The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2)

Publisher: In-Sight Publishing

Publisher Founding: March 1, 2014

Web Domain: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com

Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Journal: In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal

Journal Founding: August 2, 2012

Frequency: Three (3) Times Per Year

Review Status: Non-Peer-Reviewed

Access: Electronic/Digital & Open Access

Fees: None (Free)

Volume Numbering: 12

Issue Numbering: 2

Section: A

Theme Type: Idea

Theme Premise: “Outliers and Outsiders”

Theme Part: 30

Formal Sub-Theme: “The Greenhorn Chronicles”

Individual Publication Date: March 8, 2024

Issue Publication Date: May 1, 2024

Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen

Word Count: 2,169

Image Credit: None.

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN): 2369-6885

*Please see the footnotes, bibliography, and citations, after the publication.*

Abstract

Emily Fitzgerald is an equestrian and a show jumper. Fitzgerald discussed: The socioeconomic aspects of equestrian sports are discussed, noting its popularity among elite families; the glamorous yet costly nature of the sport emphasized, with its appeal across economic classes due to the love for horses mentioned; the humbling and nuanced behaviors of horses explored, admiration for their distinct personalities and athletic capabilities shared; the conversation shifts to gender dynamics within the sport, a higher prevalence of women at top levels in Canada observed, attributed to the country’s focus on equitation and hunters; the possibility of achieving gender equality in competition despite the sport’s high costs creating a socioeconomic divide considered; the challenges of standardizing sponsorship endorsements within the industry deliberated, sponsors’ personal preferences acknowledged; emotional challenges and resilience required in equestrian sports reflected on, a deep bond with horses as motivation cited; the interview concludes with an affirmation of a lifelong passion for equestrianism, alongside a pursuit of a marine biology career, highlighting support from family and a journey of exploration and growth within the sport.

Keywords: Canadian Women’s Success, Emotional Resilience in Competition, Equestrian Elite, Experience vs. Youth in Show Jumping, Gender Equality in Competition, Horse World Glamour, Horses’ Unique Personalities, Importance of Equitation, Lifelong Passion for Equestrian, Mental Health in Equestrian, Safe Sport Issues, Socioeconomic Gap in Sport, Sponsorship Preferences, Talent Identification in Young Riders, Wealth Influence in Equestrian.

The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2)

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Round two with Emily Fitzgerald. I am back from sprinkler duty. So, that previous response considers another critical aspect of the industry: it is expensive, and you find many elite families part of it, too. That’s not disproportionate to the sector compared to other sports, or if it’s just a tiny community, you have your spring teams in your gates that show up to it. What’s your take on that?

Emily Fitzgerald: That’s a great question because, I mean, you see many of these wealthiest families in the world in the sport. It’s hard to say because part of the horse world is glamorous. A lot of these people, it’s like, you show your horses, and then you go into fancy dinners, win watches, and get dressed up. That’s where a bit of the magic of it appears, but another thing is that horses are so intoxicating for anybody. It’s hard not to let yourself enter this industry and you’re not in love with these animals. That’s the case for everyone, but there is undoubtedly an aspect of glamour to it. It is arguably the most expensive sport in the world. So, it’s very much a billionaire’s sport right now, which is unfortunate. 

Jacobsen: It doesn’t take very long. There’s a sudden feeling of humbling with horses because if they were intrinsically highly violent, they would crush you in a second; they’re 1200-pound animals. They have these goofy elements to them where they roll, and they get themselves in poo, and they do weird things. Then they have this exquisite thing when they start to move rhythmically, but when you nuzzle up with them, or they nuzzle up to you or whatever it is, they’re pretty subtle and nuanced in their behaviour patterns. They have quite a subtle emotional life, even though they might not necessarily have a deep sense of cause and effect. 

What’s your favourite part about horses themselves?

Fitzgerald: Honestly, they all have their personalities, and it’s a mystery to figure it out. Then you get to see these goofy, ridiculous best friends you have, and then you get to go in the ring and these gigantic jumps and see them move like you’ve never seen them move. See them get excited. There’s just something about them you can’t resist. I’ve had many friends come in and out of the industry, but they always tend to come back. I mean, every horse is different, and it’s just you find them, and you fall in love with them for what they are, and you don’t try to change them. I don’t, anyway.

