The first quarter of 2024 has come and gone and there is lots to be proud of for the Aspire Eventing Team! At the beginning of February, I made my annual migration to Florida with my three boys – Bravio (owned by Carol Mavrakis and me), Baral (owned by Stacy Hougland and me), and Rey (owned by the Aspire Eventing RR Simple Syndicate); my super groom Molly Wafle and her horse Volu; and two client horses, Bling (owned by Annabelle Hait) and Luc (owned by Julie Pawlak). Everybody handled the trip well and settled in nicely to Buck Davidson’s farm to enjoy a few months of sunshine (… and rain) and eventing bootcamp. It’s been go, go, go since we got here and all of the horses are growing leaps and bounds!

Our first event was Ocala Winter I where the boys started the year off on a great note. Bravio felt better than ever after his winter vacation and landed in 6th place in the Advanced/Intermediate after a lovely dressage test, double clear show jump, and just a bit of time on cross country. Baral was so impressive from start to finish, placing 7th in the Preliminary division, and despite a hiccup on cross country, Rey was his usual confident self and handled the first outing like the champion he is!

In early March, Bravio and I had an experience of a lifetime and were invited to compete at the Eventing Grand Prix Showcase at Bruce’s Field. This was an invite-only, prestigious charity event where I competed on Team Orange, representing the nonprofit organization Tri Development Center of Aiken County, with Liz Halliday, Buck Davidson, and Shannon Lilley. Bravio was beyond incredible the whole weekend, giving each phase his undivided attention despite the huge environment. The cross country course was intimidating to say the least, but Bravio did not miss a single beat and we had an amazing ride, landing in 15th individually out of 37 riders and 3rd place as a team. I was lucky enough to have my husband, Jeff, and owner, Carol Mavrakis, there to support us and cheer us on the whole time. A huge thank you to the two of them!

Next up was Bouckaert Farms CCI where Rey and Baral competed in their first ever 2*. They both rose to the occasion and handled the new level like pros, with Rey finishing in 6th and Baral in 13th. It has been so fun to develop these boys and bring them up the levels together, with each of them impressing me with their completely different but completely amazing personalities and talents. Bravio had a lovely dressage test in the 4* Short but we had a bit of a steering issue on cross country, and as the saying goes, “if you aren’t winning, you are learning,” which couldn’t be more true! We are gaining invaluable experience and learning all the intricate details to be a truly successful cross country team. It was wonderful having owners Stacy and Sam Hougland there as well to cheer on the boys and, of course, bring donuts!

At Ocala Winter II, my boys took the weekend off while I competed some of the client horses. This was Volu’s first ever event and he most certainly did not disappoint! He had an amazing dressage test, scoring a 24.7, zero cross country or show jump faults, and ended the weekend in 1st place. I am so proud of him and so proud of his owner Molly for all her hard work getting him to this point. Luc was fantastic in dressage and was in 2nd place going into show jumping. However, he was a little less than impressed with the show jump course and had a few rails. Despite that, he went around cross country like a champ and was super brave and confident, ending the weekend on a high. Bling has grown leaps and bounds on this trip and is figuring out that he isn’t the one who gets to make all the decisions! He kept it together in dressage, despite not liking his new bridle set up, was a machine in show jumping, and was great on cross country except for a tricky fence that caught him off guard. It was a great training experience for both horses and I was honored to pilot them!

Last weekend, we competed at Bouckaert Farms again where Rey and Baral had one of their best shows to date in the Preliminary division. Rey had a super dressage test (even scoring a 10!!!) and had a clear cross country and show jump round, earning him the blue ribbon. His brother Baral was not far behind him, landing in 4th place, and was phenomenal in each round. Once again, it was a big learning weekend for both Bravio and I, as we had a bit of a steering issue again on cross country. Despite that, he had a wonderful dressage test, which was a great opportunity for us to keep working on our clean flying changes. We also had the opportunity to train after the show to really figure out where our mistake was happening on cross country and how to fix it. We came away from the weekend in top form and ready for the next BIG show. It may not look like it on paper, but it was an excellent weekend for us to fix our mistakes and come away better.

In mid April, Rey and Baral will be competing in their first 2* Long at the Ocala Festival, and at the end of the month, Bravio will be competing in the 4* Short at the famous Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event. We’ll also have lots of invaluable training time with Buck Davidson in between before we head home for a busy and fun summer in Colorado.

