Meet the Faces of the 2022 Versatile Horse and Rider Competition

The excitement is building for the 2022 Versatile Horse and Rider Competition! The competition will take place on Friday, April 8, 2022, in the Coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center during Equine Affaire in Ohio. With $5,500 cash and other prizes at stake, including special prize packages from Farnam, it’s going to be one exciting race as 25 competitors and their mounts vie for the honor of becoming the 2022 Versatile Horse and Rider Champions! In this post, meet five of the talented competitors that will join the race at Equine Affaire.

Rachel Dicken

Horse: Rowdy, 7 year old Appaloosa gelding

Rachel Dicken hails from Kingston, Ohio. She brought Rowdy home as a weanling and trained him herself from the ground up, teaching him everything from cow work to sliding stops to loping up and down steep trails. Thanks to their shared history, Rachel and Rowdy enjoy a special partnership built on trust, and they look forward to showing as a team at the 2022 Versatile Horse and Rider Competition in Ohio.

Miranda Roesel

Horse: Shamrock, 8 year old American Quarter Horse gelding

Miranda and Shamrock are from Amelia, Ohio, and have been together ever since Shamrock was just three years old. The pair enjoy competing in ranch classes at open shows. They placed third in the ranch trail and fifth in the ranch riding at the 2021 NOHSA World Championship Show, and they also competed in the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition in 2019. When they’re not showing, they love going on trail rides together.

Miranda and Shamrock

Lindsey Partridge

Horse: Thunderous Affair, 5 year old Thoroughbred mare

Lindsey Partridge is from Pontypool, Ontario, and has been riding Thunderous Affair for two years. Thunderous Affair is America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred from the 2020 class at the 2021 Thoroughbred Makeover. Lindsey and Thunderous Affair won championships in both Freestyle and Trail at the Mustang Makeover in Kentucky. They also won the reserve championship at the Florida Thoroughbred Transformation Expo in 2021. Lindsey and Thunderous Affair love riding bridleless and playing at liberty.

Julia Mazzarella

Horse: Nine Lives, 16 year old Thoroughbred mare

Julia Mazzarella grew up training in the hunters, jumpers, and equitation, and competed through the Intercollegiate level, culminating with a national championship in the Intercollegiate Open Over Fences in 2013. Julia began riding Nine Lives, aka Kitten, in 2014 and purchased her in 2015. Kitten was a green OTTB and Julia initially trained her for the jumpers, in which they have competed up to 3’ in both schooling and A-rated competitions. Upon moving to Ohio, Julia and Kitten tried their hand at eventing, and competed at several schooling competitions at the beginner novice level. Following several injuries for Kitten, including a fractured leg, the duo switched gears to dressage. Since 2020, the pair has competed through First Level at USDF rated shows. When not training for a competition, Julia and Kitten spend most sunny afternoons trail riding with Julia’s dogs. Julia and Kitten have stepped up to many challenges during their 8 years together and are excited to put their training to the test in the 2022 Versatile Horse and Rider Competition!

Amanda Malone

Horse: Ironwood Turbo, 16 year old Norwegian Fjord gelding

Hailing from Mathias, West Virginia, Turbo and Amanda have been a team for three years. Together, they’ve ridden in trail competitions, hunter paces, foxhunting, cattle drives, parades, and more. Amanda says Turbo is an inquisitive horse who loves to learn and try new things. The pair competed in the 2021 Massachusetts Versatile Horse & Rider Competition and have spent the winter training for this spring’s VHRC in Ohio. Amanda and Turbo are excited for the opportunity to compete in the Ohio Expo Center’s coliseum and put their training to the test!

Excited for this year’s Versatile Horse and Rider Competition? Plan to attend Equine Affaire on Friday, April 8, and watch the competition unfold in the coliseum, starting at 1 pm Eastern Time. Learn more about the competitors for this exciting event by following along on our social media channels leading up to the event, and stay tuned after the event for results!