“I am writing on the behalf of Hannah Sprague, who is pursuing recruitment for NCEA 2025 Equestrian Athlete.
As an equestrian coach for over 30 years I have worked closely with many young athletes. I have had the pleasure to have been Hannah’s coach. Hannah trained with me full time for 4years starting in 2018 to further her riding and showing skills. Before she came to me she learned a lot of tough lessons from riding a sassy pony. If you can endure a red chestnut pony mare, you’ve got grit. I was able to find her first lease on a low children’s hunter that she showed very successfully with numerous year end championships on our local circuit. Hannah continued to put in the hard work and the commitment to then move on to her Children’s hunter/3’3 Junior horse to show at the A/AA shows. This required a two hour round trip drive to the farm 3 to 4 days a week, all the while excelling in her school work. As part of her training Hannah’s parents would video her lessons, she would go home and study them, and come back with questions or would be able to provide me with an accurate critique of her rides.
I have seen her come from a horse crazy camper, to short stirrup/pony rider, and work towards the confident junior rider she is today. I wish her every success in her future.
Please accept my sincere thanks for your time and consideration.”
~ Debbie Seymour, Austin, Texas
“It is with great pleasure that I recommend Hannah Sprague as a candidate for your equestrian team. As Hannah’s AP World History and Debate teacher I have come to know the true quality of her character. She is a dedicated, articulate, and engaging student that would make an excellent addition to your program.
In the two years I have known Hannah, she has grown so much as an individual. In that time, she’s taken deliberate steps to identify what’s most important to her. When I first met Hannah during her sophomore year she was very much overextended. She is a contentious student that always strives towards excellence in everything she does. She was a varsity tennis player, in the top of her class, and an active equestrian competitor. While she was absent a lot for her extracurriculars, her school work was always top notch. Eventually, her absences and workload began to catch up with her and Hannah had some tough choices to make. I know it was a difficult decision for her to cut tennis, but choosing to focus on riding was the best decision for her. Seeing her this year in my debate class, she’s a much happier version of herself. Many of my students don’t have the maturity or self advocating skills to know they need to prioritize their time. I’m so proud of her for being able to recognize what brings her joy, and for taking the steps by herself to make sure she can work towards her goals.
Working with horses is her true passion. Her face lights up every time she starts talking about her horse, her competitions, or her plans for the future. I know she plans to compete at the collegiate level, and I have no doubt that she will succeed. Hannah’s growth mindset and ability to work towards long term goals will make her a true asset to any team she joins. Without a doubt, I confidently recommend Hannah. As a student, competitor, and person, she is someone your program would be lucky to have representing them.”
~ Jenny Gebhardt, [email protected], Georgetown High School, Georgetown, TX