Wilmington, OH – This week’s Wilmington Sunday Spotlight shines on Hanna Toering. The professional rider for Spy Coast Farm has been a competitor at World Equestrian Center – Wilmington since her junior years, and can now be found piloting the young string of Spy Coast talent around the Standlee Sanctuary. Amongst the large group of babies in the barn, Toering jumped the $30,000 Grand Prix with one mare extra special to her, Piranha SCF (Diktator Van De Boslandoeve x Beluga). We caught up with Toering to learn more about her riding journey and her experience developing young stars at WEC – Wilmington.
WEC: How did you get into riding?
I grew up riding pretty much before I could walk! My parents had a farm in Virginia and we had five or six horses at a time. I started in the pony hunters and worked my way all the way through the levels. I have been riding ever since! I showed here at WEC all through my junior years. I started working at Spy Coast two years ago and before that I worked for Terry Brown at Showcase LTD and I did a year with Callan Solem.
WEC: Tell us about Spy Coast Farm and your role in young horse development.
I have been very fortunate at Spy Coast. I have been there for a little bit over two years now. I started in December in 2021. We do all young horses. I have some five-year-olds here this week for their very first horse show. I think half of the horses that we have been showing this week and last week haven’t been off property yet! They are able to come to the facility here and get in the ring for schooling. It is nice for us at Spy Coast to develop the young ones at a show like this because we can take the time to get them confident. If they need a week to school, they can do that for their first time at a show.
WEC: Tell us about Piranha SCF.
I absolutely love her. I have been so fortunate to be doing her since her seven-year-old year and she is just nine this year. I am really excited to step up with her after being the one on her for two years. She is so scopey and super careful. I am so fortunate to have her in the barn. She is so sweet, and she always wants to do her best job, she wants to perform. She is so simple everywhere and then she just shines in the ring.
WEC: How is WEC – Wilmington beneficial for the young horse program at Spy Coast?
WEC has been super beneficial for us. The one mare that I personally own, my family bred her, she did her first seven-year-old classes here and then I showed her all the way up to the 1.45m. She did the Futures Prix at WEC – Ocala as well. It is so nice to do the 1.20m or the 1.25m, you have all of those half steps in there, so it is really inviting for the babies to get mileage without having any big changes. The horses can go back down a week if they need to. They have all of the tools here to set them up for a successful experience.
WEC: What are your goals for 2024?
We do a lot in Lexington over the summer and then all the young horse finals in Tryon. We start here at WEC to get a good solid foundation on all of our babies here so that they are prepared to walk into big rings and bigger tracks over the summer!
Thank you, Hanna, for taking the time to talk with us! We wish you continued success with the string at Spy Coast Farm and look forward to seeing you back at WEC!
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Results can be found at wec.net.
All horse show images are provided by Winslow Photography and can be purchased onsite at WEC – Wilmington or online through their website.