Gretchen Hirschauer and Eli (MD)
Team #1,008: Gretchen Hirschauer and Eli
From: Kensington, Maryland
Ages: 74 & 27
Combined Age: 101
Test: Introductory Level Test B
My first ride on a horse came at a young age (five or six?) on a hand-carved bay Dentzel Carousel horse that I called “Brownie.” I rode him almost daily over many summers. Years later as a young adult, I was happy to end up in horse country outside of Washington D.C. Fortunate enough to spend my career at the National Gallery of Art, foxhunting became my preferred hobby until my daughter was born in 1992. When she began to ride, I lived vicariously through her. Several years later I picked up the sport again, competing mostly in local hunter shows, trail riding, with an occasional foxhunt. I have been at the same barn in Poolesville, Maryland, since 1987.
Three horses later, in 2015, my trainer found a bay Thoroughbred for me at a nearby rescue. Eli was returned to this rescue after several years teaching children to ride and competing in regional horse shows. Deemed unsound once he could no longer teach multiple lessons five days a week, he nevertheless went to a show only a few weeks later (a little rest goes a long way). Often called the quietest horse in our barn, Eli did well in hunter classes. About two years ago, we began to focus on dressage, and my riding has never been better! After several delays for horse and rider lameness, and an icy, frigid winter, we accomplished our century club ride in March 2026.
