The two met when Jessica called up Jan on the recommendation of her then-trainers, Mike and Emma Winter, who were relocating to England. “The long drive to Virginia has proven to be well worth it,’ laughs Jessica, 27, who was living in Alabama at the time. ‘I had no idea what a difference she would make in my life.”
Originally from London, ON, Jessica has lived in the States since the age of five and is now based in Gladstone, NJ. She developed an interest in horses while attending elementary school, where there happened to be a barn on the property – every little girl’s fantasy. Fast-forward almost ten years and she was showing avidly in the hunter and jumper rings, eventually tackling her first event at the age of 18. She was first named to the Canadian Eventing Team long list in 2006, is short-listed in 2012 and hopes to be selected for the Canadian Olympic Team this summer in London.
Her mount for Rolex was High Society III (Trevor), a horse found by the Winters in 2005. “I was looking for a horse that would do a CCI** and maybe do a couple of advanced,” she recalls, “I ended up getting much more and could not be more thrilled with what he has done for me.” Jessica and Trevor began working with Jan once they graduated to the three-star level. “After working with Jan for a short period of time, she and I agreed this was a once-in-a-lifetime horse. She has been a huge part in further establishing Trevor and I at the three- and four-star level.”
Jessica took some time off from horses to further her academic career (earning a B.Sc. from Auburn University, with a focus on equine science), and is now re-establishing her business with a solid support system. “Being around Jan’s operation has given me the opportunity to refine my management style. I do feel it’s vitally important to give back to the next generation. It is a large responsibility to be a role model, something I don’t take lightly.” Her boyfriend, fellow eventer Doug Payne, kept Trevor going during her hiatus.
Jan has taught Jessica how to deal with the pitfalls of horse sport and encourages her to always look ahead without dwelling on things she cannot change. “Jan has always told me to look at the positives, put the negatives behind me and focus on what you can control in the future,” she explains. It was a lesson she was able to apply at this year’s Rolex – the third for her and Trevor – where, despite a fantastic warm-up, they had a disappointing dressage test on the first day. With Jan’s guidance, she was able to put it behind her and have what she describes as “probably the best cross-country we have had to date.
“I was disappointed with my dressage test at Rolex. Upon completion, we analyzed the test and we decided that I had to get to more dressage shows to practice. We spoke about specifics and then moved on to the rest of the weekend. I tried to not dwell on it after that; there was nothing I could do but move forward. The rest of the weekend ended up quite well and I was happy to be able to put my disappointing test behind me. In the past it would have continued to affect my weekend negatively.”
It is hard for Jessica to pinpoint the largest impact that Jan has had on her career and development as a rider, trainer, competitor, and coach. The two still meet up at competitions and train together regularly. “She has helped me become the person and rider I am today. Whether it’s been on the business side of things, or even what I am going to do with a particular horse that season, she has been a vital asset to my development. I think the relationship between the two of us has grown stronger over time, and she continues to influence me in so many ways.”
