Ocala, FL – This week’s Ocala Sunday Spotlight shines on accomplished show jumping and hunter rider, Samantha Schaefer of Westminster, Maryland. Schaefer has dominated the sport ever since she was a junior rider, taking home numerous impressive titles at premier shows across the continent. We caught up with Schaefer to learn more about her incredible career and three of her top mounts.
WEC: Tell us a bit about your junior and professional career.
My junior years were so memorable. The ponies were always a special part of my career. Halcyon Hawthorn, Sham’s Loganberry, Who’s Kidding Who and Rainbow Canyon were all ponies that really helped develop my riding.
I transitioned to horses in 2007 or 2008. A few clients and some professionals were kind enough to allow me to catch ride some talented horses that furthered my education.
One of the notable hunter horses in my career had to be Garfield, he was owned by my mom Stacey Weiss and Kim Stewart. Lazy Sunday owned by Kelly Colby and Perfectionist owned by Scott Stewart were also notable horses that impacted my riding.
When I started to do more equitation and the jumpers, I rode a horse named Sugar Ray, but everyone knows him as Snoop. He taught me to love the jumpers and we still have him today. He is now happily retired.
Trezebees was the first horse that brought me to the higher levels in show jumping. I was lucky enough to be paired with her through Andre Dignelli and we won the Individual Gold at Junior Young Riders together back in 2011.
From the equitation standpoint, I had the opportunity to ride many great horses, but the two that stood out the most were Pioneer and Travino owned by Andre and Heritage Farm.
After I finished riding as a junior, I went onto ride at Baylor University starting in January of 2012. I spent four years there and rode on the team. While I was there, I continued to show on a great amateur hunter Classified that went onto be Grace Debney’s first junior hunter and is now retired at her farm.
When I graduated in 2015, I stayed as an amateur until Spring of 2017. During that period, I spent time bringing along a few younger horses. One of those horses was Trademark who turned out to have a big impact in my professional career. I started him in the winter of 2017 in the baby green hunters and showed him for four years. Getting to be a part of his development, taught me a lot about patience and in the end, it was one of the most rewarding experiences for me to date. During our time together we really created a special bond and to this day I still make a point to go visit him whenever I can.
WEC: Tell us a bit more about Shadow Ridge Farm.
Shadow Ridge Farm is based out of Westminster, Maryland at the same farm where I grew up. We also have a winter base in Ocala, Florida where we reside from November through April. Shadow Ridge is my mom, Stacey Weiss’s business and then it’s me, Kate Conover and Haleigh Landrigan on the team.
We have a great group of clients that compete at all different levels. We have students like Ella Tarumianz showing in the pony divisions to Grace Debney who is currently showing at the FEI International level. Even though we cover such a broad range of levels, it always amazes me how supportive and encouraging our team of riders are. I think that’s one thing that makes Shadow Ridge so special.
WEC: Tell us about the infamous In The Know, ‘Spyder’.
We bought Spyder as a seven-year-old and he’s just turning 14. Chad Keenum imported him and a longtime friend of ours Lizzy Benchoff was helping Chad at Swan Lake in Pennsylvania and suggested that we come try him. I remember that ticketed warmup on Friday afternoon like it was yesterday.
Maddie showed Spyder for one or two years in the equitation, but Maddie had another horse Correndo that became more of her main horse. So, Spyder transitioned over to me, and the rest is history.
He’s my best friend and truly part of the family. He has taken me everywhere and I will never get tired of showing him in the derbies. He’s a special horse and for sure one of the smartest horses you’ll ever come across. He knows his people and knows his job.
He’s had the same groom, Luis, for seven years and loves him. He has the best (borderline obnoxious) personality in the barn and will hunt you down for any type of food. He’s like a giant dog.
When it comes time to show, he knows the drill for the hunter derbies, almost too well at times. He knows when he comes back for the second round, it’s time for the handy. You just think and he is already turning. Every once in a while, he likes to throw in a little buck and play, but that’s why I love him so much. He’s a total goofball at times, but always seems to rise to the occasion when it matters the most.
WEC: Tell us about your show jumping mount, Frasier.
Frasier was a sale horse that McLain Ward had just imported. I happen to be in Wellington at the time, and McLain suggested I go by and ride him one afternoon.
I remember thinking I had never felt anything like that before. It was just Lee and I at the farm that afternoon, but I remember calling McLain and telling him how much I loved the horse. I ended up getting to take him as a sales horse up to Ocala. He actually got tried the first day I had him and by luck, they passed. Fast forward a month or so later, the Berman family and Rohrbaugh family along with my mom, teamed up to create the Bonne Vie partnership. Over the past two years this horse has opened doors for me I never thought possible.
WEC: Tell us a bit about your new horse James Bond HX.
James Bond HX has a bit of a back story. Kate Conover got a video of James from Thaisa Erwin this past Summer. I had been casually looking for another horse to bring along. Thaisa and I got talking the night before his first trial and discovered his mother was Trezebees, the horse I had in 2011 during my final junior year. I ended up trying him over a few single jumps in Kentucky and I really liked him. We set up a second trial at her farm about a week later. I remember leaving her farm that Sunday afternoon, thinking this is meant to be. Myself, my mom Stacey Weiss and stepdad Morris Weiss and three clients of ours, Donna Maher, Beverly Rohrbaugh, Liz Tarumianz all came together to buy him.
We purchased him in September, and I showed him in a 1.30m class because I was eager to get him in the ring and he was perfect. Then we did the Futures Prix under the lights during the WEC – Ocala Fall Show Series. Then we moved up to the Welcome then the Grand Prix. I never thought we’d be here already, but he has surpassed all my expectations thus far.
Thank you, Sam for taking the time to chat with us! We are looking forward to watching all three of your incredible horses this circuit!