Twenty-seven-year-old Adrienne Sternlicht’s main passion has always been riding, but the 2018 World Equestrian Games team gold medalist has taken an unorthodox path to the top of the sport. Adrienne made her Nations Cup debut in May 2017 with her beloved mare, Cristalline, where they helped the U.S. team win the silver medal in Mexico. She continued on to be a member of several Nations Cup teams and collected numerous individual top placings, resulting in her selection to the U.S. Show Jumping Team for the 2018 World Equestrian Games where she and Cristalline helped the U.S. team clinch a historic victory over Sweden, bringing home the gold medal for the U.S. for the first time in 32  years. 

Most recently, Adrienne won back-to-back World Cup qualifiers—first the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Thermal, where she and Benny’s Legacy (whom she had only jumped at three events prior) took the top spot on the podium, and then again a week later at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Las Vegas, again with Benny’s Legacy. With these two wins, Adrienne is now sitting third in the standings for the Eastern League, which determines the riders who will qualify for the World Cup Final in Las Vegas this April. 

In this episode, Adrienne shares what she’s learned from her trainer, four-time Olympian McLain Ward, how she developed her partnership with Cristalline, her pre-competition routine, mental strategies for success in the saddle and more.

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