Jacobsen: Almost everyone notes this fact internationally versus nationally versus the levels of the sport. Internationally, you see tons of dudes at the high end. You have your lower tiers, Tiffany Fosters, Erynn Ballards, and so on, yet you see overwhelmingly young girls and young women at the lower mid-level. Yet, in Canada, our top riders right now are all women. The whole team that went to Denmark was all women. So, there’s something unique going on with the training regiment and the encouragement of young women and women in the sport in Canada. When I talked to Mac Cone, he put it down to the focus on equitation and hunters in Canada. What do you think about that, and what do you think Canada is doing that’s unique and is producing excellent show-jumping women?

Fitzgerald: That’s a fascinating question. I never did equitation or hunters, but I know quite a bit of high-level equitation riders and hunter riders, and their focus is you, not the horse. They teach you how to be perfect, walk your courses, and think for yourself, which is huge for anyone, and I believe there are more women these days. It’s not a man’s or a women’s sport; women are fighters. It’s about how the cookie crumbles. Now, all of a sudden, there are more women, and maybe there’s not something new going on. That’s what I like about show jumping; it’s a love of when you get into the ring. Maybe it’s not… Everybody doesn’t have the same opportunities, but it’s getting there. Our Canadian women’s team is pretty good right now.

Jacobsen: So, taking both those points of contact, do you think there could be a summary point made that there is the opportunity for excellent gender equality in the sport in competition while at the same time inequality with the rising costs in socioeconomic equality?

Fitzgerald: Yes, for sure. I agree with that, and it’s tough to say, too, based on sponsors. Do they prefer men or women? It’s a judgment call for them; there are no set rules. It would be great if they didn’t have a preference, but yes, there is for sure a socioeconomic gap, and you got to know the right people at the right time, and they have to take a chance on you and not a lot of people are willing to do that. 

Jacobsen: Would it be possible to set up a branch of the FEI to instill or establish a precedent for standardizing sponsorship endorsement?

Fitzgerald: Yes, that’s tricky because sponsors choose to be sponsors because they want to, not because Equine Canada is telling them to or any of the FEI is telling them to. It’s a bit their personal preference, and if they were asked to be more a standardized thing, like it’s more of a random type, I don’t think many people would like that. They know these people they sponsor, love them and are willing to support them. 

Jacobsen: At the end of the interview, Mac Cone noticed that if there is this economic gap, to what degree can it be considered a sport, and to what degree can it not? He’s been in the sport a long time; it’s a critical question, but is this discussed within the industry?

Fitzgerald: A little bit, yes. It’s a bit of a common saying, “You can buy your way to the top of the sport,” which is unfortunate, but the people who can do that don’t often stage if that makes sense. They never fell in love with the horses; they never fell in love with the sport; they fell in love with winning and that lifestyle. It takes a particular type of person to get knocked down 100 million times and get up 100 million and one, and that’s the way this sport is where you’re on top of the world one day, and then you’re crashing and burning the next day.

Jacobsen: Personally, how do you find yourself taking those emotional hits of not necessarily winning and then getting back up and going for another round?

Fitzgerald: Some days are better than others. I fell in love with the horses first, and at the end of the day, they’re what matters to me, and they’re the reason I’m here. I love winning, but I don’t just love winning; I love every aspect of this sport. I love getting up and going straight to the barn, spending all day at the barn and just watching these horses be horses. So, that certainly makes it more accessible, and then nothing’s fixable; you get up and try again. To me, there’s no other option.

Jacobsen: Many have noted the longer maturation process for professional development and achievement in show jumping. So, hitting 30 or being in your 30s is a critical period after all that development in your teens and 20s. Do you think that, in general, is true?

Fitzgerald: Yes, I do. You see a lot of very talented young riders, but it’s experienced at the end of the day, like many of these top riders; they’ve seen everything. They know how to get out of any situation they’ve been in; they know what would work and what might not work; they understand the horses they’re on and how to ask them the right questions. Some young riders are very talented, but ultimately, they won’t beat out a Laura Crowl or a Tiffany Foster. 

