Monica and I have seven nieces, which as I write this, seems like a lot. Anna Fischer is the sixth of those seven nieces, when considered by age. She’s 14 years old. Like her older sister Julia, she’s an equestrian. We’ve seen the Fischer girls compete at a handful of Colorado venues, including The Great Western Stock Show in Denver, the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, and the Estes Park Events Complex. Julia has a couple more years experience on her sister and as one might expect, is a more polished rider. But Anna’s had some successes in the arena this summer that bode well for her and her horse, Colorado 222.

During our May visit to California, Monica and I met up with the Fischer family to watch Anna show at the Sonoma Horse Park outside of Petaluma. The day we saw her compete, she finished deep in her class. But about a month later, in June, we watched her place third in the Children’s Hunter 13 & Under class at the Summer In The Rockies II at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker. A week later at the Horse Park, Anna and Colorado, jumping at 3-feet, won their Children’s Hunter class. In July, she and Colorado took part in the Estes Park Hunter/Jumper Festival. Showing at 3-foot 3-inches for the first time, they won Reserve Champion while “showing against girls older than Julia,” Anna told me.

Now what I know about equestrian competitions you could fit on the head of a pin. I take that back. I do know what “canter” means and what a “double oxer” is. And the Fischer girls are quick to educate me about good and bad jumping form. But honestly, I couldn’t tell you the difference between a Hunter and Jumper. However, watching Anna compete in Parker this past June, even I could see she was riding with more confidence and more assuredly. When I mentioned that to her, she agreed. “Ever since California [in May] I’ve noticed Colorado and I have improved…and it’s really been paying off at this show [in Parker].”

I asked Anna why she and Colorado were riding so well this summer. She didn’t hesitate, pointing to her trainer. “I think the reason we’ve been successful is because of Courtney Frederick.” The Fischers made the move to Frederick Court Show Stables  last year. “She’s helped me improve so much as a rider and has helped train Colorado to be a better Hunter.”

Indeed. Frederick, while riding Colorado 222 at the Estes Park event last month, was the top point professional and won the Hunter Derby. On her Facebook page, Frederick called Colorado “a fantastic derby horse in the making” and wrote “the future is bright” for Anna and Colorado.

It’s been nice to watch the arc of Anna’s successes in the arena this summer. That sort of thing doesn’t happen by accident. There’s a lot of work that goes into earning blue and red ribbons. But the real payoff, from where I sit, aren’t the ribbons. It’s knowing that if Anna can learn to consistently navigate a horse through a course and over a series of jumps with a high degree of precision, if she can do that, there’s really nothing she won’t be able to do.