

An equestrian journey that started with a GROUPON gift for 3 horse back riding lessons at a neighboring barn in Zionsville, IN for her 8th birthday...
Second show season with Havoc/Malacrianza, Sam's very own off the track thoroughbred- taking on a second career in the jumping ring and loving it!
Still technically 14/yo when she qualified for and attended the USHJA Gold Star Clinic at WEC Ocala back in January, making for a memorable and enlightening start to the new season!
Progress and growth for Samuelle this season as it is her FIRST time working on and showing with her very first own horse: Malacrianza/Havoc (OTTB) who's still green at the horse show life after the race track, with minimal jumping experience and show ground exposure. Lots of training, desensitizing and growing into a new team even though tragic personal circumstances (us parents getting hit and thrown off the highway in Belgium, severely impairing Samuelle's grandmother,) required several returns back to Belgium: meaning less available time and funds spent on show grounds competing.
2024 USHJA Zone 5 "HOTY" Horse Of The Year (including all riders in KY, OH, MI, IL & IN)
-- with only 8 competitions under her belt as opposed to 13 or 15 shows competed in by first and second place!
2024 USHJA National rated division:
2024 Show Season / Highlight 1.10m jumpers at Kentucky National
Samuelle & Idol of Kings (OTTB) explored new goals & out of State show grounds for bigger competition... Finishing the season by reaching the ultimate dream goal of achieving NATIONAL AFFILIATE CHAMPIONS in BOTH the Children's jumper divisions they competed in throughout the year (17yo & under) with trainer Emily Farmer.
National Junior Rider CHAMPION of the year! 🥇
Samuelle achieved USHJA Outreach High Point Scorer for Zone 5 and all of US Zones combined:
winning the Golden Backstage Pass to 2022 USHJA National (affiliates) where they placed:
TOP 2 in Children's jumper divisions (17yo & under) with Idol of Kings (OTTB)
and was awarded:
2022 T.I.P. National Junior Rider CHAMPION! 🥇
Samuelle & Rooster/Be Sorta Bad (OTTB) achieved Zone 5's
USHJA Outreach's second High Point Rider: Winning the Golden Backstage Pass qualifying for 2021 USHJA National (affiliates) where Samuelle & Idol of Kings (OTTB) won their division!
After being introduced to horseback riding through her 8th birthday Groupon, Samuelle very quickly if not instantly fell in love with horses and submerged herself into their world becoming what is referred to as a true "barn rat." The Covid Pandemic deepened the passion by eliminating all other extra curricular activities.
Hi! I'm mom, the "narrator." I grew up in BXL, Belgium and lived in BIG CITIES my whole life (BXL, Amsterdam and San Francisco) before moving to Indianapolis, IN. With English as a third language, the "horse language" is a fourth that I speak at toddler level by now -so I tag my husband in (who grew up playing soccer here in Indiana,) when it comes to helping her figure out the rule book and regulations. I resort to contributing and supporting her in the ways that I know best. Having majored in the arts, I used to build websites to make ends meet and have always loved photography, so documenting her journey is one of those contributions along with chauffeuring, sponsoring, providing horsies with treats, mucking, grooming and being Samuelle/s biggest fan. GO SAM!
~Deborah Jacobs @ripplebnb @broadripplefloweralley

Mom & dad trying to figure this horse thing out!!
Little did we know a birthday GROUPON gift for Samuelle's 8th birthday (to horseback lessons at Canterbury stables, Zionsville IN) could - and would- literally change the mapping of our lives as a small family so significantly... Feeling blessed (most days;)
Samuelle W Leerkamp