Jacobsen: What makes Laura Crowl and Tiffany Foster stand out?

Fitzgerald: I watched Laura Crowl in Florida quite a bit and just watched her ride. She knows the horse. She took her time with the one horse, Ballotine, whose name is, and she has developed it, and I admire her for that. Then, Tiffany Foster rode her first five-star, and she kept going. She kept trying, and she got some very wonderful sponsors. She’s a lifer. 

Jacobsen: For those in their teens or early 20s, what would be a recommendation to have the right motivation rather than the wrong motivation for being in the sport?

Fitzgerald: Honestly, when you’re a teen, you should ride and try and figure out what you want, but there’s so much more to life than riding. You never want to be stuck doing one thing; try everything, and if you don’t like it, then go back to the horses. Kill your curiosity a little bit. That’s a bit of what I did, and I came back to it with a new outlook, and this is what I wanted to do with my life. There’s a big life out there, and everybody needs to experience that.

Jacobsen: Over these last 4 ½ years at the most recent place, what have been your most significant growth areas?

Fitzgerald: My most significant area of growth has been my confidence. I’ve never been a confident rider, but my confidence flourished when I came to Lisa. I’m still working on it, but I never felt afraid to make a mistake, I never felt not listened to, they got me the great horses for what I needed, and they went above and beyond. So, it’s nice to have a solid wall as your team behind you.

Jacobsen: What are areas for improvement within the equestrian Community, and areas where things have improved and deserve praise?

Fitzgerald: There certainly needs to be a more significant focus on the mental side of the sport because it is such a mental sport, and I know I struggle with that like, even though I might have the ability to get into the ring and get nervous and get in your own way thing. A lot of people would have a similar issue. I do think that the regulations on sexual assault and safe sport and all that have been very helpful still need a little bit of work, but it’s getting there, and people are starting to recognize how a lot of people are mistreated in this industry. 

Jacobsen: And to that point, as I delve into this industry, I will write on this specifically and in-depth. What will be your advice to me when covering some of these? I see at least 50 to 60 listed cases in the United States alone.

Fitzgerald: It’s tough like this for whatever reason. It’s straightforward to take advantage of people in the sport, and people get a little bit power-happy and treat people significantly less than they should be treated, and that’s in just. So, I recommend you dig it up like it needs to change and stop. People are not objects. They come to you wanting help, and many people take advantage of it. So, expose them all, even if it makes them uncomfortable. 

Jacobsen: Well, I will tell you one fun fact. One ongoing project for the last eight or nine years has been interviewing members of the international high IQ Community; there was one case of a guy part of the one in a million societies, Keith Raniere; he used to be listed in the Guinness Book World Records, and he founded a multi-level marketing scheme and then a cult. It was called it was called NXIVM. His name was Vanguard in it, so I cooled down on that and started on some other project, this equestrian one being one of them. I heard about the Bronfman sisters and the Seagram Fortune. I thought that sounded familiar because I know people in the Mega Society, this one-in-million society, and this particular individual who was part of it, he’s in jail for life now for human trafficking and sex trafficking, and there were two names listed on safe sport; the Bronfmans. They were members of that cult. 

Fitzgerald: Oh, good Lord!

Jacobsen: On the Wikipedia page, you know a brief equestrian career [Laughing].

Fitzgerald:  Funny. A brief equestrian career.

Jacobsen: Keith Raniere had swindled the Bronfmans out of $150 million US.

Fitzgerald: Oh my God! 

Jacobsen: And he blew all the money. 

Fitzgerald: Of course. How do you blow that much money?

Jacobsen: Exactly. There are tie-ins to some of these projects that I would never even have expected. A friend of mine is in that society, so it’s what, one degree away? Two degrees away? So, there are significant cases around safe sports that have pretty broad implications.

Fitzgerald: Yes, for sure. I don’t know why the Equestrian Community has been such a target for those things, but people take advantage of their power, and anyone who does that should be held accountable.

Jacobsen: Yes, I agree. 

Fitzgerald: You trust these people, and you pay them for service.