I want to give a special thank you to my “remote” dressage and show jump trainers, Sue Martin and Mariano Bedoya, for their numerous phone consults, video lessons, and for always checking in and reviewing films with me. Their guidance has been beyond helpful! Plus, a big shout out to my groom, Molly Wafle, and her huge heart for
tirelessly caring for the horses here in Florida and keeping me on track. We couldn’t do it without her! I could not be more grateful for the endless support from ALL of my owners, sponsors, trainers, grooms, clients, friends, and family. Thank you for everything you do and for making all of this possible. I’m so excited to have you along for the journey and can’t wait to make you all proud as we head into the heat of show season!

– Dani Sussman

Another exciting development for Aspire Eventing is the addition of two new team members, Daphne Litchner and Davina Warrener. Both of these ladies are excellent horsewomen, have the most positive attitudes, and are tremendous assets to the team. I was lucky enough to cross paths with both of them while in Florida, and am so thrilled to now have them here in Colorado. Welcome, Daphne and Davina!

Our longtime team member Ally Presicci will be cutting back her time at Aspire to focus on her aspirations of being a real estate agent. We are so grateful for all of her hard work and for everything she’s done for the two and four legged members of Aspire Eventing. We wish her the very best in her pursuit of real estate excellence!

I will be spending the remainder of the year training and prepping for another exciting trek to Florida in the new year. My goal is to get Bravio feeling strong and confident in the 4* level and eventually compete in our first ever 5*. I hope to continue moving Rey and Baral up the levels and be competing at the 3* level by next fall. I am so thrilled to have three incredible horses who continue to impress me day in and day out, and I cannot wait to see what we can accomplish together in 2024.

Instead of having our annual holiday party this year, we are going to do a “ring in the new year” party instead on Saturday, January 13th, 2024. In addition to a fun evening of coming together and celebrating the Aspire Team, we will once again have our traditional Make-A-Wish auction and fundraiser. Keep an eye out for an
invitation coming soon!

As we approach the end of another amazing year, I want to express my utmost gratitude to all of you who make this dream of mine a reality. Thank you to my clients who are such a pleasure to work with and who teach me so much in return. Thank you to my owners for trusting me to take the ride on some of the most talented, big-hearted horses I’ve ever come across. Thank you to my coaches, Buck Davidson, Mariano Bedoya, and Sue Martin, for helping me grow and giving me the guidance and wisdom I need to achieve each new goal. Thank you to my sponsors for providing me with the best products on the market and for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your amazing teams. Thank you to my employees for all your hard work and for taking such impeccable care of the horses, the barn, and of me. And thank you to my friends, family, and my husband, Jeff, for being my cheerleaders and supporting me every step of the way. I am endlessly thankful to all of you who make this journey such a joy to be on.

It has been an incredible year of growth and learning, and I am more determined than ever to achieve some very exciting goals in 2024. BIG THINGS ARE AHEAD!!!

Thank you all for your love and support, and cheers to a great new year!
– Dani Sussman

I can’t believe the winter season has already come to an end. It’s been an unbelievable last couple of months!

At the beginning of February, Jos Bravio, Baral Triumph, RR Simple, Bacana, my supergroom, Molly, with her horse Volu, and I made our way to Florida. We were fortunate enough to spend three months there training and competing with Buck Davidson. He has been an incredible mentor for me and my horses and I have learned so much from him. In addition to my horses, my clients Stacy Hougland and Samantha Brown were able to come join me for some fun in the sun with their horses Maria and Z (owned by Jessica
Maranto). They had the opportunity to school cross country, compete, and enjoyed some time out of the frozen tundra of Colorado.

Our first show of the year was Ocala Winter I in mid-February. Jos Bravio, owned by Carol Mavrakis and myself, competed in the Open Intermediate where we placed 2nd. We had one of our best dressage tests to date, a great XC run, and a double clear show jumping round. Baral Triumph, owned by Stacy Hougland and myself, and RR Simple, owned by the RR Simple Syndicate, both competed in the Open Training and were incredible, placing 3rd and 4th respectively. My little mare Bacana, owned by Carol Mavrakis and me, was more than ready to show off her skills and placed 6th in a competitive Novice class. It was a fantastic weekend and such a great start to the season!

