Although my riders’ accomplishments in the show ring are important, I never underestimate the value of solid flatwork as the foundation that makes all the pieces come together in competition. At home, we don’t spend much time jumping big courses; we save that for the show ring. Instead, we find ways to practice rideability and adjustability without raising fence height and putting extra pressure on the horses’ bodies. These are a few exercises I rely on at home in order to keep the horses in shape mentally and physically. Poles and cavaletti are not too demanding, so we can use them daily to maintain rideability.

TJ O’Mara is no stranger at Stonehenge Stables, based in Colts Neck, NJ. Although he started his current, full-time position in January of 2020, he began riding with head trainer Max Amaya nearly 10 years ago at age 12. During his teen years, O’Mara admired successful riders like Brianne Goutal and Jessica Springsteen, who both came out of Amaya’s program. As he achieved his own accolades including topping the 2016 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals, the 2016 Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal Finals, and the 2016 Excellence in Equitation Championship, O’Mara began to envision his own bright future as a professional member of the Stonehenge team.

TJ O’Mara grew up watching his three older sisters ride. Even when he began riding himself, though, it was uncertain if “horseman” was in his future. “Initially, I wasn’t attached to horses,” TJ admitted, “but after experiencing a bond with one particular horse, I was hooked — I also took any chance I got to be competitive with my sisters!”

That competitive spirit led TJ through a successful junior career to becoming a professional, when he balanced riding professionally with graduating from the University of Kentucky in only three years. Last year, he spent six months in Belgium riding and competing young horses for Jos Lansink, and now TJ works for Max Amaya at Stonehenge Stables in Colts Neck, New Jersey, and Wellington, Florida.

Lexington, KY – November 2, 2020 – Raleigh Hiler rode Cassina 64 to victory in the 2020 Show Jumping Hall of Fame (SJHF) Year-end Championship, held on October 31 at the National Horse Show in Lexington, KY. Hiler topped a field of 24 entries in the National’s $25,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior/Amateur Grand Prix which served as the Series’ year-end Final.

“I felt really confident on her,” Hiler said of Cassina 64. “She jumped great the first day and then the second day she jumped even better. The Speed class yesterday was really technical; she is a type-y horse and great at turning, so I was really happy that I had her here for this.

Max Amaya wakes up seven days a week with the same level of drive and intensity that saw him dedicate his life to horses 28 years ago.

“Every day I wake up and I say, ‘I don’t want to fail. I don’t want to not be able to achieve this. I want this horse to be well. I want this horse to do good. I want this rider to succeed,'” said Amaya, 46.

“In my personal space, I can only be in charge of my actions not to fail. When I’m dealing with riders and students, not only do I have to try to not fail myself but also, I have to persuade that person not to give up in order to not fail. So, it’s challenging, but it’s what keeps me going.”

TJ O’Mara has become a household name for anyone looking to achieve success in the equitation.

With accolades such as the 2016 Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals, the 2016 Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal Finals, and the 2016 George H. Morris Excellence in Equitation Championship, he has clearly proven himself as a rider and a competitor, having conquered the equitation and now moving into the grand prix rings.

But his story cannot be told without going back to his roots in the sport, and how he has evolved with the very program where he began.

Whether you have a barn with two horses or twenty, finding efficient ways to manage your operation takes time, research, and trial-and-error. It’s well worth the effort, though, because a smoothly run barn lends itself to a happy, peaceful environment in which horses (and riders) can really thrive.

At any given time, Stonehenge Stables is home to more than 40 top show horses. With that number of horses, all needing to be on their game, management takes on a whole new level of importance.

Decades of experience at the top of the sport have served Trainer Max Amaya and barn manager Kris Amaya well as they’ve managed to whittle it down to a science. They’ve shared 5 of their favorite tips for a great barn management system.

I believe everyone should have their own escape from the industry they work in. It’s important to dedicate time each week to clear your mind from everything going on in your industry. In my case, it’s boating. If I can spend one day each week on my boat, whether it’s cleaning it or just enjoying it, that really relaxes me.

I love having friends out on the boat and drinking wine and just relaxing on the water. The time I look forward to most each year is the four to five day trip from New Jersey to Florida on the boat after Indoors wraps up.

Winning a national hunter-seat medal final is a tremendous accomplishment. It is rare for one rider to win more than one final in one year, but last year it happened twice. TJ O’Mara and Hunter Holloway each won two national finals in their last year of eligibility as junior riders.

TJ took the 2016 National Champion USEF Talent Search Medal Finals and 2016 Pessoa/U.S. Hunter Seat Medal Final and Hunter won the 2016 WIHS Medal Finals and the 2016 Maclay Medal Finals. Had they been close before? Yes. Was there a lot of pressure? Yes. Did they ride beautifully and effectively, staying focused and poised throughout? Yes. Amazing! As the drama of medal-finals season concluded, I was immediately interested to talk to each of them to see what they might have had in common from a mental-skills perspective.