Showjumping, a thrilling equestrian sport combining grace, power, and precision, offers an exhilarating experience for both riders and spectators. Equestrian has been an Olympic sport since 1900, and the only one that involves two athletes: horse and rider. Modern showjumping is extremely expensive, with Olympic caliber horses costing millions of dollars. The financial burden is too great for most young professional riders.
Road to the Top aspires to identify, train, and support talented young American riders who have the ability and ambition to ascend to the highest levels of showjumping. We mitigate the boundary of wealth, providing riders with education and opportunity to vie for international caliber events on U.S. equestrian teams.
Applicants to Road to the Top will be vetted by Olympians Katie Prudent and Laura Kraut. If accepted to the program, they will be mentored by Laura or Katie through lessons in riding, horse management, and business strategies. Road to the Top participants will be provided with horses to compete at major venues at a variety of levels.
Showjumping on the World Stage
The United States has a rich and successful history in international level showjumping. In Olympic competition, the U.S. Equestrian Showjumping Team has won 12 team medals and 10 individual medals. International events, such as the World Equestrian Games, Pan American Games, and World Championships are part of the prestigious, hotly contested stage for the world’s best riders. The iconic symbol of the red coat worn by USET members is a beacon of excellence on podiums all over the world. The future of American showjumping success depends on talent, opportunity, and training.
Board of Directors
-
Katie Prudent
Katie is a Olympic team member, three time American Invitational winner, USET Whitney Stone Cup winner., and a member of the Show Jumping Hall of Fame. A trainer of countless international level horses, Katie has also trained accomplished riders such as Olympic gold medal winner Beezie Madden, Olympian Reed Kessler, Kim Prince, Elise Haas, and Alison Firestone Robitaille. With husband Henri, she operates Plain Bay Farm in Wellington, FL and Middleburg, VA.
-
Donald Stewart
An accomplished rider and trainer, Don has produced numerous champions in the hunter, jumper, and equitations rings. His long list of successful former riders and assistant trainers is testament to his impact on the sport. A respected USEF hunter/equitation judge and member of the Show Hunter Hall of Fame, Don has been involved with governance at the USEF and USHJA for decades. He and his wife, Nancy, reside in Ocala, FL.
-
Elise Haas
An acclaimed equestrian, Elise is a USET veteran and winner of the Amsterdam Grand Prix. Haas is a tireless philanthropist as a director at the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and founder of the Haas Dreamer’s Resource Center at UC Berkley. A lifelong rider and owner, Haas is still active in horse sports.
-
Philip Richter
Richter is a competitive amateur jumper rider as well as the Treasurer of the USET Foundation. He is the Chairman of the Lake Placid Horse Show and sits on the Board of Directors of the USEF. Richter is the President and co-founder of Hollow Brook Wealth Management, a financial services firm in Katonah, NY.
-
Louis Jacobs
Jacobs is the Chief Executive Officer of Delaware North and the alternate governor to the Boston Bruins. His family has owned Deer Ridge Farm in East Aurora, NY and Wellington, FL for decades and has been active in all aspects of equestrian sport. He and his wife, Joan, are former riders and the parents of accomplished Grand Prix Rider, Charlotte.
-
Sissy Wickes, Executive Director
Wickes is a lifelong rider and trainer, USEF hunter/equitation judge, former magazine editor, and freelance writer. She is on the Board of Directors of the USHJA, the Retired Racehorse Project, and President of the Board of Directors at Hill Top Preparatory School.
-
Grace de la Gueronniere, Chief Operations Officer
Grace is a lifelong hunter/jumper rider and an attorney. She provides provides a broad range of legal services including consultation for equestrians ranging from riders and trainers to horse owners, facility owners, and business entities.
Athlete Selection Advisory Committee
-
Katie Prudent
Founder of Road to the Top, elite level rider and coach.
-
Laura Kraut
Five time Olympian (including 2024), two time medalist, acclaimed international rider.
-
Margie Engle
American Grand Prix Association Rider of the Year ten times, former Olympian, and multiple Grand Prix winner.
Meet the Riders
In the inaugural year of the Road to the Top Foundation, we accepted two riders into the program: Carlee McCutcheon and Trent McGee. Carlee is currently in Europe with Laura Kraut and her team, while Trent is based with Katie Prudent and the Plain Bay Farm contingent competing throughout the U.S. Both young riders are learning from the masters of the sport through rigorous lessons, competing horses at various levels, and hands on care and management of high level horses.
Carlee McCutcheon
Carlee is a 19 year old rider from Aubrey, Texas. She had great results in the hunter, jumper, an equitation rings as a junior, winning both the 2023 USEF Medal and ASPCA Maclay finals. She was a gold medal winner in the NAJYC Jumper Championships and competed in the Youth Nations Cup Finals. She aspires to “make my way up the pathway to represent the USA at the highest levels of the sport.”
Trent McGee
Trent is a 22 year old rider from Granada Hills, California. He has competed successfully at the Grand Prix level in his home state, with grand prix wins at Blenheim Equisports and Desert International Horse Park. He was a top ten finisher in a FEI 2* qualifier in 2023. Trent’s goals are “to reach the FEI 4* and 5* levels within the next few years, and become a consistent, reliable rider for the US team in Nations Cup classes.”