Heels Down Happy Hour Podcast Episode 105: Holiday Cheer & Keep On Kicking
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. We’re celebrating the end of 2022 with one of our favorite listeners. Don’t forget to kiss your horse and thanks for tuning in.
Click here to stream Episode 105.
Special guests:
Jessa and Kinsey Lux are sisters and grew up riding in Minnesota. After being introduced to eventing through their local Pony Club and spending time as working students, they both had upper level aspirations. Those aspirations led them to the Jen and Kyle Carters’ farm in Ocala, FL, where they rode through high school. The Carters coached them through the 2* level and Jessa competed in the 2008 NAJYRC in Parker, CO on the gold medal winning Area IV team coached by Jon Holling. After getting a degree in entrepreneurship and marketing from the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Business, Jessa went on to a career in community building and marketing. Kinsey studied finance at NYU’s Stern School of Business and worked on a trading desk for an asset manager in NY. Together, they founded Ride iQ and have partnered with the Carters to bring on the best coaches to the Ride iQ coaching team. Today, Jessa lives in Denver and Kinsey lives in NY.
Alex Zachman is an endurance and eventing rider in North Carolina. He is serving on committees with both ASHA (saddlebred association) and USEF next year. Working with the Director of USA Endurance on a training program for the Pan-American games and eventually WEG (2026 for 120k CEI2* and 2030 for 160k CEI3*). I’ll be competing in CEI1* if all goes to plan in the next few months.
More on what we’re talking about in this episode:
We’re sipping on frozen cranberry margaritas! | @delish
A judging conflict of interest proposal is sparking an outcry. | @COTH
Science says you should kiss your horse more! | @EQUUS
Lippizan horse breeding just secured cultural heritage status. | @horsetalk.co
Product Review: Ecogold’s Flip Half Pad comes in a new color: Steel Blue. | @ecogold
Jessa and Kinsey join us to talk about the humble beginnings of RideiQ! | @rideiq
Listener Alex Zachman stops by to talk about his unconventional path to international competition on a non-traditional sport horse.
Learn more about the ASHA and its effort to market saddlebreds as a sporthorse here.
Thanks to everyone who continues to support us on Patreon! | @patreon
Mailbag: Should a 3-year-old be jumping already?
More about our hosts:
Jessica Payne is a 35-year-old international event rider who is rarely seen without her long-haired chihuahua under her arm. She was born in London, Ontario but grew up in Franklin, Tenn. and graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Animal Science. She once lost the tip of her pinky finger clipping her 4* horse, and husband Doug says she can “talk to anyone including a wall….and they will like it!”
Ellie Woznica is a 24-year-old freelance book designer and horse trainer because she couldn’t choose which career to pursue and her mom said she wouldn’t make the decision for her. She grew up showing the hunters and jumpers, but in university, she learned to ride western and fell in love with reining.
Justine Griffin is an award winning 34-year-old journalist who has written about everything from horses to high profile CEOs to her ovaries. (She donated her eggs once.) Two things she loves the most? Whippet puppies and cheese. Justine is a firm believer in unicorns and feminism. So take everything she says with a grain of salt.
Many thanks to our sponsors this month: Ecogold!