Millstone family sets sights on the Olympics

BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

MILLSTONE — The Horzepas harnessed their little girl’s wild dream about horses and made it the family’s livelihood.

When Wilhelmina Horzepa turned 3 years old, she became adamant about riding horses. Her parents, Bob and Mary Lou, considered riding dangerous, but soon catered to the whims of their demanding little girl.

When recalling his daughter’s first time on a horse, Bob said, “She had the biggest smile. Not only that, but she had perfect form. Her heels were in a straight line with her hip and shoulder.”

Today, a picture taken on the day Wilhelmina mounted her first horse hangs in the family barn amid numerous plaques, ribbons and trophies she and her younger sister, Mary Elizabeth, have won over the years.

Wilhelmina, 14, and Mary Elizabeth, 11, are both accomplished riders.

Both girls plan on qualifying for the Junior Olympics again this year.

Last year, the sisters both qualified for the Junior Olympics Pony Club team and traveled to Lexington, Va., in August. Wilhelmina had the opportunity to compete, whereas Mary Elizabeth qualified as an alternate.

PHOTOSBY SCOTT PILLING staff Top to bottom — Wilhelmina Horzepa, 14, jumps one of her horses over barrels in the arena of her family’s farm in Millstone on April 6. Mary Elizabeth Horzepa, 11, brushes one of her ponies in the barn. Bob Horzepa gets a smile from one of his students, Ashley Fischer-Kennedy, as he adjusts the saddle on her pony. “Out of 11,000 people who qualified, four were picked to be on the team, and both of my daughters made it,” Bob Horzepa said.

During the competition, Wilhelmina won a bronze medal for pony jumping.

“It was exciting, “ Wilhelmina said, “because I was the last to compete for my team and I needed a clean run, and I did it.

“It was also great to have my sister on the team,” Wilhelmina said. “Even though she didn’t compete as an alternate, she had good practice with the coach and team.”

Daily, the sisters work together to take care of the 22 horses on the family farm.

The Horzepa Farm, located off Foreman Road, wasn’t always a horse farm, Bob said.

“We’ve always had this farm,” the girls’ father said, “but it was much different before the children were born. We didn’t have horses — we had trees.”

The Horzepa family sold Christmas trees from their 76-acre farm before transforming it into an equestrian center.

“We bought this farm in 1969,” Bob said. “It was an abandoned chicken farm. We cleared the property for the horses later on.”

The Horzepas created a 125-by-265-foot riding arena, where their girls train. They also created miles of trails throughout their wooded property, where the family — including their youngest child, Michael, 8 — loves to ride horses.

“Our family would have never imagined having horses before Wilhelmina grew a fondness for them,” Bob said. “She was really the catalyst behind all of this.”

Bob calls his daughters “the farm managers.”

“They care for all of the horses,” Bob said. “They feed them and provide them water and attention and care.

“They also coordinate the trainers, the veterinarians, the equine dentists and the farriers,” Bob said. “They do it all. I just say, ‘If you need anything, let me know.’ ”

On average, the girls said they ride the horses between two and three hours each weekday and more on the weekends. Because much of their days, rain or shine, entail caring for and riding the horses, all of the Horzepa children are home-schooled.

“We’re lucky to provide our children with home-schooling,” Bob said. “We give them a well-rounded education. They also take gymnastics and piano lessons.”

Although the Horzepas expect 100 percent dedication from their children in tending to the horses, Wilhelmina said, “Our father tells us that if we don’t want to do it anymore, all we have to do is tell him. He would sell the horses the next day.”

The Horzepa family currently opens their arena for events run by organizations like 4-H, the U.S. Pony Club and the Cream Ridge Pony Club, but they also welcome local aspiring riders to visit their facility.

“We currently have Alexis and Ashley Fischer-Kennedy training with us,” Bob said.

Alexis, 9, of Millstone, said she loves riding horses on the trails and jumping them in the arena at the Horzepa Farm.

“The Horzepas are really nice and very generous with us,” Alexis said. “They let us use their facilities, and they love to help us learn how to handle the horses.”

The Horzepas said it’s their love for horses that drives each of their days.

“We don’t do it for the money,” Bob said. “On a good day, we may win an event and break even, but most of the time it costs more to compete than anything we would walk away with.”

Wilhelmina said she has started a bank account for any money that she wins, beyond what her father pays in entry fees for competitions.

“Right now, I’m going to continue to work hard,” Wilhelmina said. “When I get a little older, I want to go to the Olympics.”

Wilhelmina said getting her and her sister to the Olympics one day will require the kind of commitment her family has.

“You have to train, and you have to really want to be good at it,” she said.

“Most of all,” Wilhelmina said, “to be the best, you really have to get to know your horses. Those who want to be the best have to really take care of their own horses.”