big dreams, no money, and a whole hell of a lot of determination.
jade danek
EARNING A TOP 10 SPOT FOR THIS YEAR'S 2025 CDP FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP INSPIRED ME TO SHARE MY STORY! THIS IS A VERSION OF MY CDP APPLICATION ESSAY.
What if I fall? Well... what if I don't? What if I fly?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with riding. I grew up in Pennsylvania and rode for the first time at age 5 at a pony camp. After that day, I begged and begged my parents to go riding again! I started taking lessons at a local jumper barn and rode school horses. When I was 11, we moved to Oregon during the 2008 stock market crash and a lot of things changed for my family at that time. Both of my parents had lost their jobs, and my mom began building her new company. There was no extra money for riding… there were days where my parents could barely get food on the table, so riding lessons were hardly a concern. I slept on an air mattress for a whole year when we first got to Oregon.
At 12, I became a working student for Cat Cruger in Bend. My parents agreed to pay for one lesson a week, and if I wanted to ride more than that, I would have to find a way on my own. I worked at the stables every day after school, on weekends, and during summers. I did turnouts, mucked stalls, cleaned tack, and learned everything I possibly could from watching. My parents didn’t have time to drive me to the barn because of work, so I would bike to the barn in the burning heat and freezing snow up these giant hills. One time, I almost got run over by a semi truck… but walked away with just a few scrapes and got right back on the bike again the next day.
I found lots of scrappy ways to earn money so I could ride more. I learned how to use a camera so I could take photos of riders at shows and sell images. I would sell tack and saddles for people online and take a commission. I learned how to sew and repair my riding clothes and tack because I couldn’t afford new gear if it broke, which is what sparked my passion for fashion design. I did anything I could possibly think of. I saved babysitting money to buy my first horse, Gracie, for $1,500 at age 15. I was able to work off board at that age thanks to Cat’s generosity. I would save my pennies every month to pay for the farrier. I always had a belief that no matter what, I would find a way!
At 18, I took a five year break from riding to pursue architecture school. Honestly? I was frustrated and angry that I had such limited opportunities as a rider even though I worked so hard and wanted it so badly… all because I didn’t have the financial resources the other kids had. I knew I needed to go out and learn some valuable skills that would help me make some money so I could ride. I worked my ass off in college and learned SO many different skillsets... and became a bit of a jack of all trades.
The day after I graduated, I called a local jumper barn and started riding again! I started a freelance design business that gave me the flexibility to ride during the day and travel to shows. I began strategizing how I could save up for my own horse. I did anything I could to get work, like putting up flyers at coffee shops and cold calling random businesses. I started to pick up a few projects and I found a way to half care lease a horse, and picked up feeding shifts at the barn to help pay the expenses. It was there that I met Lindsay. Lindsay had recently imported a young Argentinian warmblood named Andy, and was really struggling with him so I began riding him a bit and tried to help her in any way I could.
The High Desert Classic in Bend is where I became obsessed with horse shows. Every year, they felt like the best two weeks of my life and I wasn’t even riding! I would wait all year for those two glorious weeks in the sun. I worked as a groom, took photos and learned as much as I could. I was on the sidelines but I watched, listened, and waited for my turn. I would cheer for my friends in the arena. And I knew with certainty that someday, somehow I would make it to the ring!
Lindsay and Andy in Portland, OR in 2021
I wanted to help them succeed together. For an entire year, I showed up every single day to support Lindsay and Andy. I began working with Andy daily, determined to make a difference. At first, he wouldn’t even let me into his stall without trying to kick me. But with patience and consistency, he began to trust me. I spent late nights dressing Andy’s scrapes, taking him on hand walks, and teaching him to tolerate simple things like being blanketed. I poured a lot of energy into him, treating him as though he were my own horse, though I never expected anything in return. Even with progress, it was clear that he wasn’t the right fit for Lindsay. After many conversations, she ultimately came to the same conclusion. She also saw how hard I worked and how badly I wanted to grow as a rider, and how truly limiting our sport is for those who do not have financial resources no matter how talented you are.
