We all know that Skidmore is known for drawing equestrian lovers from near and far. We’re situated in one of the most historic equine locations in the country and boast one of the nation’s leading riding teams. But you might not have known Skidmore’s appeal reaches beyond the United States. Her Campus sat down with sophomore, Jasmine Lai, a member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Junior Equestrian Team, to talk about her experience representing Hong Kong in the 2010 Youth Olympics and her experience on Skidmore’s riding team.
Her Campus: As a sophomore how are you liking Skidmore so far?
Jasmine Lai: I’m liking it a lot. It’s really different from home and took a while to adjust but I’m building a lot of close friendships. I was born in San Francisco but never really lived in the United States before coming to college and had never been to New York until the start of school. Part of the reason I chose to come to Skidmore was due to its small size. I like that Skidmore is close to the city, but far enough away to avoid distraction.
HC: How did you begin riding?
JL: My mom started riding to lose weight and she would bring my sister and me to the stables when we were little. We started to ride as well but never had the mindset that we would one day be competitive riders. It all began as a leisure activity.
HC: How did you end up representing Hong Kong in the 2010 Youth Olympics?
JL: The Youth Olympics work differently than the regular Olympics. They are limited to thirty nations with only one rider per nation and they provide the horses. For the team event you are grouped with your continent, so I was part of team Australasia, which consisted of Hong Kong, China, Oman, Australia and New Zealand. You’d qualify and compete against your own country and the best would be selected to go to the Youth Olympics. So I competed and got the best result out of all of Hong Kong and went to compete in Singapore!
HC: Will you try to make the Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian team?
JL: Realistically, no because if I wanted to do that I wouldn’t be in college right now. It requires a lot of time, money and commitment so I took a different route by going to college. My sister who is a year older is riding professionally, and is currently representing Hong Kong along with four other riders. It’s not easy to consistently get great results because anything can happen to a horse without warning. I can see how hard it is for her.
HC: How do you like competing on Skidmore’s riding team?
JL: I didn’t really want to form any expectations for the riding team. I knew it would be a little different because the American style of riding is different. I’m learning how to ride in the American hunter/equestrian style and it’s interesting and a really great experience. It’s fun riding and competing alongside everyone else representing Skidmore. I’m mostly grateful about making it on the team and being able to ride as much as I am now –keeping up with what I’m dedicated to, as well as my studies.
Make sure to support the Skidmore riding team this semester as they prepare for nationals and be sure to check out this talented equestrian!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Skidmore chapter.