Record-Breakers & Trailblazers: Ariat Athletes Redefine Talent

Team Ariat

Ariat has been a leader in the equestrian clothing and footwear space for over 30 years. Beloved by dedicated riders and casual enthusiasts alike, we’re renowned for bringing beautiful, innovative show and training products to riders of all disciplines. As a result of our commitment to excellence, the Ariat team roster is packed with talent. We have partnered with some of the top athletes in equestrian sport in just about every discipline and asked a few of them to share a little bit about their proudest professional moments.

Beezie Madden, Show Jumper

Four-time Olympian Beezie Madden has been partnered with Ariat for 16 years. She was the first woman to pass the $1 million earnings mark in show jumping and has won the USEF Equestrian of the Year award five times. Throughout her storied career, she has represented the United States at every major equestrian venue in the world, but one particular event stands out to her. “I would consider my proudest accomplishment to be when I rode Authentic to a team and an individual silver medal at the 2006 World Championships in Aachen, Germany,” says Beezie. “I know that sounds odd since I have two Olympic Gold medals, but that World Championship was so special. We’d had Authentic since he was six years old, and he didn’t have a single rail down all week—just a foot on the tape at the water. Authentic jumped clear for all the riders in the ride-off for individual medals, and I went clear on the other three horses. Authentic and I had the fastest time but also had the last fence down which was heartbreaking. But when I look back on the week, it was so special being at that iconic venue, Authentic was at the top of his game, and my parents, Authentic’s owners, and my husband were all there.”

Being a record-breaking equestrian athlete has defined Beezie in more ways than one. “My career in show jumping has had everything to do with who I am today,” she explains. “I met my husband John because of it, and we have a facility in Cazenovia, New York that is home to our show horses and 75 retired horses.”

“I have been lucky enough to do my favorite hobby as my job which has made my life magical.” – Beezie Madden

Boyd Martin, Eventer

The second-ever athlete to compete at every five-star event in the world, Boyd Martin’s resume is packed with accolades. Mentored by fellow Ariat Athlete and seven-time Olympian, Phillip Dutton, Boyd has competed in four Olympic games, won the gold at two Pan American Games, and has won two five-star events so far in his career. Those moments notwithstanding, his proudest accomplishment isn’t that of a single event. Boyd moved from Australia to America in 2007, not knowing anyone, and had to start his career over from scratch. “That was a challenge after being an established rider on the other side of the world,” he says. “And over the course of a decade, I was able to build up a strong group of competition horses and a wonderful group of supporters.” 

As far as what establishing himself as a top international-level rider has taught him, Boyd’s answer is one that any equestrian athlete can relate to. “Eventing has trained me to deal with adversity, success, and disappointment well. One of the interesting things about horse sport is that you enjoy the massive highs and the disastrous disappointments as well.” Boyd has been an Ariat Athlete for 12 years and we are proud to support him on his journey.

“Looking ahead, I want to keep doing what I’m doing but at a higher standard.” – Boyd Martin

Will Simpson, Show Jumper

Will Simpson is a five-time World Cup finalist, the winner of over 75 Grand Prix events, and was on Team USA when they won the gold at the Olympics in 2008. It was the road to winning the gold that he considers one of the proudest accomplishments of his career. “From the time we started trying out for the team to the time we made it was a nine-month process,” Will explains. “Then we got to the Olympics and realized that our horses were jumping great—that was an amazing feeling. And just to be part of that team was a dream come true.” One moment that stands out from that experience is the jump-off round that won them the gold medal. “The coach came running out before I rode and said, “Okay all you have to do is go clear!” And I thought, okay these are the biggest jumps of my career, the biggest stage that there is, and now all I have to do is go clear. I dug deep and reminded myself how much I love the jump-off and went into the ring. As we landed off the last fence, I didn’t hear a thing, and then the whole crowd erupted, and the announcer called out, “Gold for Team USA!” All of those hours preparing came together and it was a moment I’ll never forget.”

Will, who has been an Ariat Athlete for 12 years, is the father of two grown children, who are accomplished equestrian athletes in their own right. “To see them do this sport that I love so much and to see them be successful both competing and producing horses makes me very proud.”

“Horses are such amazing teachers and they’ve taught me so many life lessons—and I’m still learning from them.” — Will Simpson

Show Off Your Equestrian Pride

There has been a lot of excitement in the world of equestrian sport this summer. Elite riders have been working tirelessly to be at the top of their game, especially in the disciplines of show jumping, eventing, and dressage. If you’d like to show off your patriotic pride while you follow along with their successes, our Ariat Team Collection combines performance clothing with details inspired by Team Ariat. Often seen on the sidelines at storied venues around the country, each piece in this collection looks as great in the saddle as it does out of it.

FAQs

How many styles of English riding are there?

If you’d like to learn more about the nuances between each discipline, we’ve written up a deep dive on the different types of English riding that will help you feel informed and confident the next time you sit down to watch our athletes compete. 

What is proper horse show attire?

Although each riding discipline has its own rules, our Guide to Show Jumping will give you some insight into how equestrian athletes dress for competition. 

Is eventing dressage the same as dressage?

While individuals in both types of dressage are asked to perform a series of predetermined movements, otherwise known as a “test,” in front of a panel of judges, the major difference lies in the scoring. Each movement receives a score from 0–10, but in traditional dressage, the points are added up, and the horse and rider combination with the highest score wins. In eventing dressage, the point total is subtracted from 100 and the pair with the lowest score takes the lead.