Sadie Kurtz
Sadie was first exposed to horses through her grandmother at the ripe age of 4 and hasn’t looked back since. Originating from Anchorage, Alaska, Sadie grew up in a close knit equestrian community that grounded the importance of horsemanship above all else. This transformed into a passion for caring for horses of all types, breeds, and disciplines and trying to unlock their individual potential. Sadie campaigned numerous horses across the hunter jumper show circuit, collecting many accolades in the hunters, jumpers and equitation. With a special passion for the equitation, Sadie graduated from high school a year early to show in the big equitation across the northwest and east coast before she aged out of her junior years. That experience shaped her professional riding career, opening doors to renowned trainers like Karen Healey, Peter Wylde, and Rich Fellers while gaining invaluable experience working for numerous barns across the US. Having started as a working student at the age of 13, Sadie worked her way to becoming an assistant trainer and has worked for top professionals in all levels of the sport. She has worked with riders of all abilities, from their first ride ever to Grand Prix competitors and continues to approach all students with respect and compassion.
Sadie has always stressed a need for a well-rounded education and lifestyle so in addition to her riding career; she received a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in the conservation policy from Lewis and Clark College. She took full advantage of exploring what school had to offer by studying abroad in both Tanzania and Ecuador. Those experiences fueled her desire to build community and foster empowerment among youth and adults alike. She was also a trip leader for her colleges’ outdoor program, encouraging people of all skill levels to get out and play in various outdoor activities across the northwest. An avid explorer Sadie loves to run, hike, kayak, raft, ski and just generally play in the outdoors with her springer spaniel, Stella Luna, and springer spaniel mix, Hazelnut, in her spare time. |