Victoria Waters Expands Reach in Her Quest for Prix
Online Equestrian News Site, PhelpsSports.com, Introduces New Columnist
May 8, 2012 Wellington, Florida—Equine sports news media giant, PhelpsSports.com, introduced its newest monthly columnist, Victoria Waters, to their members earlier this month.
Victoria’s new column, “Quest for the Prix,” details her journey to what many consider to be the pinnacle of competitive show jumping, a Grand Prix competition. What caught the attention of PhelpsSports.com and their readers were Victoria’s unique story and the lofty goal she has set. Victoria, an accomplished business owner and mother of two, is a complete novice to the sport, having had no formal training up until just recently. To compare her goal of riding in the Grand Prix would be like teen sensation, Justin Beiber, declaring “I want to become a professional boxer.”
Victoria is the first to admit that she has been “outright laughed and scoffed at and even told point-blank that, “Yes, you could do it once, but then you would be dead.” The latter statement is referring to her request to jump ‘just one’ five foot fence.
Quest for the Prix on PhelpsSports.com will highlight Victoria’s trials and tribulations in learning how to ride and compete at the top level in show jumping, including as she puts it, “the good, the bad and the very ugly.”
“We admire Victoria’s passion and commitment to the sport and are interested in reading about her progress in the months ahead through her new column at PhelpsSports.com,” commented Ken Kraus, Executive Director, PhelpsSports.com.
Victoria is not alone in her passion. “Baby boomer women are currently the largest and most financially powerful demographic group in the U.S. and more and more older women are continuing an active, even competitive, horse riding career into their 60’s and 70’s,” according to Lisa Hughes of PositivelyRiding.com. “In greater numbers than ever, these so-called ‘mature women’ are just beginning to live their life-long dream of horse ownership,” added Lisa.
This goal is not the first for Victoria. In 2008, she started the nonprofit Green Education Foundation (GEF) with the mission of creating a more sustainable world through education. Since then, GEF has become the leader in K-12 sustainability education, and through its newly launched division, GEF Institute, now offers sustainability education and training programs to corporations, higher education institutions and professionals.
Adrienne Iorio has competed at
Rolex, Blenheim, & Fair Hill
“Most riders don’t set their goals high enough,” stated international event competitor, and one of Victoria’s trainers, Adrienne Iorio, of Apple Knoll Farm in Millis, MA. “I think she can do it.”
Victoria understands that the road to her goal will be a long and difficult one, fraught with many challenges and twists along the way, yet she hopes that her dream and the chronicle of her journey will inspire others to begin their own. She concluded, “what I have found, so far, is that the fun is in getting there, it’s the journey, it’s the ‘ride.’”
Send your show jumping advice and comments to Victoria Waters at Victoria@questfortheprix.com and post your riding goals, photos and videos at: www.Facebook.com/questfortheprix or www.questfortheprix.com
About PhelpsSports.com
PhelpsSports.com is a highly innovative subscription equestrian sports website, offering equestrians and fans of equestrian sports from around the world a single web address for the latest breaking news of the Hunter, Jumper, Dressage, Eventing and other High Performance disciplines.
PhelpsSports.com features up-to-the-minute audio reports, video interviews and unique features from around the globe, photography, and the creative writing and reporting of some of the finest equestrian journalists in the world. PhelpsSports.com has free trail programs and is currently offering savings on spring subscriptions, visit www.PhelpsSports.com to learn more.
About Victoria Waters
Victoria Waters, CEO of Green Education Foundation (GEF), a non-profit organization, is committed to creating a sustainable future through education. GEF provides free curriculum and resources to K-12 students and teachers worldwide with the goal of challenging them to think holistically and critically about global environmental concerns and solutions.
GEF Institute was established to meet the increasing market demand for sustainability education and training. The Institute offers courses in sustainability to educators, employees and professionals. Visit www.greeneducationfoundation.org or www.gefinstitute.org to learn more. Join the sustainability education conversation by following GEF on Twitter @greenedufdn and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greenedufoundation.
