Show Jumper Nicole Loochtan
Makes A Career Move To Wellington
Wellington holds a special place in the heart of many equestrians. Every winter, its doors swing open to welcome athletes to its annual competitions. Every spring, many head home until next year. However, this season, the Wellington community will say goodbye to one fewer competitor, because Nicole Loochtan intends to stay in Wellington.
“It’s the place to be if you want to be successful in the horse world,” Loochtan said. “You have endless opportunities here.”
The Lincolnshire, Ill., native is one of the newest additions to the Wellington community. She established herself in South Florida for the chance to train with legendary horsemen Ronnie Beard and Michael Dorman of Wyndmont Farm. They were introduced through Grand Prix jumper and trainer Candice King. After the initial meeting, Loochtan flew to Tryon, N.C., in August 2015 to compete under the guidance of the Wyndmont team and never left.
Since joining the renowned competition barn, the 19-year-old has improved her riding and has an entire new roster of horses. She credits her trainers, as much as the Wellington community, for her growth.
“When I first started with Ronnie and Michael, I was competing in the junior jumpers, and I didn’t necessarily have the correct horses for me,” she explained. “Now, I have completely different horses that suit me very well, and I just competed in my first U-25 on the grass field.”
Loochtan enjoys the competition available in Wellington.
“Being able to watch the best of the best and feel the competitive atmosphere around you, pushes you to want to be better,” she said. “When you do well, it’s more encouraging, because the competition in Wellington is so fierce. Many divisions have more than 90 people in each class, so if you place at all, you feel like you belong here.”
The first-generation equestrian, who was once terrified to canter in a western saddle, is now soaring over jumps measuring 1.40 meters. Her string of horses includes Carla de Kalvarie Z, Quarterman 5 and Cuchica. Beard and Dorman, who have mastered the art of matching horse and rider, found all three mounts for her.
Loochtan has experienced success aboard all three horses. Some of her most recent finishes include two second-place ribbons in the $10,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner class and three of the summer series at the Tryon International Equestrian Center atop Carla de Kalvarie Z; a sixth-place finish in the $15,000 1.45m SJHOF High A/O Classic during week five of the Winter Equestrian Festival with Quarterman; and 12th in the $2,000 1.30m during week six of WEF aboard Cuchica.
Each of her horses plays an intricate role in Loochtan’s plan to move up the ranks in the equestrian industry — a path that has become more clear since moving to Wellington and training with Beard and Dorman.
“Chicago is very competitive; however, the atmosphere is different here,” Loochtan said. “Before, I knew I wanted to pursue this as a career, but I didn’t know it was a realistic thing. When I arrived, and started training with Michael and Ronnie, the big question was, ‘Can I really do this?’ Now, I know I can. In Chicago, it was just a dream. Since I came to Wellington, it’s more of a reality.”
Although Loochtan dedicates the majority of her efforts to riding, she finds time to enjoy everything the community has to offer.
“I think my favorite part about being in Wellington is that it’s so close to the beach,” Loochtan said. “When you’re not riding, you get to hang out with your friends and enjoy the weather. It’s such a horse community that you get to meet so many different people who share a passion for horses. Honestly, just going out to dinner or walking around the mall is nice. Wellington is a great place to be.”
