Thoroughbred Incentive Program September Youth Ambassador

Meet Sophie Poirier!

Photo courtesy of Sophie Poirier

T.I.P. presents September’s featured Youth Ambassador: Sophie Poirier. Sophie, 17, is from Maine. Sophie and her Thoroughbred, Mountain Moonshine (Tori), participate in Jumpers and Eventing.

Sophie Poirier (17, ME)

Horse

• Registered Jockey Club Name: Mountain Moonshine
• Show Name: Mountain Moonshine
• Barn Name: Tori

How did you start riding?
When I was four years old, I got tired of my toy horses and became adamant about trying the real thing. I had my first pony ride at a fair and fell in love!

What is your favorite thing about riding/or your horse?
I love seeing the progress that I make with my horse. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing how far we’ve come and accomplishing goals.

What would you like to do when you are older?
Something in a science field, I’m not sure yet. I am especially interested in cellular and molecular biology and want to study it in college.

Tell us your favorite quote and why:
“We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another” – Veronica Roth. This quote comes from a book I loved dearly in middle school. Now, the words remind me that courage comes in all shapes and sizes, and that fighting for what I believe in and using my strength to help others is very important to my life.

Photo courtesy of Sophie Poirier

What do you think the most important aspects of horsemanship are?
I think that learning is a key part of horsemanship, and I always keep the word in mind when working with horses. Every time we work with our horses, they learn from us and we in turn learn from them. Whether we’re galloping down a beach or at an important horse show, everything is a learning experience — and it is crucial not to lose sight of that.

More Fun Facts

• How many pets do you have (and what kind)?
  My horse, of course, and one cat named Pumpkin.
• What is your favorite animal (apart from a horse)?
  Cats!
• What is your favorite color?
  Purple
• What is your favorite food?
  Pasta
• What is something unique about you?
  My first language is French — I have always lived in the US but my parents are from Canada.
• What is one word that your friends would describe you as?
  Curious
• What is one thing you would like to tell people about Thoroughbreds or the Thoroughbred Incentive Program?
  Thoroughbreds are not a breed to be overlooked — they can be just as athletic, trustworthy and rideable as other breeds if trained correctly (and loved of course). We need to move past the negative stereotypes often associated with OTTBs to allow the world to see how lovely they can be!

What are your goals for your horse in 2019?
I would like to move up to Novice Level Eventing by the end of the season. I recently started working with a new trainer and we have made great progress that I hope to continue to build on going into 2019.

Photo courtesy of Sophie Poirier