Vermont rider Stephanie Hayes earns alternate spot on first U.S. working equitation world team

The relatively new sport in the United States grew out of southern Europe and blends riding precision with ranch-style tasks.

Stephanie Hayes of Vermont and her horse, Rayo, have been named alternates for the first U.S. working equitation squad set to compete at the world championships in Spain.

The relatively new sport in the United States grew out of southern Europe and blends riding precision with ranch-style tasks. Riders are judged in four areas: dressage, ease of handling, speed and cattle work.

Hayes said her path into the discipline began when she wanted a different challenge with her horses at age 22. After watching a YouTube video of a Portuguese rider on a Lusitano horse, she decided the sport looked like an exciting and elegant fit.

The U.S. team will send four riders plus two alternates, and Hayes is among those backup competitors. She noted that the sport demands substantial money and time, which is why most top competitors are professionals.

Her selection comes after three years of rigorous preparation, but the journey was complicated by personal loss. In August last year, Hayes lost her husband, who had been her strongest supporter. She said the setback made her question whether she could keep training, though she felt he would have wanted her to continue because of their shared love of horses.

Even if she does not end up competing in Spain, Hayes plans to bring what she learns back to Vermont and help grow working equitation in the United States. She said she hopes to make her husband, family and friends proud along the way.

Hayes is scheduled to leave on Aug. 5 for Europe, where she will train with a current two-time world champion before returning home to wait for a possible call to the lineup. The world championships are set for September.