Meet Sarah Pape Hester

Sarah Pape Hester, owner and advisor of Foxglove Equestrian brings six decades of equine experience to

the training program. Foxglove Equestrian’s training program has the unique advantage of the

tremendous collaboration that exists between Amanda and Sarah. Their combined talents and

experience give this program a solid foundation of knowledge and experience.

Sarah began riding at age 9 and concentrated on the Hunter/Jumper world. She owned two fabulous

thoroughbreds, both bought right off the track: Monopoly and San Jose. With Monopoly, Sarah earned

numerous championships in Hunter and Jumper as a junior rider, with a particularly exciting

performance at Ft. Sill Artillery Show, winning the famous 6-bar jumper class as a 13 year old Jr. rider.

San Jose was the horse that could do it all and Sarah trained him from the beginning: champion “A”

circuit Hunter, champion “A” circuit Jumper including championships for Sarah as an Amateur Owner

Jumper rider at almost every show – shows that had timed jump-offs to 5’6”. Sarah then became

enthralled with cross country and switched San Jose’s career to that of an eventing horse, winning the

Area V Open Preliminary Championship.

Hilda Gurney was the force that helped propel Sarah into Dressage and Hilda helped Sarah obtain a two

year internship with Dressage master Anne Ticehurst in Tallahassee, Florida when Sarah was a young

adult. A move to California brought Sarah the opportunity for weekly lessons with Lilo Fore and monthly

lessons with Hilda and the stage was set for Sarah to continue her dressage journey.

Moves to Washington State and Texas kept Sarah active in Dressage and in Pony Club. Sarah is a

graduate “B” Pony Clubber, has been the coach for the Santa Cruz County Pony Club, the Puyallup

(Washington State) Pony Club and the Cimarron Pony Club (Oklahoma). She was an “r” AHSA (now USEF)

recognized Dressage judge for 13 years and has taught all kinds of riders, trained all kinds of horses and

is still an active rider and competitor.

She competed her own Austin Chase successfully in Dressage to Intermediate 2 under the guidance of

Lyndon Rife in Pilot Point. Sarah’s passion now is to support and collaborate with Amanda, and to help

Foxglove Equestrian be the best it can be.

Photos of Sarah and her horse Austin Chase. Photo Credit: Julie Madriguera