Irene Boehm is a Sewanee sophomore from McLean, Virginia. She had success ahead of her collegiate career, winning the L.M. “Sandy” Gerald USHJA Zone 3 Equitation Championship and competing in the NHS, USEF/NCEA, VHSA and Zone Finals. In her freshman season, she earned her first MOP on the Flat with an 87. Irene is a Rhetoric Major at Sewanee. This is her story.

I did not come from a horse family; in fact, I was not even your typical horse-obsessed little girl. I loved basketball and wanted to play it in college from a young age. I began riding at the age of 8, after telling a horse crazy classmate that horses weren't all that. She insisted that I try riding for myself. When my mom picked me up from the bus stop that day, I told her about the conversation. To my surprise, my mom was excited by the prospect of seeing the horses and having me take a few lessons to try it out. Before I knew it, I was putting my foot into the stirrup for the first time. That single moment, mounting the golden lesson pony, “Copper,” has been the defining moment of my life thus far, shaping every day since.

I continued taking lessons, and at age 9, I began competing. I spent a lot of time early on learning the ropes in the pony divisions, and I was 11 when I  leased my first horse. I spent the majority of my early junior career in the hunters until high school, when I transitioned to the jumpers and then Big eq. I showed in the 1.15 Jumpers with my horse, Pablo, and got to spend several winter months competing at WEF and Ocala. Pablo and I had several exciting moments, including winning the WIHS Regional Children's Jumper Championship in 2021.

Despite loving my time in the jumpers, I knew that in order to ride at the next level, I would need to extend my equitation profile. By this time, I knew I wanted to ride for an NCEA team and was prepared to work hard to make it happen.

At the end of my junior year of high school, I began riding with Brett Shear-Heyman of Penny Leigh LLC. Brett was a huge part of my success and helped me find a very special lease horse named Svengali, “Sven”. Sven was a complicated mount who had numerous juniors try him out, but ultimately turned down the offer to lease him. Sven and I clicked instantly. That beautiful, 17.2 light bay gelding was truly my heart horse. When we brought him home, he had very few miles in the equitation and had several quirks. However, it became such a blessing to experience us growing together as a duo, progressing through the Big EQ ranks. In fact, within only a couple of months of having Sven, we qualified for the National Horse Show in Kentucky, and Harrisburg, where I had the privilege to ride with Don Stewart’s team. We placed 12th at the NCEA Medal Finals in Harrisburg.

In my senior year, I dedicated all my time to my partnership with Sven while maintaining straight A’s and building a strong recruitment profile with leadership experience as well. I had the privilege of serving as the first 2024 Upperville Colt and Horse Show Junior Committee President, strengthening my horsemanship and leadership skills. Over the course of my senior year, Sven and I saw our hard work pay off. For several months, we were ranked within the top 40 Maclay riders nationally, we qualified for Medal and Maclay Finals, and in our second-to-last show together, we won the USHJA Zone 3 Equitation Championship.

Another way I boosted my recruitabillity was by attending several NCEA camps in my last few years of high school. My mom was incredibly supportive, traveling with me to camps at TCU, USC, and Auburn. I remember so vividly carrying my saddle, helmet, and boots through the airports, filled with so much excitement and anticipation to get in front of the NCEA coaches, with whom I had been emailing, and getting a better feel for the team environments. At one of the camps I attended, I  received a recommendation for a college equestrian recruitment agent. Meeting with the agent and setting up a more sophisticated recruitment profile was a big step forward in my process. I spent hours setting up a website, perfected emails to coaches, and set my sights on getting more film and Big Eq miles, as was recommended to me by my agent.
 
I was lucky to go to a school, Foxcroft, with a riding program led by an incredible director, Kate Worsham. This gave me access to different horses to ride. I spent hours designing and setting up courses in preparation for taking videos to send to coaches. I even learned flat patterns and created a makeshift dressage box to do them in, despite having little experience with the format of a dressage test and uneducated mounts on which to ride them. I would spend hours watching my videos, studying, learning, and improving them each time I went to the barn. I had tunnel vision, and while I maintained a very strong academic standing, time existed around the constant desire to be in the saddle to give myself the best chance to ride for an NCEA team.

