Where Are They Now? - Nicole DelGiorno
Status: Professional
After the YR Dream Program: Spent several months in Madrid, Spain, as a rider for the world famous P.R.E. breeding farm, Yeguada Susaeta
Where She is Now: Based in New Jersey developing youth riders to the elite levels of the sport. USDF gold medalist, L Graduate with Distinction, 4-time NAYC medalist, and board member of The Dressage Foundation and Dressage at Devon.
I think anyone who participated in the Dream Program would tell you that they use the lessons they learned from that trip every day. And that is certainly true.
But when I look back on the trip, I think that what I learned about The Dressage Foundation was in many ways more foundational to my life today than what I learned about training horses. When I think about what The Dressage Foundation is, I realize that it is essentially a group of good horse people — that includes the donors, the grant recipients, leadership, staff, and volunteers. By receiving this opportunity, the message it sent to me as a young rider was that the good horse people care about bringing up the next generation. The good horse people care about fostering correct and ethical training. The good horse people care about sustaining the sport of dressage long into the future. The good horse people actively seek ways to help their fellow equestrians. I think looking back, that's the lesson that really changed my life, and it's what I've devoted myself to — bringing up the next generation of good horse people.
Nicole and her student, Quinn Ridgway, at the 2023 North American Youth Championships (standing behind the Y)
More about Nicole:
Nicole DelGiorno began riding at an early age, learning the basics of horse management and sport through the United States Pony Club. She began focusing on dressage at age 12, competing in dressage seat equitation, where she placed among the top five in the nation.
She went on to become one of the first in the U.S. to compete in the FEI Pony division, and competed three horses at the FEI Junior and Young Rider levels. Her most notable mount was Lamborghini Dane, with whom she won two individual gold medals at the North American Junior Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) and was ranked among the top 12 in the country from 2009-2012.
In her last year as a young rider, she was selected by The Dressage Foundation to participate in the Young Rider Dream Program, a highly selective program that takes young riders throughout Europe to learn from some of the best riders in the world, including Hubertus Schmidt, Klaus Balkenhol, Monica Theodorescu, and Morten Thomsen.
After graduating from the young rider program, Nicole spent several months in Madrid, Spain, as a rider for the world famous P.R.E. breeding farm, Yeguada Susaeta. There she learned the fundamentals of starting young horses and working with breeding stallions. Upon graduating from the University of Richmond with a degree in International Business and Marketing, she took a position with the U.S. Young Rider coach and USDF President, George Williams. She completed the requirements of the USDF gold medal (recognizing proficiency through Grand Prix) on the highly-competitive Wellington circuit. She went on to compete her own young horse Hide, who ranked amongst the top 20 five-year-old dressage horses in the country.
Nicole is currently based in New Jersey and specializes in developing youth riders to the elite levels of the sport. Her students include USDF bronze and silver medalists, USEF Dressage Program Clinic participants, as well as Festival of Champions and North American Youth Championships competitors. She is a USDF gold medalist, L Graduate with Distinction, 4-time NAYC medalist, and board member of The Dressage Foundation and Dressage at Devon.
Your donation to the Young Rider Dream Program by the end of December 2023 will be automatically doubled by Margaret Duprey and her Cherry Knoll Farm! Please give today!
