Mere Days Ahead of $250,000 Stakes in Kentucky, ‘Unknown’ Equestrian and Aspiring Entrepreneur Looks to Make Her Mark

Despite its decades-long history, Equestrian sport is often overlooked as a viable career choice by many. Especially youth around the world rarely pursue this sport, but if they do, then they can go past any limits to be successful here. It is a sport that is all about building camaraderie with your equine partner. This partnership is what makes this sport so beautiful. There are several stories of youngsters taking things to a higher level and making a name for themselves in equestrian.

A similar story is about a young girl who is taking the equestrian world by storm. She chose to be an equestrian at a young age and is all set to appear at a major stakes race next month.

A young equestrian star in the making

As reported by the Indiana Gazette, 20-year-old Kennedi Kunkle, who hails from Lexington, Kentucky, is all geared up to participate in the International Hunter Derby scheduled for August 17–19. The race is organized by the United States Hunter Jumper Association, and the winner of the race will stand a chance to take home a winning amount of $250,000.

She will participate in the hunter jumper division of showjumping; talking about the race, she stated, “Everyone I compete with now, has been doing this since they were born, so I’ve been playing catch-up all my life.”

Kunkle will be participating as an amateur hunter-jumper for the second time in her career. In the past, she participated in a race in Palm Beach, Florida, and placed 30th out of 55 international competitors. She started her equestrian training at the mild age of 12 and started taking lessons at the Bargee Farms of Allison Park in Pittsburgh. According to Kunkle, it is a cutthroat competition for her and her equestrian partner, Shimmy. Apart from her equestrian passion, she is also pursuing a degree to be a successful entrepreneur in the future.

Her beginnings and the alternative career choice

According to her father, Ken Kunkle, who owns Kunkle Equestrian Gloves, she is one of the top juniors in the country. She used to drive all the way to Pittsburgh after school and would also travel to participate in the races. Then she started training in Florida and was ultimately approached by some of the Division 1 schools for her equestrian prowess. Alongside showjumping, she is also pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration and is the co-founder of Kunkle Equestrian Gloves, a show-glove startup that she and her father started in 2022.

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She has now shifted her focus to the upcoming challenges, and she wants to make a statement for others that they should keep doing what they love regardless of others’ perceptions of them. Her story of dedication is indeed an inspiration for individuals who want to have a career in sports, especially the captivating sport of equestrian.

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