Photo submitted to Times Observer Beaty WMS sixth-grader and National Horseman All-American Ella Sorvelli with “Scooby.”

It was a proud, proud moment for Ella Sorvelli.

As a result of the 2023 show season, the Beaty Warren Middle School sixth-grader was named a National Horseman (nationalhorseman.com) All-American champion, which “means that you were the year’s top point garner out of thousands who competed for All-American points,” according to Allison Lambert, publisher.

Ella started riding in late 2020. Her horse, Agents Noble Image CH (“Scooby”), was purchased a year later. In March of 2023, Ella joined the show team at Champion Hill Farm in Akron, New York.

“There, Ella and Scooby continued their Classic Walk-Trot journey,” said Ella’s mom, Sasha.

All in 2023, they attended the Western New York Morgan Horse Show in Hamburg, New York, Syracuse (N.Y.) International Horse Show, Mass Morgan Horse Show in West Springfield, Massachusetts, and the Grand National and World Championship Horse Show in Oklahoma City.

“With these showings, she just recently earned All-American Equitation Champion in Classic Walk-Trot,” said Sasha.

Ella was quick to point out Scooby’s accolades, which included a “Top 3 All-American Walk-Trot” award. “She was also Horse World’s People Choice Reserve Champion for Classic Walk-Trot Equitation,” said Sasha.

Equitation is:

≤ the art and practice of riding a horse;

≤ a competition where the rider is judged on how well she exhibits the abilities and skills of her horse while maintaining the standards of Saddle Seat Equitation; the complete picture as a whole is important.

“The All-American Equitation Champion for last show season means we have bigger goals for this show season,” said Sasha. “She set the bar high and we are so proud of her. I don’t think she is confident enough to have ‘loud’ pride, but she knows this distinction is one of work and dedication. She is just hoping she can go out this year in a whole new division and be just as successful, whatever the ribbon color.”

Success in 2023 included “a weighted point system.”

“The bigger the show and the larger the class, the more points earned,” said Lambert. “No voting, no nominations, no secret ballots — this award only can be earned through consistently excellent performances.”

With the award, Ella and Scooby were congratulated in National Horseman magazine. It was, according to Ella, bittersweet as she is “moving up” to the English Pleasure Junior Exhibitor class. This adds in the Canter “skill,” which is not a part of Walk-Trot.

Mom says she’s ready.

“I would say maturity,” said Sasha of Ella’s graduation, so to speak, to a new horse — “Big Hoss” — and a new division.

“The first horse was a love of show and horses. She fell so hard and so fast. While she loves her new horse as well, this new phase is more of how she is growing as a rider. This is her growth year. This year is a big change. And so the pressure is there to perform, enjoy, and love with the horse; pressures that may not have always been there and self-inflicted … and it absolutely is a sign that she is getting older, and we — parents and trainers — have less time to mold her in this sport. Sooner than later, she will be making all the tough decisions. While scary, and sad, I also can’t wait. We’ve never been the parents that dread adulthood for our children. We’ve always raised them with an ‘end goal’ of exactly what she is already — dedicated, hard working, kind, friendly and courageous.”