“I Was 2”: Ohio Student Equestrian Shares Story of Entry Into the Sport After Gaining Recognition From US Eventing Association

Equestrian sport has taken center stage in the world. Be it celebrities or billionaires, the wide-scale interest in horse racing continues to grow. Recently, an American rider was honored by the United States Eventing Association. The same rider has now revealed being inspired by a movie to take up horse riding.

The Ohio student was in red-hot form during the 2023 season, racking up the most number of overall points for events. After being honored by the prestigious organization, the rider has now shared her heartwarming story of entry into the sport.

US Equestrian shares heartwarming story

Grace Ransom has had a memorable 2023 season. She rides Bright Prince for the University of Findlay, dominating the 2023 inter-collegiate competitions. The Firelands High School graduate shared her story in an interview with The Chronicle, recalling a heartfelt anecdote of her entry into the sport. “I want to say it was when I was 2, my parents rented Seabiscuit and they were watching it late at night when they thought all of the kids were in bed. But there was little Grace sitting on the stairs watching the movie behind them and after that I was obsessed with horses,” she revealed.

Seabiscuit is a popular American movie that has inspired several equestrian riders, the latest being Ransom. The movie is based on an undersized Thoroughbred racehorse, loosely resembling the career of the original Seabiscuit. Seabiscuit became a widely known horse after his unprecedented success during the Great Depression. As Ransom revealed, this incredible story laid the foundation of her equestrian journey. Now, she is ranked at the top of the 2023 equestrian charts.

Grace Ransom tops 2023 events

Ransom is a senior equine business management major at the University of Findlay. Prior to that, she studied at the Firelands High School and simultaneously took horse riding lessons at Equine Differences in Oberlin. While she struggled in her initial collegiate days, she dominates the rankings now along with her 16-year-old thoroughbred gelding, Bright Prince.

READ MORE: Equestrian World Celebrates Unsung Heroes of the Sport With Heartwarming Tribute

The United States Eventing Association recognized Ransom as the top rider for 2023 in the Intercollegiate Training Division. She amassed the highest number of overall points in 2023 and expressed her happiness over the same. “I’m extremely proud and grateful”, she added. The horse racing community would hope to see Grace brace the Olympic podium for the US someday.

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