Making waves with a drop

I will openly admit I have fallen deep down the rabbit hole that is Tik Tok. But in doing so, I was really surprised to find a community that is largely a very positive and supportive mixture of people. I have found a new obsession with Tik Tok photographers and daily I find myself thinking "why didn't I think of that?!". One creator who has become an absolute favorite of mine is Kylie Katich, a self proclaimed creative lifestyle photographer. When I saw her rather viral "natures tube top" photos, I was awe struck, and for the first time since the start of quarantine, had a creative desire. Floral and whimsical boho vibes have been part of my brand from the start, and combining the feel of these images with the concept of inclusiveness was simply too good to pass up.

So enter a model call. I am blessed to know so many wonderful people in the equine community, but I knew this idea needed MORE. It needed to be filled with fresh faces, both human and equine. It needed to be built on dynamic individuals. Enter Sarah.

An active competitor on the rated hunter/jumper circuit, business owner, trainer, and farm owner, Sarah could be a poster for dynamic. From importing exceptional young prospects from Europe, managing a top rated boarding facility, to being the president of the Board of Directors for Dress for Success Lexington, Sarah has worked hard making a name for herself as a solid member of the equine community. When she reached out being interested in the project, I knew she would be a perfect fit.

Working with Sarah and her 5 year old Airdrop, was a dream. The two have been really successful lately at shows with Airdrop routinely bringing home blue ribbons, and continuing to represent Sarah and Top Venture west in a spectacular way. The light was creamy, the hill was topped with wild flowers, and Sarah's sweet Pyr puppy "Waffle" even joined us.

When I asked Sarah about what diversity meant to her she said: "To me, a simple concept of diversity means having a wide variety of both physical and intangible characteristics within a similar group. Diversity has a more complex and unique connection to body positivity within the equine industry in that there are great differences amongst a group with very similar interests and goals. Unlike many other professional sports such as football, basketball, and track and field, success comes in various shapes, sizes, and colors-of both riders and our equine partners. While the equestrian scene in the US is not a particularly racially diverse community, my opinion is that this is more a result of inherent societal cultural and socio-economic differences". Sarah went on to touch upon the fact that she believes money is the most defining part of what determines the diversity of equine culture. "Horses are expensive. Particularly when you are competing at the higher levels, it is just not a sport that everyone can participate in. Every year, show horses become more and more expensive, where people are commonly paying six and seven figures for Pony Hunters and Junior Hunters, and several thousand dollars a week to show." This is not something everyone, regardless of skin color, racial background, orientation, or body size, can necessarily compete in. I would be pressed to disagree that finances are a huge factor in determining who can and cannot be successful in the equine industry. This is not to say that hard work doesn't talk, as you can clearly see by Sarah's impressive resume, but it is an important factor.

I am so grateful to have been able to include Sarah and Airdrop in this project, and am fascinated to continue to learn the different ways that our community views and handles diversity.