Eight-year-old Isabella Buckley of Preston, Connecticut has been preparing to compete in the Congress Small Fry classes ever since last year. That’s not surprising considering winning at the Congress is in her blood. Isabella’s mother, Tara (Green) Buckley, is a seven-time Congress Champion and Congress Youth All-Around Champion while her father, William, has coached and trained multiple Congress winners. Isabella’s grandfather, Troy Green, her grandmother, Cheryl Johnson and Mom, Tara have all won the Youth All-Around at the Congress; no other family has accomplished that impressive feat.
They are all hoping that eight will be Isabella’s lucky age, just like it was when Tara showed. Riding a horse named Allspace who belonged to a client of her father’s, Tara won the Small Fry Horsemanship at the Congress in 1985 when she was eight-years-old (pictured below). “I remember the year before that my horse wouldn’t walk in the finals,” Tara recalls. “I remember crying and being all upset about it and saying that I was going to win it the next year.”
And she did just that.
“The year I won, I remember standing in the middle of the arena with my fingers crossed when they were calling the placings,” Tara remembers. “Also given what happened the year before, I was determined to really work hard that entire next year. When I was named the winner, the blood rushed to my face and a huge feeling of relief and pride came over me, and I just said to myself, ‘I did it!'”
Last year, Isabella, placed eighth in the Small Fry Western Pleasure and seventh in the Small Fry Horsemanship. With that invaluable experience behind her, Isabella is ready to follow in her mother’s footsteps. “Last year she told me, ‘I did really good this year didn’t I?’ Then she said after a bit, ‘Imagine if I practice really hard next year, I’ll do really really good!'”
The proud mom adds, “I think she has a good shot to do well this year. She is a good rider with a nice seat. She’s been at the barn practicing her patterns and preparing with both of her horses.”
Isabella will be showing One Special Version (Porsche) in the Small Fry Showmanship and her steady old timer mount, 18-year-old, Slo Loco Motion (Mo) in the Small Fry Western Pleasure and Small Fry Horsemanship.
“I love showing because it is a lot of fun and I like animals. I get to ride and I love it,” says Isabella, who also told us that she has over 50 Breyer horses and wants to be a trainer when she grows up. “I like Mo because he is really funny and likes to stick his tongue out and Porsche is a sweet and good horse.”
The third grader who is coming off of a big win at the Region 6 Championships in the western pleasure, says that she is nervous but excited to show at the Congress. “I hope to do better this year and hopefully win the Congress at some point like my mom,” Isabella says. “I’ve been practicing the patterns and the showmanship pattern seems to be the hardest because there is a lot of backing.”
Tara says that she is glad that her daughter loves horses, just like herself. “I think it is a great way to grow up and showing horses teaches a lot of discipline and sportsmanship. It’s not just about winning. It teaches life lessons.”
As far as who helps Isabella? “Well, our assistant, Ryan Burnett tends to be her main trainer because Isabella and I tend to argue,” Tara says laughing. “I tend to sit far away in the stands and stay away from her when she shows because I get nervous. It is way different being a horse show mom than a trainer. ”
Keep an eye out for Isabella in her Small Fry classes decked out in her favorite color, purple. Best of luck!
CLICK HERE to view her ad in the Congress issue of GoMag
