Gumprecht gallops her way into winners circle
Athlete of the Week
Sophomore Maxi Gumprecht resembles our other Athletes of the Week in many ways. She trains hard, works on her form and listens to gangster rap before a tournament. She's competitive, driven and doesn't lose too often. What makes Gumprecht different? She does all of this on a horse.
Gumprecht is a horseback rider. Yes, this means "ride" horses, but not the sense of galloping and leaping over fences. Her competitions aren't about just riding the horse, but rather the art of riding a horse. Equitation is a form of equestrianism where the appearance of the rider and horse are judged.
"I put the horses to their advantage," Gumprecht said. To her, a show is about "focusing on how the horse looks."
Gumprecht has to focus on how she looks, too. Instead of throwing on shoulder pads or cleats, this Athlete of the Week prefers heavy makeup and elaborate outfits.
"Everything is about appearances in a horse show," Gumprecht said. This means that if she doesn't look good, her scores don't either. The "horror makeup," as Gumprecht called it jokingly, is actually necessary. "The ring is like a stage in a theater - you're under bright lights, and you need the makeup to show your features."
Gumprecht wasn't always into makeup and dress-up, though. Unlike many horseback riders, her passion for horses is unique in her family.
Since she didn't have anyone in her family to guide her through the complex world of horses, her first years were tough. "I was the Miss Congeniality of competitions," she said. "I would be like, 'I don't need makeup or glitter.'"
Gumprecht also kept her horses pretty low-key, riding her pony Desi in local 4H competitions where glamour wasn't emphasized. As she got older, Gumprecht started learning more about different breeds - in particular, Arabian horses and Morgan horses. These two breeds are so popular that they each have their own national competitions.
Earlier this month, Gumprecht headed to Oregon to the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show, where she won the Youth of the Year Award.
Gumprecht is a horseback rider. Yes, this means "ride" horses, but not the sense of galloping and leaping over fences. Her competitions aren't about just riding the horse, but rather the art of riding a horse. Equitation is a form of equestrianism where the appearance of the rider and horse are judged.
"I put the horses to their advantage," Gumprecht said. To her, a show is about "focusing on how the horse looks."
Gumprecht has to focus on how she looks, too. Instead of throwing on shoulder pads or cleats, this Athlete of the Week prefers heavy makeup and elaborate outfits.
"Everything is about appearances in a horse show," Gumprecht said. This means that if she doesn't look good, her scores don't either. The "horror makeup," as Gumprecht called it jokingly, is actually necessary. "The ring is like a stage in a theater - you're under bright lights, and you need the makeup to show your features."
Gumprecht wasn't always into makeup and dress-up, though. Unlike many horseback riders, her passion for horses is unique in her family.
Since she didn't have anyone in her family to guide her through the complex world of horses, her first years were tough. "I was the Miss Congeniality of competitions," she said. "I would be like, 'I don't need makeup or glitter.'"
Gumprecht also kept her horses pretty low-key, riding her pony Desi in local 4H competitions where glamour wasn't emphasized. As she got older, Gumprecht started learning more about different breeds - in particular, Arabian horses and Morgan horses. These two breeds are so popular that they each have their own national competitions.
Earlier this month, Gumprecht headed to Oregon to the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show, where she won the Youth of the Year Award.
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Quote:
"Gumprecht also kept her horses pretty low-key, riding her pony Desi in local 4H competitions where glamour wasn't emphasized. As she got older, Gumprecht started learning more about different breeds - in particular, Arabian horses and Morgan horses. (Continued…)
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