Next up was Rocking Horse Winter III where Jos Bravio and I competed in the Open Intermediate. He tapped into a whole new gear and we ended up taking 1st place. We had a lovely dressage test, a double clear show jumping round, and he felt like an absolute pro out on XC. Baral Triumph started with a 25.2 dressage score and stayed in first place throughout the entire weekend, winning his Training division. I am beyond amazed by this horse and how much he has improved over the last year! RR Simple and I had a small error on XC, but otherwise he felt phenomenal and was such a professional in each phase. Bacana was not about to let her brothers outshine her and had lots of fun showing off, running fast, and jumping big.

Later in March, Ocala Winter II had its highs and lows. Jos Bravio felt great in the Advanced; RR Simple had a stellar dressage test and continued on that streak to finish 3rd in Training; and Baral Triumph was incredible once again and stayed in 1st place throughout the weekend. Unfortunately on one of the evenings of this show, Bacana colicked and had to be transported to the equine hospital, where we ended up losing her in the early morning.

It was an incredibly unexpected and difficult loss. This little mare was truly something special and she blew me away every day with her talent and confidence. Our time together was far too short and she is and will continue to be dearly missed.

Although difficult to keep moving forward after the loss of Bacana, I knew Jos Bravio, Baral Triumph, and RR Simple all had lots more to prove during our stay in Florida. At the end of March, we continued on and competed at TerraNova. Jos Bravio and I competed in our first 4*-S of the year there and he felt incredible. We had a couple bobbles here and there, but overall he was great and we were both excited to be back at the 4* level. Baral Triumph and RR Simple had another great weekend competing at the Training level and were so impressive as they handled a new and exciting environment. Baral Triumph and RR Simple ended their stay in Florida after that and went home to enjoy a nice vacation.

After a few weeks of fine tuning in Florida, Jos Bravio and I made our way to Kentucky for the 4* at the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event. Being at the Kentucky Horse Park, in the company of the best of the best in this sport, and having the privilege of being one of the competitors there was like nothing I have ever experienced before. It was a dream come true to say the least! Jos Bravio had a great dressage test and although not everything went to plan on XC, he still tried his heart out and gave it his all. We can officially say we have completed the LRK3DE XC course! Unfortunately, Jos Bravio did not quite feel 100% on show jump day so we decided to withdraw just to be safe. It was not the decision I was wanting to make, but it was the right decision for my wonderful partner. A HUGE thank you to my vet Chelsea Luedke who made the trip to Kentucky to be there for Jos Bravio and me and to all of my clients, sponsors, owners, friends, and family who came to Kentucky to cheer me on and who rooted for me from afar. I’m so incredibly overwhelmed by all the love and support! I know some day very soon we will be back to complete the whole thing and will make you all proud!!!

While the horses take a well-deserved vacation, I am looking forward to getting back home to teach and take my clients to local shows around Colorado. I’m excited to get back to in-person training with my show jumping coach Mariano Bedoya and my dressage coach Sue Martin, preparing for an exciting rest of the year with my horses. Their guidance and advice throughout my time in Florida and beyond has been invaluable.

I am so thankful and grateful for my husband Jeff and his endless support, always being so wonderful while dealing with my crazy schedule of traveling and competing. Thank you to my owners for their support and letting me ride their most incredible horses – none of this would be possible without them. Thank you to my clients for all of the love, support, and encouragement. Thank you to my team at home for being so amazing and always keeping things running smoothly back at the farm. Thank you to my super-groom Molly who cares with her whole heart and keeps the horses and me safe and looking our best. And finally, thank you to my sponsors who have been so supportive and who let me be a very proud representative of their brands.

I hope you all know how much it means to me that you are a part of the Aspire Eventing Team. I am so lucky!

Cheers to a great summer ahead and lots of amazing moments to come!

With gratitude,
Dani Sussman

What an unbelievable year 2022 has been! Although there are always some ups and downs, I am wrapping up this year feeling incredibly grateful for the enormous strides my team and I have made in the last 12 months.

In January, a few of my clients and I ventured to Florida where we spent the first quarter of the year training with Buck Davidson and competing on the east coast. When I first arrived in Florida, I met up with my two freshly imported horses from Argentina, Baral Triumph, owned by myself and Stacy Hougland, and RR Simple, owned by the Aspire Eventing RR Simple Syndicate including Stacy Hougland, Carol Mavrakis, Sue Nerman, and Kim Stuckey (still a few syndicate shares left – please contact me if you are interested in this amazing opportunity!). I got the opportunity to build a trusting relationship and strong foundation with both horses, while continuing to bring
Jos Bravio, owned by myself and Carol Mavrakis, up the levels.

