Sydney Steverson on Eventing, Late Starts, and Choosing Yourself Anyway
About this episode
Sydney Steverson shares her journey into eventing as an adult amateur and discusses the challenges and triumphs of pursuing her passion for horses.
Sydney Steverson didn't grow up in the show ring. She got bit by the horse bug at summer camp, had to put it down when life got complicated, and then made a beeline for the barn the day she crossed the graduation stage. No plan B. No "let me ease into this." Just: here we go. In this episode, Sydney, an adult amateur eventer training in Virginia with her horse Superman, brings that same energy to the conversation. If you've ever wondered what it's like coming into a high-stakes discipline in your mid-20s and being told you're already too old, Sydney shares her candid but vulnerable take. We talk about the trainer search, the ego death that horses require, and what it actually feels like to be drift compatible with a 1,200-pound animal who thinks he knows better than you (and is usually right). We also get into her fall at her last show, the video she almost didn't post, and what the outpouring from her community revealed about what vulnerability can build. Look forward to hearing more about: Growing up with horses, losing access, and coming back on her own terms The trainer search as a Black woman in a white-dominated discipline Relocating to Virginia to train, and what it cost…
People in this episode
Host: Abriana Johnson
Guest: Sydney Steverson
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Superman
Places: Virginia, summer camp
More episodes of Black In The Saddle
- Ifa Is Back Sharing England, Equestrian Fitness and Everything that's Changed
- Exploring the Campaign behind the Crown with Mathena Washington
- Finding Your Way in an Industry That Tests You with Coach Kamerra Brown
- Silencing Your Inner Critic and Building Self-Trust
- How Pennie Selina Brown Found Purpose, Healing, and Leadership Through Horses
- Rethinking the Future of Work in the Horse Industry
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