Canadian dressage rider Sarah Corbett has been drawn to horses for as long as she can remember. Having a mom who is a farrier specializing in barefoot may have had some part in this – but her early years in the saddle were a far cry from the trips down centreline she now performs.
“My mom signed me up for vaulting at just two years old, building a strong foundation in balance and connection early on,” said Corbett, 23, who grew up in Sarnia, ON. “From around age nine to thirteen I competed in trick riding, travelling across the country with my team and performing at rodeos.” Those experiences shaped her confidence, discipline, and love for performing. “Eventually I chose to fully dedicate myself to dressage, where I now focus on developing precision, harmony and partnership with my horse.”
That horse is Summersby [‘Sully’] a towering 18.3-hand bay Oldenberg gelding by the Sandro Hit son Stedinger. “Sully and I have truly grown up in this sport together,” said Corbett. “I got him when he was just five years old, and at the time we were barely schooling Training Level. From the very beginning it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing. It actually took two people on the ground holding him and shaking grain buckets just for me to get on and off, and my first ride ended with me coming off twice!” But from that chaotic start, the pair began to build something special together. “His strong points, ironically, are his changes, which is very interesting because as a young horse that is what took us the longest to figure out.”
The Canadian Nations Cup teams: Brooke Mancusi (U25), Jill Irving (in Canada hat). owner of Jaccardo ridden by Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu, Camille Carier Bergeron, chef d’equipe Jillian Taylor-Mancusi, Denielle Gallagher, Sarah Corbett (U25) and Alexandra Duncan. (Chris Carroll photo)
Corbett appreciates the challenges, and the people she relies on. “Over the years we’ve learned everything side-by-side, figuring it out step-by-step and working our way all the way up to Grand Prix. It’s been a wild, challenging and incredibly rewarding journey, full of lessons, growth and unforgettable moments. Sully has taught me more then I ever could have imagined, and I’m so grateful for him, as well as well as for all the coaches and people who have supported us along the way.” One of those people whom Corbett considers her mentor is fellow Canadian dressage rider and coach Denielle Gallagher.
This past winter Corbett, who now resides in Wellington, FL, and Sully moved up from Intermediate II to the FEI 16-25 Grand Prix level, and were on the second-place CDIO U25 team along with Brooke Mancusi and DeJohn Ymas. While an exciting and promising season in the ring stretches out ahead of them, Sarah enjoys the big personality of her big equine partner. “Sully has an extremely goofy personality! He knows a lot of tricks and he’s honestly like a big dog.”
10 Questions with Sarah Corbett:
Tell us about your first horse.
My first real horse was named Milo and he was the absolute best horse ever! He was a bay quarter horse and I showed him all over the place. I got him when I was nine.
What is your daily routine like?
My normal daily routine consists of waking up at 4:30. I go to the gym at 5:00 with my boyfriend, then at 6:00 I head to work and start mucking stalls and doing regular barn chores. My work day finishes about 4:30 and then I head to my barn where Sully is and I have a couple of horses I work there. By the time I’m done it’s time to do night check! Then I head home, call my mom, shower, have dinner and go to sleep.
What would you consider a high point in your career? And a low point?
A high point for me was 100% NAYC in 2002 with my horse Sully. A low point for me would be back in 2024 when I went through a really difficult time with my mental health.
If life hadn’t taken you where it has, what profession would you have pursued?
I would have continued trick riding.
Sully is a real character and loves to ‘shake a paw’! (Chris Carroll photo)
What is the funniest/strangest experience you have had at a show?
I honestly have had so many, but one of my favourites would be before I had my car, I used to sleep in Sully’s stall with him and one night he got loose. I didn’t notice right away and when I finally did, one of the security guards at Global had him. We ended up talking most of the night and I became friends with some of them.
What is your favourite show venue and why?
Global Dressage Festival. I have so many memories there!
Cats or dogs?
I have a dog named Onyx – she goes to all the shows with me.
Where do you see yourself in five years, not only in regard to horses?
I hope to have gone to the Olympics! And hopefully still living with my boyfriend. I would love to have travelled to some cool places.
If you won $50 million in a lottery, what would you do with the money?
I would invest some of it to keep making money in the future! Fifty million is a lot, but in the horse world that goes quickly. I would also buy a cute little farm and a couple of nice young horses. The rest would go towards training.
If you had one life lesson to share with other riders, what would it be?
You don’t always control what happens to you, but you can always control how you respond.
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