Someone asked how long I had been showing at big shows, and if I had ridden in the ponies. At eight and a half, I started at a riding summer camp. It was love at first sight! The first big show was in Ocala the following year in February, where I showed my friend Whitney's pony in the short stirrup hunter and equitation classes. Until age ten, showing at big shows was not the focus, I went to approximately ten a year; it was lessons and learning everything possible about horses and horse care. For about one year I did show in the children's hunter large pony, and then the next year I showed in the green small/mediums and the medium pony divisions. By the time I was almost twelve years old, I was getting too big for my pony, so my father took me for a lesson with Frank Madden. To tell you the truth, at the time, I was upset because I loved the ponies also. Then, I fell in love with horses and Beacon Hill, too!