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January 2024 | SIDELINESMAGAZINE
livia LaGoy-Weltz’s early passion for
riding is a common start for many
equestrians. Her journey from riding
pony rides at the local park to imaginative
interactions with various “horses” like a vacuum
cleaner, the 110-pound family golden retriever
and a saddle stand made by her dad showed her
genuine love for horses and determination to
pursue her passion. Thankfully, Olivia’s parents
recognized her enthusiasm and enrolled her in
a local riding lesson program when she was 6
years old, setting her on a path to becoming an
accomplished equestrian.
Even though Olivia was horse obsessed
at a young age, her upbringing in Berkeley,
California, didn’t include an equestrian
background. “I didn’t come from a horsey family
at all,” she said, adding that she is grateful her
parents provided her with the opportunities to
pursue her love for horses. “After a few years of
riding, my parents bought me my first horse.”
The horse was an Arabian named Oz, and
they promptly brought him to a boarding facility
where Olivia enjoyed a variety of activities
including Western, jumping and even going
trick-or-treating with him. “Fortunately, my mom
came to the conclusion that I really needed to be
in a structured program, and she came across a
trainer that specialized in eventing and dressage
and had experience with Arabians,” Olivia said.
Under her new trainer, Heidi Riddle,
Olivia achieved success in eventing and
dressage. She was encouraged to ride anything
and everything, and clearly benefited from
the diverse experience. “This gave me the
opportunity to ride a lot of different horses from
an early age and made me quite comfortable
getting on different types of horses,” Olivia said.
When Olivia turned 15, she was ready to
embark on horse ownership again since Oz
had passed away earlier on in her training. “Our
budget was modest, so my trainer helped me
get an unbroke 3-year-old named Santiago from
a local breeder in California. Heidi helped me
start him and took me through the process every
step of the way,” Olivia said. Olivia and Santiago
showed through Second Level dressage and
Training Level eventing.
Heading to Europe
At 18, Olivia found herself at a crossroads
in her equestrian journey. She had a strong
desire to pursue a career as a trainer, but at the
same time, she had applied to colleges without
feeling particularly enthusiastic about any of
them. It was at this pivotal moment that Sandy
OLIVIA
LAGOY-WELTZ
PAYING IT FORWARD
Story and portraits by Jennifer DeMaro
DRESSAGE
Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, at her Mountain Crest Farm
in Northern Virginia, with Rassing’s Lonoir,
affectionately known as Lono, and her dog Boomer.