Lake Forest Farms

Riding Career

Cindy started riding at the age of five at Oak Brook Stables in Illinois. The stables were part of the Oak Brook Sports Core, host of the Pan Am Games, US Olympic

Equestrian Trials, and the World Cup. 

 

She competed on the Oak Brook Stables "A" show team and at age seven won

the Illinois State Championship in three Divisions: Jr. Hunter 13 & Under State Champion; Jr. Equitation 13 & Under State Champion; Town & Country Equitation Champion 13 & Under; and Reserve Champion 18 & Under, an event held at the Onwenstia Hunt Club in Lake Forest, Illinois. Cindy was the youngest champion in

the show's history. She continued showing on the Illinois circuit and was State

Champion or Reserve Champion throughout her junior years.

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She then moved to Stonehedge Farm to train with the legendary Rickey Harris. She graduated to the national ASHA "A" circuit at age 11 where she captured major wins throughout the country; including the Grosse Point Hunt Club, Bloomfield Hills Hunt Club, Chagrin Valley PHA, Lake Placid National Horse Show and the Devon

Horse Show.

 

Cindy qualified and showed at Madison Square Garden at the age of the 12. She was one of 30 riders out of 10,000 applicants 18 years and under to qualify and compete.

At this time, she also rode and showed on the East Coast with several Olympic veterans; Christine Jones Tauber, President of the USEF; Katie Monahan Prudent, Olympic team member; and Wayne Carroll, trainer of national, international, and Olympic equestrians.

 

She turned pro at the age of 15 and returned home to join her family's horse business at the Barrington Hills Riding Center. They specialized in developing a fun, family-friendly yet competitive show team. They took their students from riding school/pony club to showing on the national show circuit in a few short years. 

 

At the age of 16, Cindy qualified four of her clients' horses for the National Indoor finals, which consisted of the Pennsylvania National Horse Show; the Washington

International Horse Show; and Madison Square Garden. She showed against Olympic veterans like Rodney Jenkins, Bernie Traurig, Leslie Burr and others. That year Cindy was also First Year Green Hunter Champion, and Grand Hunter Champion at the Washington International Horse Show, the youngest rider to win in the Show's 75-year history. 

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West Coast Activities

Having taken time off to raise a family, Cindy recently relocated to the West Coast and is teaching and training in the Woodside/Portola Valley area. She is an active participant in the local equestrian community, serving on several committees for the nationally-recognized Menlo Charity Horse Show at the Menlo Circus Club, and is a member of the USET, USEF, USHJA, PCHA and CPHA equestrian associations.

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Her local students have been Champion, Reserve Champion or top ribbon winners at every show they've attended. Click here for their accomplishments.