Winter in Wellington with the Stryk Family
Every winter for the past four years, Ally Stryk and her family, along with her son Carter and daughter Ava, make the trip to Wellington, Florida, for the 13-week Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) to compete among the world’s most elite equestrians and show jumpers. Ava is not your typical WEF competitor. While the show and competition hosts people of all ages, and all over the world, 9-year-old Ava has been riding ponies since she could say the word “horsey.” At the age of 4, she jumped on a pony, discovered her love of riding, and hasn’t stopped since. At home in Middleburg, she rides with gifted trainer and rider Tiffany Mueller at Tonka Farm, where her skills have flourished over the years.
Ava progresses each year at Wellington, but this year was especially impressive. Ava rode two ponies this winter in different divisions. She rode Old School (nicknamed “Blue”) during the small pony hunter division, and in the jumper division, she rode BroadB Bare Necessities (“Bear”) from North Run, placing second overall for the whole 13 weeks in the Reserve Circuit Champion. While in Florida, she trains with Maggie Gampfer, who has been an assistant trainer at North Run since 2015.
For both Ava and Carter, managing school while competing in Wellington is a challenge, but they do it with optimism and grace. Both are students at The Hill School, and also enrolled at Upper Echelon Academy in Wellington, which gives Ava the flexibility to pursue riding without sacrificing her elementary education. Along with their equestrian friends from Pony Island, they attend Upper Echelon in person, which facilitates their curriculum back with The Hill School so they can get their work done during normal school hours.
This innovative approach affords Ava the flexibility to pursue her dreams without compromise as she seamlessly transitions between her school and her equestrian activities. Ava’s favorite part of returning to Wellington each year is the competition and being with her friends. Her advice for anyone visiting Wellington in the winter? “Keep your eyes up, stay positive, and have fun,” Ava says.
Ally adds, “Being in Wellington for the winter is an opportunity to embrace the lifestyle. For anyone going, I would say do all that you can while you are there. You are among the best riders in the world, all in one place, and you can learn so much from being in that environment.”
When asked what her silliest moment from Wellington was, Ava answered, “One day I rode three ponies and my legs felt like Jell-O!”
While it’s clear that she is a brave competitor, the fusion of dedication, talent, and familial support paints a portrait of a bright future for this special 9-year-old as she prepares for more shows this summer. ML
Featured photo by Sportfot.
Posted on: April 22, 2024