At the end of that year, Lindsay changed the course of my life forever and gifted Andy to me. I’ll never forget that day. She sent me a message saying, “If you had your own horse right now, could you afford board?” And I remember thinking, I have no clue how I would afford board right now, but I will figure it out. “Of course,” I replied. We signed the bill of sale the next day for $5. Lindsay hugged me and said, “ Don’t worry about the $5. Buy me a beer sometime, and we’re even.”
Getting Andy was the biggest opportunity I could have ever imagined coming my way, and I knew this was my shot that I had been waiting my whole life for. I left all of my friends and family behind to pursue this dream. I dropped everything I had going on in Portland and moved down to California with absolutely no idea where I was headed, no money, a whole hell of a lot of determination, and an amazing horse with a ton of potential. Thanks to Lindsay's generosity, that kid who wanted nothing but a chance was given the world.
I took the first working student position I could find in CA, which was an exercise riding position with Mark Watring. At Mark’s I flatted around 6 horses a day and traded for training and partial board. I worked 7 days a week and countless hours on top of this to make enough money to pay for Andy’s care.
During this journey, there were days where I had no clue where I was going to sleep at night, and days where I was so broke I couldn’t afford a proper meal. I figured out that rice is pretty cheap! There were times when I would open my cabinet and find a single potato. I would go to the Whole Foods parking lot and take naps in my car when I didn’t have a home base. I would sleep in my car at shows and live off Clif bars. I would print out flyers for my little design business and go around to each barn’s tent and try to sell websites. Some days, I just felt lost and like I had no clue what I was doing. It would have been way easier to just give up and go live a normal life. But I always had Andy by my side... and I knew with absolute certainty that we could overcome any challenge together.
Six months later, I went to the Seaside Equestrian Tour in Del Mar with Mark. I couldn’t afford a hotel so I slept in my car at the Winner’s Circle parking lot across from the racetrack… and bundled up in my sleeping bag, hoping nobody would catch me. Andy dumped me into the dirt three times that week at SET (and kicked Lane Clarke’s horse in the warmup!) and I had no idea how to manage his behavior. But I just kept getting back on and kept going. It was there that I met Ali Nilforushan for the first time. I overheard him speaking to a group of riders about his vision for horse shows and his passion for transforming the sport, and I remember thinking to myself, "This is the person I need to learn from.”
After the show, I reached out to Ali and offered my design skills in exchange for class fees at his horse shows. Two weeks later, I started working for him at the Temecula Valley National. For the first time, I had my very own horse and was able to compete at the shows like I had always dreamed of since I was little.
This was (and continues to be) the biggest opportunity of my life. I pour everything I have into it. I started by helping them design the bar and bathrooms in Temecula, and eventually took over the social media, merch design, website, prize lists and so on. I work tirelessly to prove myself. I work many, many different jobs at the same time. At the shows in Temecula, I sleep either in my friend’s horse trailer or in a van to save money… which if you know Temecula it is either insanely freezing or unbelievably hot with little in between. But it's all worth it.
I’ve been in Ali’s program with Andy for two years now. Not only has my riding improved in ways I never imagined, but I’ve also grown as a person. It has certainly been challenging, but worth every minute. Ali is teaching me what it means to be a rider of class and professionalism and inspires me daily to push toward my goals. No matter your circumstance or financial situation, anything is possible if you want something badly enough. I don’t take a single day for granted. Every day I show up ready to learn, be humble and continue to push towards those big dreams. I am so incredibly grateful for all of the beautiful humans I have met and to all those who have supported me along the way.
So, for me... this is my year. To really go for it, take all the risks, and see what I am made of. I'm still a nobody within the sport and haven't accomplished much yet. But I have the incredible support of the CDP Foundation scholarship backing me, an unbelievable trainer, the ability to compete and train at the shows, and am building a growing creative business. I used to write in my journal all the time, "I am going to live an extraordinary life someday." And now I realize... someday is here. I am living an extraordinary life. So here we go. It's time to get this!
If you've made it this far....thank you! It's been an unbelievably rewarding and challenging journey in every way so far. If I can inspire just ONE person to go out there, take a risk, fight for your dream.... that's the biggest win I could possibly imagine.
xx Jade
Andy's show name is Antu Festival. I named Antu Creative after him!