Jacobsen: Well, there’s a thing. I take money as an abstract currency in the information age because it provides access to different things in society. So, money is your degree of freedom within a society. When you have so much money centralized in what you were terming the most expensive sport, it gives people a lot of leverage to do things they would not otherwise do because they would be financially limited and taking advantage of these things. 

FitzgeraldYeses, I agree with that. Money can poison people. 

Jacobsen: Yes, lousy horse deals, people getting sued for over a million dollars, active cases, etc. 

FitzgeraldYeses.

Jacobsen: I want to be mindful of the time we set up. So, when you are looking at talented young riders, boys and girls, how would you identify them? What are some tells or signals to those?

Fitzgerald:  Well, honestly, I don’t think it’s all about winning; it’s very much not. You can be one of the best riders in the world and have never won a big Grand Prix. Eric Krawitt, for example, is an incredible young rider; he has a great sense of his horses. He keeps calm and relaxed and rides very calculated, if that’s the right word. It is the Same with Sam Walker and Lexi Ray; they’re all young riders, and they’re moving up the ranks. They had the right trainer at the right time, they had the right horse at the right time, and they had the right mindset, and it is working out. 

Jacobsen: Sam Walker; his parents are both trainers as well. 

Fitzgerald: I know his dad is. I wonder if his mom is. 

Jacobsen: I believe one individual stayed at our barn, Brian Moggre. Would that be another individual? As far as I know, he has no family history at all. 

FitzgeraldYeses, as far as I know. Again, sometimes you get lucky; you get a cheap horse, the horse of a lifetime, and somebody notices and likes you. He’s a very talented rider. Some people do not have more talent but just more of a sense of what to do in certain situations, and those thrive at a young age, especially if given the right opportunities. 

Jacobsen: Do you see this as a lifelong passion for you or something that you hope to pursue for a bit and then continue into a marine biology career?

Fitzgerald: It’s a life passion for me. My dad has been the most incredible supporter for me. He’s given me everything and wanted me to pursue school and find something I liked. I’ve been in school for seven years because I wanted to try everything. I never wanted to be just one thing, and when I found marine biology, I was finally going to get my degree; it’s nice to have a bit of a break from the horses and reset because every time I come back, I’m just ready to go again.

Jacobsen: Emily, thank you for the opportunity and your time today.

Fitzgerald: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

Bibliography

None

Footnotes

None

Citations

American Medical Association (AMA 11th Edition): Jacobsen S. The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2). March 2024; 12(2). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/fitzgerald-2

American Psychological Association (APA 7th Edition): Jacobsen, S. (2024, March 8). The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2). In-Sight Publishing. 12(2).

Brazilian National Standards (ABNT): JACOBSEN, S. The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2). In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, Fort Langley, v. 12, n. 2, 2024.

Chicago/Turabian, Author-Date (17th Edition): Jacobsen, Scott. 2024. “The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2).” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal 12, no. 2 (Spring). http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/fitzgerald-2.

Chicago/Turabian, Notes & Bibliography (17th Edition): Jacobsen, S “The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2).” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal 12, no. 2 (March 2024).http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/fitzgerald-2.

Harvard: Jacobsen, S. (2024) ‘The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2)’, In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, 12(2). <http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/fitzgerald-2>.

Harvard (Australian): Jacobsen, S 2024, ‘The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2)’, In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, vol. 12, no. 2, <http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/fitzgerald-2>.

Modern Language Association (MLA, 9th Edition): Jacobsen, Scott. “The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2).” In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, vo.12, no. 2, 2024, http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/fitzgerald-2.

Vancouver/ICMJE: Scott J. The Greenhorn Chronicles 60: Emily Fitzgerald on Show Jumping (2) [Internet]. 2024 Mar; 12(2). Available from: http://www.in-sightpublishing.com/fitzgerald-2.

License

In-Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Based on work at www.in-sightpublishing.com.

Copyright © 2012-Present by Scott Douglas Jacobsen and In-Sight Publishing. Authorized use/duplication only with explicit and written permission from Scott Douglas Jacobsen. Excerpts, links only with full credit to Scott Douglas Jacobsen and In-Sight Publishing with specific direction to the original. All collaborators co-copyright their material and may disseminate for their purposes.