Becky Hart
Endurance Rider and Clinician

Becky Hart is a California girl with more than her average share of grit. And grit is an important ingredient in the hard world of endurance riding where 24 hours of heat, cold, mountains, ravines, too much sun, too little sun and the constant ticking of the clock must be endured. That's the world of the endurance rider. That's Hart's world.

Hart started in 1974 and, over the years, has gathered the major titles in the sport as she moved up through the ranks to become one of the world’s most successful competitors. With over 18,000 miles of competition, she has won both the Sierra's grueling Tevis Cup and Race of Champions twice. Hart is a triple winner of the World Endurance championship. During a typical year at the zenith of her career, Hart rode RO Grant Sultan on 36 rides, finishing all and winning 22 of them. She was the 1980 and 1985 AERC National Champion, the 1986 North American gold medalist and the 1991 North American silver medalist. To win these awards is an achievement, but in Hart's case, the achievement is even more impressive since she trained other endurance horses that also did their fair share of winning. She was responsible for training the first and sixth placed horses at the 1993 North American Championship in Canada. These two horses had the highest veterinarian scores at the Best Condition judging, with gold medallist RO Grand Sultan receiving the Best Condition award.

In 1990, Hart was inducted into the American Endurance Ride Conference Hall of Fame, was the Hertz/USET Equestrian of the Year and Chronicle of the Horse Overall Horseman of the Year. Hart has ridden for the USET team and is Past President of the USET Active Riders Committee.

This extraordinary horsewoman still rides and trains endurance horses. In addition, she manages a major 80-horse facility, Lightfoot Stables, in San Jose, Calif., and puts on saddle-fit and endurance clinics and is a Level-Two Centered Riding Instructor. Her 25 years of experience as an endurance rider and trainer result in a tremendous wealth of knowledge on the health and welfare of the horse. Her sold-out appearances at equine events reflect the importance of her knowledge to the horse community.

2008 Show Recap/2009 Schedule

Career highlights

• Two-time winner of both Tevis Cup and Race of Champions
• Three-time winner of World Endurance Championship
• Inducted into the American Endurance Ride Conference Hall of Fame, Hertz/USET Equestrian of the Year and Chronicle of the Horse Overall Horseman of the Year in 1990
• AERC National Champion in 1980 and 1985
• North American Gold medalist in 1986
• North American Silver medalist in 1991
• Trained the 1st and 6th place horses at the 1993 North American Championship in Canada
• Past president of the USET Active Riders Committee