By the fall of my senior year, I decided to narrow my school choice to Division 3 schools, as I knew I wanted a reasonable work/life balance and also wanted to be an active, competing member of the team. After touring several schools and speaking with several coaches, I decided Sewanee was the place for me. A D3 school with a brand new NCEA program, a school not even on my initial radar, but I fell in love with the school and saw the potential the team had to be a powerhouse. I truly cannot imagine myself anywhere else. We have an incredible group of horses and riders from across the country, and an incredible coaching staff. We are the definition of small but mighty as an equestrian team and as a school.

My freshman season on the team was an incredible experience. Traveling with the team was particularly memorable, so many memories were made with my teammates and coaches on the road. As a team, we had some fantastic achievements, including upsetting nationally ranked #1 Lynchburg at home. Individually, I had a very successful first year, earning MOP honors and receiving the ODAC Conference Flat Rookie of the Year title. I went into summer break with a fire in my belly to get even better for the next season. I had a 9-5, 5-day-a-week internship, but still made time to ride and stick to a dedicated workout plan to maximize my preparation for the fall season to come.

On August 16th, a few days before I planned to return to Sewanee for my sophomore year, I had a bad riding accident. I was cantering in an outdoor ring on Pablo when he heard construction noise and got extremely lit up. He ran off bronking. I was launched, fracturing my L2 vertebrae on ground impact. I was thankful that this was the extent of my injuries. However, hearing the news that I would not be able to ride for at least 3 months left me shocked and frustrated. I felt as though all my work to get to this point was being thrown out the window. My work to get recruited, my successful freshman season - everything. However, I quickly realized that my attitude would be a significant factor in my ability to recover and rebuild my riding skills. I stayed home for an extra week and then returned to campus.

I began twice-weekly physical therapy, which was an hour drive each way from school. PT was surprisingly difficult at first because I had not truly evaluated my strength since the injury. It was the weakest I've ever felt. I had lost muscle and balance, but each week I improved and eventually felt like riding was within reach again. This past semester was very difficult, but it grew my appreciation for the sport and being in good health.

Before I knew it, I got the green light to ride again. Twelve weeks had passed, which was the longest I had gone without riding since that first day I put my foot in the stirrup 12 years ago. I couldn't contain my smile as I tacked up Pumba, one of our fantastic school horses. Sitting in the tack that day I felt extremely blessed to be healing, and to have my teammates and coaches supporting my recovery. As corny as it sounds, I do believe everything happens for a reason, and if nothing else, my love for riding and for the team was stronger than ever.

I worked hard the following weeks, getting my “feel” back by riding several different horses. Before I knew it, I was jumping and in the box again, practicing alongside my teammates. It is a known fact that time off from riding is beneficial for breaking old habits. Riding after my injury I felt stronger in several areas of my riding, which was very exciting.

The weekend before Thanksgiving break, we had a doubleheader at home. I was ecstatic to learn I was on the jumping roster for the second day. Even if it was just one trip around the ring, it meant the world to me to have that opportunity. I felt so thankful to be competing again alongside my incredibly talented teammates.

I am so fortunate to be on an NCEA team. Being on this team has given me my best friends, amazing mentors, and the chance to continue to do what I love at a competitive level. Nothing brings me more joy than getting questions from younger riders about riding in college or about the process to get recruited. Riding in college is a special opportunity for which I will always be grateful. Every college rider shares a love for horses - such a strong passion for the sport. This is evident in the commitment we give to being the best athletes and horsemen we can; even if it means long hours at the barn, 6 am workouts, and less time to go to social events. I truly can’t imagine my college experience without this team, and I am so excited for the spring season.