentals
of
classical
horsemanship
and
attention
to
detail.
Laura
does
most of
the
teaching
at
Summer
Hill and
still
does
quite a
bit of
the
riding
and
training
at home.
Laura
does
some
showing
of the
green
horses,
but
leaves
most of
the
showing
to her
daughter
and
partner
in
Summer
Hill
Farms,
Jordan
Siegel.
Jordan Siegel
Jordan Siegel is no ordinary student athlete. Since her arrival at the Savannah College of Art and Design, she has achieved success and national recognition as a SCAD athlete and she has been one of the most successful riders in the history of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. Through her many national titles, Siegel has brought a great deal of publicity to the college — all while pursuing a B.F.A. degree in media and performing arts.
At the Affiliated National Riding Commission’s National Intercollegiate Riding Championships this spring, Siegel captured the individual title for the second consecutive season and for the third time in the past four years. In 2003, she was the first freshman ever to win a national individual championship at the ANRC. Since her freshman year, Siegel won the IHSA Regional Cacchione Cup four times and was the National Individual Championship winner three times.
In addition, Siegel was chosen four times to compete for the United States Equestrian Team. She competed at the 2003 Nations Cup in Mechelen, Belgium, the 2005 Nations Cup in Casorate Sempione, Italy, the 2006 Nations Cup in La Rochelle, France, and was one of only four riders chosen from the United States to participate in the 2004 World University Equestrian Championship in Japan.
Siegel credits her success to her dedication, hard work and childhood riding experience. As the daughter of a horse trainer and equestrian coach in Flower Mound, Texas, Siegel quickly developed a passion for horses. Beginning at 7 years of age, she rode whenever she had the opportunity, simply out of love of horses. "If there was a horse that people said had a problem or was difficult, that’s what I would ride and try to get something out of that horse," she said.
In addition to Siegel’s interest in SCAD’s performing arts program, she chose SCAD because of the equestrian program and the competition opportunities. "I had been approached by other schools, but SCAD had a lot more to offer in the realm of horseback riding," she said.
Despite her previous training, Siegel noted that the SCAD equestrian program helped her mature as a rider in the show ring. She enjoyed the new aspect of competing with a team since she previously had competed only as an individual. "I think that winning ANRC this past spring was the most rewarding moment, since I really wanted our team to win, and I also wanted to win the championship a third time." Both goals were accomplished, but the competition for Siegel was bittersweet as it marked the end of her collegiate riding career.
Though Siegel graduated from SCAD in June with a B.F.A. in media and performing arts, she will continue to be an inspiration to the equestrian team. She plans on competing as an amateur for a few years before pursuing professional horseback riding. She also plans on acquiring a judging license so that she will be able to judge competitions.
Because of Siegel’s success on the SCAD equestrian team and her positive representation of the college nationally and internationally, SCAD has named a scholarship on her behalf. The Jordan Siegel Scholarship is a $500 admission scholarship that will be given to an incoming freshman who will be a member of the SCAD equestrian team. With the assistance of this scholarship, motivated students like Jordan Siegel will have the opportunity to achieve their dreams both academically and athletically.
Article by A. Chantel Muntain. (Savannah College of Art and Design SCAD)
Photo courtesy of Al Cook
Click for
Article - Int'l
Student Riding
Association,
Jordan Siegel
http://www.usastudentriding.com/newsletter.htm
1757
Bridle Bit
Road,
Flower Mound, TX
75022
817-875-9082
lrhightower@msn.com
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