Nicole, nineteen, grew up surrounded by horses: “I don’t remember a single day without them. My family has a stable – CF American Horse– breeding Quarter and Paint horses, and it would is impossible, for me to think of life without them.”
She was only six years old the first time she sat on a saddle and immediately understood that this was her future: “I always rode horses, even during the school term – I simply could not do without it.”
Today, after completing her studies, Nicole works in Mario Sbrana’s stable: “I take care of the horses every day: I make sure they are well, that the environment around them is always clean and tidy and, of course, I train them.
Her passion for horses over time also grew into a desire to test her skills on a competitive level when – thanks to a meeting with family friends – she discovered reining: this American discipline traces its origins to the Wild West, when cowboys had to perform almost acrobatic movements to vaccinate and look after cattle:
This is how, together with Spooks Gotta Diamond, she began competing in various events: “I always try to give my best in these competitions so, whatever the outcome, I always know that I have given the best of myself. Obviously, my horse and I train intensely for every competition – perfecting every single detail – but I am well aware that everything can change once we enter the ring. Yet that’s not a problem – quite the opposite, it’s a chance to learn together how to manage difficulties.”
The experience she has gained saw her among riders in the reining competitions at the last edition of Fieracavalli: “It was really exciting. I have visited this horse show since I was a child and being able to take part in a competition of this calibre and importance was a dream come true for me.”
The next appointment at Fieracavalli is scheduled in Verona 9-12 November 2023.