In February, Bravio and I competed in our first Advanced together at Pine Top Horse Trials in Georgia. We placed 8th out of a large class of 43 and I could not have been more excited with how prepared he felt to tackle this new level.

In March, Bravio and I set out to tackle both my debut and his at the 4* level, competing in the 4* Short at Carolina International. Unfortunately, our cross country ride did not go as planned, which was certainly a disappointment, but thankfully we were both unscathed and consider it a learning opportunity. While at this show, I also competed my new Hanoverian RR Simple at the Training level. He won his dressage class with a 24.3 and conquered the rest of the show like a seasoned pro.

In April, Bravio and I came back with a vengeance and tackled the 4* Short at Chattahoochee Hills International. He was as sharp and brave as ever and we conquered the cross country course with zero jump faults.

Later in April, we made the trip back home to Colorado and my horses enjoyed a well-deserved vacation, while I spent some time developing my 4 year old KWPN mare Bacana, owned by myself and Carol Mavrakis. Bacana was more than excited to show me just how ready she is to start showing the world what she’s capable of!

In July, after Bravio got some time off, we traveled to Montana for the Rebecca Farm International Horse Trials. This is one of my favorite shows in the country and I was thrilled to have it be the venue where Bravio and I accomplished our very first 4* Long. Not only did we complete it, but Bravio proved to be the unbelievable superstar I have always known him to be, and we placed 3rd. I cannot express how amazing it felt to accomplish the feat of competing at this level, something I have been working towards my whole life.

Throughout the year, my team and I also traveled to Aspen Farms in Washington, The American Eventing Championships, which was held in Montana this year, and Morven Park
in Virginia. It was so rewarding to not only see the development of my horses throughout the year, but to see the amazing progress of each of my students. I am so lucky to have the incredible team that I do – talented, dedicated, and genuinely wonderful people who make being a coach such a joy!

Now that the competition season is over, Bravio is enjoying some time off and my other three are getting in tiptop shape in preparation for competing along the east coast in the new year. My goal is to get Bravio and I settled in at the 4* level and eventually compete in our first 5* next year. Bacana, Rey, and Baral will continue to get some experience under their belts and will start moving up the levels. I am beyond excited to get them all out competing again, as I am blown away by each of their individual talents every day. Big things are ahead for this amazing string of horses!

I am also incredibly excited and honored to announce that I have been selected as one of the six riders to receive the 2022 Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grant. This grant assists and encourages the education and development of event riders at the highest level of the sport, and it will most certainly help me to continue pursuing my dream. I am still in shock over this news, and am beyond grateful to the grant committee and the Broussard family for this opportunity.

The Aspire Team also came together in early December to celebrate our annual holiday party and auction. As always, all proceeds from the auction went towards the Make a Wish Foundation. This year, we were able to donate $10,000 and were able to fulfill a little 7-year old girl’s dream to have her very own Appaloosa mare. We spent weeks hunting for the perfect unicorn, and finally found one in Texas. I can’t wait to be there on the day when this little girl finally gets to meet her new pony. It is going to be an unbelievably special day!

To wrap up the year, it is most important to me that I express my endless gratitude to each and every one of you who have done so much to support me this year and every year. Thank you to my clients – it is such a pleasure getting to work with you all. You inspire me every day! Thank you to my coaches, Mariano Bedoya, Buck Davidson, Christian Garweg, and Sue Martin – I could not have achieved what I have this year without your wisdom and guidance. To my owners – thank you for giving me the opportunity to pilot the most incredible horses. They have so much potential and I am so excited to make you all proud this coming year!

To my sponsors – thank you for your continued support and for providing me with the best products out there. You keep my horses, team, and me performing our best! Thank you to my assistant, employees, working student, and grooms – Ally, Molly, Jess, Julie, Callie, and Laura, whether you are traveling with me or taking care of things at home, you take such impeccable care of the horses and of me. You guys are the best and I’m so thankful for your help. And lastly, to my friends, family, and my husband Jeff – thank you for always being my cheerleaders and for providing me with all the love and support I could ever hope for as I continue to pursue this dream of mine.

It has been a pretty incredible year, with some major milestones, and I am happy to end 2022 by reflecting on not only the successes, but the bobbles along the way and lessons learned. I am anxiously awaiting the new year so that I can get to work on achieving some even bigger goals in 2023. I can’t wait to make you all proud!

For now, I hope you all enjoy a happy and peaceful holiday season.

-Dani Sussman