Onward and Upward!

We are reviving the popular "Tales of Triumph" series that debuted back in November, which shared the tales of five horses who, in their own way, triumphed against all odds. Over the next few months we will be sharing the tales of some special guests who, like those five horses, triumphed against all odds as well. They're excited to meet fans and share their stories at BreyerFest!

The stories of our incredible special guests, Limited Edition portrait horses, and Celebration Horse and rider, Amanda and Athena, are at the heart of this year’s event. Their victories have inspired us to celebrate our own triumphs over adversity, not let them limit us. Through written word, art, music, and other creative outlets, BreyerFest: Against All Odds empowers us all to dream big, redefine ourselves, or start a new chapter. Bound by our love of horses and creative expression, we celebrate the perseverance of our community and revel in the thrill of a new beginning.

Abby Rigert, a 21-year-old from the suburbs of Chicago, is not letting anything get in the way of accomplishing her dreams both in and out of the show jumping arena. Prior to her birth, Abby had a stroke in-utero which resulted in mild right hemi-paresis, which makes her right side weaker than the left. The result of this left her with cerebral palsy, which mainly affects the muscles in her right leg. Since being diagnosed, Abby’s parents immediately found resources, both medical and emotional, to help give her the best outcome possible.

Abby spent years in physical therapy, serial casting to help improve range of motion, wearing AFOs, and having two surgeries to lengthen her heel cord. When she was about five years old, her mom was searching for an extracurricular activity for Abby to participate in. She came across therapeutic riding and went to sign her up, but the local classes were full for the next few months. In a twist of fate, she ended up putting Abby into a traditional lesson program at their local barn and the rest is history!

Growing up, Abby did weekly lessons and participated in her barn’s schooling shows, and also dabbled in different disciplines such as western and dressage. There were periods of time that she was unable to ride due to surgeries or when she was in a serial cast. Even though Abby was out for a few weeks at time or had setbacks physically, she did not let that stop her from returning to the saddle. In 2018, she got her first horse, an off-the-track Thoroughbred named Koby. They did a bit of dressage but found that Abby and Koby’s heart lied in the hunter/jumper world.

Jumping proved to be a challenge for Abby. Her cerebral palsy affects mainly her right leg. It’s harder for Abby to keep her right heel down in the stirrup, as she does not have the same range of motion in her right ankle as she does on the left. After having years of difficulty finding a solution to keep her right foot in the stirrup, she stumbled across Maija Vance, a jockey in New Zealand that suffered a spinal injury after a fall. Maija showed Abby how to use a wider rubber band over her boot that she still uses now. This rubber band has helped Abby tremendously by allowing her to not always worry about trying to keep her foot in the stirrup.

With a new tool in her belt, Abby was able to progress in the show jumping ring, and she quickly realized that she loved to show and wanted to take it further. In 2020, she moved to a bigger show barn that showed her that she could do anything she put her mind to. She soon parted ways with Koby to lease a dutch warmblood gelding, Ernie, who showed her the ropes of the hunter ring at larger shows. Koby gave Abby the foundation that would help her succeed with Ernie in the bigger rings. Abby and Ernie went on to win in the 2’6 hunters and even win the USHJA Central Hunter Team Challenge alongside three other teammates.

In 2021 Abby moved to Lexington, KY to pursue business management and marketing degrees. As she started college, Abby wasn’t able to ride as consistently as she would have liked. A year later she found her current horse, “Stay Frosty” (aka Frosty), an Irish Sport Horse jumper gelding. She was given the opportunity to bring him to school with her to continue her riding journey. Currently she has been having a blast learning the ropes of the jumper ring with Frosty. Over the past few years, she has found a passion in advocating for para equestrians in competition as well as helping them find the resources needed to support their riding journeys.

Abby met fellow BreyerFest guest Wren Zimmerman in Lexington, who created the Para Show Jumping North America non-profit. Wren has helped Abby in her journey as a para equestrian and is so thankful for the support and guidance. Abby is honored to represent Para Show Jumping, and is extremely excited to be able to do it at BreyerFest: Against All Odds alongside other amazing para equestrians who share similar visions as her.

Catch Abby and Frosty as part of the Para Show Jumping demonstration in the Covered Arena daily, or stop by the stables to hear more about their incredible story!