Monday, April 22, 2024

USA Teen Uma’s Quick Ascent to the World Stage

FEI.org - Full Story

Words by Stacey Stearns
Photos courtesy of Uma Kraskin
21 April 2024

We catch up with an ambitious Endurance talent...

Young American Uma Kraskin started competing in Endurance in 2022 and is already representing her country internationally.

17-year-old Uma was surrounded by horses and other animals growing up with her parents, Kati and Richard in their Florida home. They gifted her with Twinkie, a Shetland pony, on her fifth birthday. True to the Shetland pony reputation, he challenged Uma and helped her become a better rider, but also provided her with many happy memories. Uma continued riding, and now competes in Dressage and at Arabian breed shows with Habibi, her grey gelding.

In spring of 2022, she saw a social media post about Endurance, and it piqued her interest. Uma decided to try the sport as part of her Dressage cross-training and signed herself and Habibi up for a 15-mile American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) introductory ride. They both loved it and decided with the veterinarians that they could do 10 more miles. Uma also met her mentor; Cheryl Van Deusen, a US Endurance rider, at the competition. The rest is history and she’s made a quick ascent to the Endurance world stage...

Read more here:
https://www.fei.org/stories/sport/endurance/teen-uma-kraskin-quick-ascent-world-stage

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