Testimonials
amayabellfield8@gmail.com
720-552-7945
USEF: 54569776
To Whom It May Concern,
As one of her equestrian coaches, I have had the pleasure of coaching Amaya over the last year. With my involvement in numerous equestrian programs throughout the state of Colorado, Amaya has shown that she is a great student and fast learner. Throughout the 2023 season, I witnessed Amaya rise to the top of junior level competition in Colorado and then prepare for a national final show. Her consistent results speak for themselves, but I want to discuss the attributes that make Amaya an exceptional student.
In her first lesson, I was greeted with a smile on her face and a willingness to learn. We were able to delve into some specific issues she was having with her horse and work through them quickly and effectively. I was impressed by the amount of maturity Amaya possesses. Her willingness to acknowledge the aspects in her riding that need improvement was a true testament to her character. Many young people I work with do not want to focus on the hard things, but rather the easy and fun aspects of riding.
For example, at the beginning of the year, we recognized a weakness in her horse that was impacting her show performance in a negative way. In a recent lesson, it was clear to me that Amaya had done her homework by working on the exercises from previous lessons. The attention to detail she showed in the course of the year demonstrates one of her best attributes: coachability.
In my experience, the amount of the student's progress is directly correlated to their coachability. As we geared up for the finals competitions, Amaya left all excuses at the door and showed up with a positive attitude and ready to learn.
As Amaya looks toward her next chapter, I am excited to see what she does academically. I am confident she will be a great student at the undergraduate level and beyond, if she chooses to pursue further education. Her eagerness to learn, positivity, and dedication to excellence will make her an exceptional asset to your program.
If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at 970-389-2974 or by email at mccabe.jones23@gmail.com. I would be happy to elaborate on my recommendation for Amaya Bellfield.
Sincerely,
McCabe Jones
Equestrian Coach
Dear Collegiate Coach,
My name is Jennifer Shannon, and I am the owner and head trainer at Cornerstone Farm in Longmont, Colorado. I have been coaching riders from the ground up since 1999 with a strong focus on horsemanship and equitation and I am writing this letter to recommend Amaya Bellfield for your collegiate riding program.
I have had the privilege of working with Amaya Bellfield for almost ten years and she is hard-working, passionate, and talented. Amaya’s parents are very supportive of her passion and work hard to provide her with a nice horse and opportunities to show and be competitive. Amaya’s road has not always been easy as she has had to ride what her family could afford.
This meant bringing along a green horse when Amaya was only 11 years old. She was able to bring that horse to a point where they were successful on our local Colorado Hunter Jumper Association circuit earning year-end champion in both the equitation and the hunters at the 3’ level by the time she was 13.
By bringing that horse along and increasing his value, Amaya was able to sell him and get herself into a solid Big Eq-type horse to help her reach her goals of competing at that level. This horse is well trained but quirky and has taught Amaya how to be more patient and tactful and has elevated her horsemanship skills in tough situations. She uses these skills regularly, especially when competing in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) shows on unknown horses.
As a member of my IEA team, Amaya has proven herself a great leader and caring teammate. She helps prepare the horses, pack the horse trailer, and politely educates new members on how to do the same. Her talent and horsemanship skills have led her to IEA National Finals 3 out of the last 5 seasons, including being the top point earner on our third place, nationally ranked team in 2021.
In my program, students are responsible for the care of their animals. When chosen for the Emerging Athletes Program, her stable management clinician used her work as an example to the other participants. Amaya takes great care of her animal, her equipment, and her teammates.
From time to time, you get the chance to work with kids you know from a very young age have “it.” That intangible piece that you can’t quite describe but you can see when they ride, the way they care for their animal and treat the people around them. Amaya is one of those riders and will be a huge asset to any collegiate program.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Shannon
Cornerstone Farm, owner, and head trainer
Cornerstone Equestrian Center, owner, and manager
(303)828-9040
I am writing this letter to recommend that Amaya Bellfield be accepted into your collegiate NCEA or IHSA program.
As owner and head trainer of Meridian Riding Club, I have had the privilege of teaching Amaya in clinic format 5-6 times over the last six years. I have also judged her many times in the show ring at both rated shows and at IEA competitons. In that time, Amaya showed me she is one of the hardest working and most dedicated students I have had the pleasure to work with and watch in my 40 plus years of teaching.
Amaya is a natural leader and is the ultimate team member! In addition, her skill and technique on top of the horse is exemplary! She is adept at adjusting to whatever horse she is on and shows them all off beautifully! Amaya’s position is first rate, and she has grown into a beautiful rider.
Amaya undoubtedly has what it takes to be a solid and contributing member of your team. She is hard-working, dedicated and an extremely good student who listens and follows directions with ease!
Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
Thank you for your time,
Tracye Ferguson
Owner, Meridian Riding Club
USEF “R” Judge – Hunter, Hunter/Jumper Seat Equitation, Hunter Breeding
(720) 413-9623
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Jill Pelzel, owner/trainer of Fall River Farm. I run a busy hunter jumper barn, coach IEA, and coached for the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Colorado School of Mines Equestrian Team for eleven years. I am writing this letter of recommendation on behalf of Amaya Bellfield. As a member of my barn and a working student for the past year, I have seen Amaya grow both as a rider and a strong individual.
Amaya is a dedicated horsewoman, always treating her horses with the ultimate care and respect. She is always willing to take the extra time to make sure that she is doing things the right way. In her riding, she is always the first person to ask for help if she does not understand, or to stay and practice an exercise after everyone else has finished for the day.
Besides being dedicated to her riding, Amaya is committed to being a better horse person. She is always ready to lend a hand at the horse shows and at home. She offers assistance without being asked, will help with a sick or injured horse, or stay to learn something new. She is always looking to further her knowledge.
Amaya is very competent riding many types of horse, both green and finished. She has recently stepped into the jumper ring to tackle tougher courses and bigger tracks. She will be an asset to any team she joins! Amaya is a lovely young woman with a bright future in our equestrian community.Please let me know if you need any other information or have further questions.
Thank you,
Jill Pelzel
303-931-6410