We are fortunate to have many long-time volunteers and Kjersti Horais is one of our longest-timers. Her contributions pre-date Galway Downs. She started helping out when she was in high school, at the Showpark Horse Trials put on by Robert Kellerhouse and his mom, Anne, at what’s now called the Del Mar Horsepark.    

She’s a lifelong horse lover who went a long time without her own horse – from the ages of 16 to 40, she reports. Volunteering kept Kjersti involved in the sport and connected to horses and people who shared her love for them. Happily, she’s had her own horse for seven years, the half-Percheron, Grand Coeur, aka “Cory.” He’s recovering from an injury now, but even when competing up to the Preliminary level as of 2021, Kjersti has always found time to give back to the sport as a volunteer.

An All-Day Lesson

As a teenager, Kjersti first rode dressage. Which explains why her favorite volunteer role is dressage scribing. “It’s an all-day lesson!”

She acknowledges that it’s not everybody’s jam to sit aside the judge all day, transferring their comments to each competitor’s test score sheet. “There’s a common misperception that you’ll be taking notes like a court reporter – like, gobs of info. But really, it’s usually three to four words per movement. Even if people are not familiar with the sport, I tell them all you have to do is just listen to what the judge says and write it down.”

The role is a knowledge gold mine for dressage riders and enthusiasts. This is true even in the earliest scribing experiences, when there’s not much time to watch the ride because you are looking at the score sheet to make comments and ensure they align with the right movements.

“The more experienced you get, the more you’re able to sneak a peek at the horses and riders,” Kjersti explains. “But even just hearing the comments, you absorb good insights. Hearing ‘above the bit’ or ‘could be rounder,’ over and over again, gives you a good sense of what the judges are looking for.

“The things they emphasize usually go back to the basics,” Kjersti continues. “And we can all do with a reminder of what to work on, no matter what level we ride at. It definitely translates to when you get back in the tack. What I’ve learned has even helped me help my friends with their riding.”

For anyone slightly intimidated by the idea of working with a judge, Kjersti says, “The vast majority are very welcoming and great about answering your questions. They know the sport relies on volunteers.”

Many of Kjersti’s friends ride with her at Erin Kellerhouse’s Swift Ridge Eventing, based at Galway Downs. While volunteering through her horseless years, Kjersti became familiar with the region’s trainers and riders. Through Robert Kellerhouse, she became familiar with Erin and was happy to join Swift Ridge when she bought Cory, a former lower-level jumper.

Always An Advocate

Volunteering continues to be a source of connections and friendships, so much so that Kjersti makes a habit of urging others to give it a try. “I tell people that the hardest part is showing up for the first time,” Kjersti shares of her strategy for reeling new people in. “Once you get there and throughout the whole experience, you’ll meet a lot of great, helpful people. And, you spend the day outside watching an amazing sport.”

There’s several roles to try, she stresses. “If you don’t like sitting in the sun all day – as a cross-country jump judge, for example — try two or three different positions. Don’t give up on it!”

While she loves dressage scribing and jump judging, Kjersti has her sights set on also learning to be a cross-country timer.

Kjersti graduated from UC Davis with an animal science degree and later worked in the veterinary and research fields. Original plans to become a veterinarian shifted to working in a related field – the pharmaceuticals industry, where she has a career in quality assurance.

Showpark Reflections

Kjersti has fond memories of the Showpark Horse Trials. Growing up in the Olivenhain/Encinitas area of San Diego County, and as a member of the San Dieguito Pony Club, “Showpark was our home show.

“It was really convenient for competitors and spectators. There was a lot of open space then, much of it on the riverbed, and the event made good use of it,” she shares. The cross-country course ran out towards the lagoon, across the riverbed and around the actual grounds of what is now called the Del Mar Horsepark. “Whenever I go there to watch at the grass Grand Prix field, I remember the cross-country jump that used to be there at the back of the hill.”

Eventing competitions are different now, just like all equestrian competitions and life in general. But a common denominator remains – “At its heart they are still run by volunteers and by people who do this because they love it.”

Kjersti is firmly in both columns and looks forward to volunteering during The Eventing Championships Nov. 1-5. Meanwhile, she’s at the barn every day, picking up rides on other horses and spending quality time with Cory as he continues convalescing. They keep busy with fun bonding activities. “We do whatever we can at the walk. We’re doing clicker training, long lining and I taught him to fetch!”