Venezuelan Show Jumping Star Emanuel Andrade Feels At Home In Show Ring

Back in Wellington for the 2017 Winter Equestrian Festival, Venezuelan show jumper Emanuel Andrade has an impressive list of accomplishments for any rider. But when you factor in his age — he’s only 20 — his success in just a few short years is astounding. Just in 2016, Andrade racked up almost 100 top-10 finishes.

His love for horses, and show jumping, started at a young age.

“I was 5 years old, and I was always into the horses. I started in my country, Venezuela, with ponies, how everyone starts. I just kept going until now. It has been a long time,” Andrade said.

A few years after he began riding, his sister, Maria, took to the saddle. The rest of his family quickly followed suit.

“Everyone is into horses now,” Andrade said. “It wasn’t something from my family — it started with me.”

The 20-year-old has won enough ribbons and classes to put him in the same category as more seasoned, experienced riders — he qualified, and competed, at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

“It was a great experience,” he said. “I had already jumped everything, and I was only 19. I didn’t even realize it. I didn’t even think about it.”

Competing with the best riders and horses in the world, a moment that elite equestrians long for, was a dream come true. “It was very, very nice. It was an amazing experience for me. The place was beautiful,” he recalled. “It is different; it’s not like a normal game.”

While Andrade didn’t finish near the top of the show jumping field in Rio, he was the youngest jumper competing, and he still considers it a high honor. “No matter what your score is going to be, you just want to be there,” he said.

Andrade earned his spot in Rio by placing sixth at the Pan American Games in 2015.

“It was amazing,” he said, of qualifying. “I didn’t get a medal. I jumped off for a medal, and I got sixth place. That’s what got me the pass to go to the Olympics. The Pan Ams were probably more important for me, because if I didn’t do good there, I wouldn’t have gone to the Olympics.”

Andrade is humble about his Olympic experience, noting that he feels lucky to be able to be called an Olympian — a title no one can ever take away.

“Some people think it’s easy, and it’s just because I have a lot of horses that I got into the Olympics. But I feel that, you can give all of my horses to a lot of people, and the results won’t be the same,” he said. “It’s a lot about intuition… It’s not about just the horses, it’s about how hard you work. Be there every day and jump, jump, jump. I don’t have a kid’s life. I don’t have a 20-year-old’s life. I work really hard for what I want with my horses, which is good, because it’s paying back, and I’m happy.”

His hard work, dedication and tireless attitude got him to the Olympics, and his future goal is to return and do better. “I want to do it better next time, and next time better, and I want to go again,” he said. “I feel like that’s the goal — always try to do better.”

One of the secrets to his success, he said, is always competing. While he hopes to continue his education, for now, Andrade is focusing on his riding. He’s working hard and preparing for the future.

Andrade is looking forward to competing in the Great Charity Challenge at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, as well as the Winter Equestrian Festival itself.

Since competing at WEF, Andrade has enjoyed taking part in the Great Charity Challenge, presented by Fidelity Investments. He also enjoys working with the Step by Step Foundation and its founder, Liliane Stransky.

“I started riding here seven years ago,” he said. “When I got here, I met the lady who is the founder of the organization, and she’s Venezuelan. She asked me to jump for her.”

Andrade donated his prize money to purchase toys for kids and has been doing it ever since. He helps purchase and deliver the toys, too. “It’s great. It’s super-special,” he said.

Many of the toys go to children at the Kids Cancer Foundation, as well as children benefiting from other foundations through the Great Charity Challenge. “I love that show,” he said.

At WEF last year, Andrade ran into a few difficulties and didn’t do as well as he had hoped. This year, he is going to do the best he can and enjoy the experience. “I’m not looking for anything specific,” he said. “I really want to have a nice time and enjoy the moment… I want to try to do the best I can. If I win, good. If not, I enjoy the moment, which is good.”

Working with the show’s organizers and his father, Andrade helped to have Hollow Creek Farm, his home base, sponsor WEF’s Under 25 Grand Prix Series, which takes place throughout the 12-week festival.

“I realize the vision that is also very important for young riders like me. First of all, WEF is very hard, competing against the best riders in the world,” he said. “These classes are kind of the same, for young people, and I feel like that is very important to get ready for the future.”

For young riders, being able to compete with one another gives them both the chance to go up against with their peers and also prepare to compete against those with more experience, he explained.

“Everyone is very good. It’s an amazing group of horses and an amazing group of riders,” Andrade said.

Riders are coming from all over the world to compete at WEF, and the Under 25 Grand Prix Series is open to riders of all nationalities. The classes have been sanctioned as CSI-U25 events by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). The competition allows up-and-coming riders a chance at the spotlight that they might not otherwise have when competing against more seasoned riders.

On his journey toward becoming a seasoned rider, Andrade competes often, and every chance he gets.

“I feel like every time I go into the ring, no matter what, how difficult it has been going, it’s just very exciting for me. I love it. I love the feeling. It’s always the same,” he said.

Whether he is showing his horses, or showing for his first trainer, Andrea King, Andrade is focused on improvement.

“I’m always riding. I think that’s something that helps,” Andrade said. “This sport is really difficult, so you have to be there every day and try and try and try.”

Consistency, and practicing with different horses, keeps him on his toes and ready to tackle any class, he said.

In 2017, none of the major championships — the World Equestrian Games, the Pan American Games or the Olympics — are on the schedule, which means Andrade and other riders will be concentrating on enjoying what they do and preparing for the future.

Come 2018, the Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina will be hosting the 2018 World Equestrian Games, and he has already rented a house nearby. He spent his summer traveling and competing, whether in Tryon, Kentucky or Calgary. But for now, he’s back in Wellington, competing at WEF.

“I can’t believe we’re here again,” he said.