Jessica with her mother (right), brother (center) and sister (on pony at left) at the Deep Run Horse Show in 1981
Jessica Bowen actually started riding before she was born (she did a brilliant job of staying with me during my hacks cross country).
In her own right she really started showing her love for horses when she was two. Her brother, age six, got a pony for Christmas, but Jessica instantly took possession of the gift. When she was eight, her favorite mount was a quarterhorse I used for lessons. She quickly discovered that all horses kick, all horses nip and all horses are horses. She was kicked in the face, lost several upper teeth and fractured multiple bones around her mouth. Her love for equines excelled and all the surgeries didn’t slow her dream of riding “for a living.”
As Jessica was developing her skills, our financial situation didn’t allow me to get her full time coaching, or purchase a horse that would take her to the top as a junior. Hunters were our passion, then, and we were fortunate to have the expertise of Jan Simpson and Gail Thompson, outstanding hunter and jumper trainers. During that time I bought an Irish ex-steeplechase horse. Jessica brought him along and in no time he was cantering softly, showing in the hunter divisions, showing in the jumpers, fox hunting and outriding for the local carriage organization.
While still in high school (with only the finances to feed her horses and occasionally to take a lesson) Jessica had the opportunity to obtain a series of horses off the track. Once again, she was willing to work with what we could afford—obviously not that medal horse, or push-button hunter. She took every one of them to the show ring in a matter of weeks and successfully competed.
She has since had the opportunity to work with the top pleasure quarter horses in the country, gallop as an amateur jockey, bring along horses from backing to competition in all of the disciplines mentioned, complete an equine studies course at the local college, and acquire her own students.
Quite some time has passed from the days I used to ask Jessica: “What do you want to do when you grow up?” Her answer certainly has come to fruition. The name of my little farmette is “Reality Farm.” The name speaks of the philosophy I have tried to instill in my children--while it’s acceptable to dream, you can only count on yourselves to make those dreams a reality.
Her endeavor at present is to continue training and showing a four-year old Hannoverian-thoroughbred which she started and is now beginning to compete. He’s an exceptionally nice horse, talented and multifaceted as she is (hence her love for eventing). She has been fortunate to have taken lessons and/or trained with Jocelyn Kris, Ashley Adams, Lainey & Valerie Ashker, Gail Thompson, Helen Gorge, Jan Simpson, Debra Hoffman, Maggie Georgiadis, Junior Johnson, Jeff Woodall and Molly Bull as well as many other well respected professionals. And finally she is being recognized as exceptional. Hopefully, her finances will not deter her or limit her from excelling in this sport which she attacks so passionately.
Testimonial from Laine Ashker
horses at a wide array of different levels. Her ability to change and
adapt to each horse's needs and comfort level is unsurmounted as is
her patience aboard their backs. I would trust Jessica to ride and
exercise any of my Olympic mounts at Crow's Ear Farm. Her horse
management and expertise, on and off the ground are unequaled in the central Virginia region.
Jess showing a pony "on the line" at the Upperville Horse Show
