United States Eventing Association

Dedication, Talent, and Two Special Mounts Lead Texas IEL Rider Mia Holstien to Eventing Success

Based on the steady and successful trajectory of Texas-based junior rider Mia Holstien through the lower levels of eventing, you might never guess she almost gave it up completely.

Mia, now 15, started riding at age 9 and tried hunters first. After trying her hand at eventing, she found she “loved the adrenaline rush.” The road to success was a bit bumpy, however. Her first competition partner at Starter level, a white Welsh Cobb pony named Misty, was “opinionated,” to put it diplomatically. “When we first started out, Misty did not like the idea of being outside an arena in an open space for cross-country. She would bolt, which scared me. I was ready to give up eventing and switch disciplines,” Mia remembered.

Then, along came a 19-year-old off-the-track Thoroughbred named DaVinci (Byars x Super Mount), or “Vinny,” who changed everything. “Vinny came onto the market at the right time. He brought back my love for cross-country,” Holstien said. In the two years after the purchase, Holstien and Vinny saw impressive success with several top-10 placings in Area V. They moved up quickly from Beginner Novice to Training level, while also joining a competitive team through the USEA’s Interscholastic Eventing League program (IEL) last year.

Holstien and her family—including her parents Gina and Eameal Holstien and her 13-year-old brother, Eameal Holstien Jr.—live in Houston, Texas. It’s a grueling four-hour commute to train with Mia’s eventing coach, Rebecca Brown, who’s based in Dallas. Despite the distance, Mia’s “team” of her family and her coach has been able to make it work. Mia has homeschooled since she was in kindergarten, which gives her enough flexibility to split her time between traveling to the Brown’s Dallas facility for in-person coaching and taking virtual lessons at her home barn, Austin Street Stables, in Houston.

“When we do virtual lessons, my mom is with me, filming me with FaceTime while I ride. I put in an earbud to hear Rebecca, and we work from there,” she shared. “Rebecca is amazing. She has a way of coaching me that really works.”

Gina points out the benefits of virtual training. “Mia doesn't get to just show up for a lesson. She’s learned how to set courses to work on certain skills, how to measure lines correctly for the horse's stride, and the ‘why’ behind coursework,” she said. “Rebecca always takes the time to explain the theory and mechanics which is so important for any rider to understand. That really helps Mia when she's riding independently to problem solve and work on the skills that they've discussed in lessons.”

Complementing their work together has been USEA’s IEL program, which has provided Mia the opportunity to be on a team with other junior riders, an invaluable experience, she said. “I love the teamwork aspect of it, considering this is such an individual sport. It's awesome to be able to go to the ring and cheer for my teammates and meet them after to talk about their rounds. It’s a lot of fun!”

Despite Mia and Vinny’s successful partnership for two-plus years, Coach Brown knew that it might be difficult to ascend the more rigorous levels on the senior gelding, and was looking out for Mia’s next horse. Mia and Vinny’s last appearance in competition together was also their biggest triumph. This past November, the pair placed first at the Texas Rose Fall Horse Trials, in Tyler, Texas, before he moved on to teach another young rider who is rising up the lower levels.

“That last show with Vinny was my favorite,” Mia recalled. “We did great in the dressage [phase], which is difficult for me; we had worked really hard on it! And then we had cross-country, which is my favorite on him. Vinny was so fun and went very fast, and we made it double-clear around that. And then—I can count the times I went clear in show jumping on one hand before that—we were able to go around without pulling any rails. That was really, really exciting.”

Around the same time, Brown heard that a horse who had been a star in her own program before being sold to a rider in Virginia, FE Chiara Mia, a 13-year-old German Sport Horse mare (Mylord Cathargo x Cordina) was available for sale, and she knew she’d hit gold. Coincidentally, the horse’s barn name happened to be “Mia.”

“I’ve found your next horse,” she told Mia and her parents. “Book your flight to Virginia.” The Holstien family bought the equine Mia in January and brought her home to Texas.

Mia is looking forward to what’s ahead with this new horse who shares her name. Having had just a few short months together, they won’t be ready to compete at this year’s USEA IEL Championship in Aiken, South Carolina, in May. Mia is excited about working through the upcoming 2025 competition season at Training level on her new horse and hopefully moving up to Modified in the fall. Another short-term goal is to be named to the USEA Emerging Athletes U21 (EA21) program.

“I would say that my long-term goal is to make the Olympic team. I would love that!” Mia shared.

Life is very busy for the Holstien family, but Mia’s parents keep things under control by “dividing and conquering,” said Gina with a laugh. “I mean, it's not every kid that has a passion like this, so it's pretty special, and we are just so happy for her.”

Brown has high hopes for what she thinks the “Two Mias” can accomplish together. “Mia works incredibly hard, has a great attitude, and has such a supportive family. And Mia is a very special horse. There’s really no limit to what they can do in the years ahead.”

About the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL)

In August 2020, the USEA Board of Governors approved the creation of the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) as an official program of the USEA. The mission of IEL is to unite junior riders who are in the 5th—12th grade and provide a supportive community through which students can continue to pursue their riding interests. A group of junior members in the 5th—12th grade who share a common bond, such as the same barn, school, Pony Club, or other connection, can register with the USEA as an IEL Club. The second annual USEA Interscholastic Eventing Championship will be held alongside the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, on May 2-4, 2025. Click here to learn more about the Interscholastic Eventing League.

The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, Horse & Country, Kerrits, Sidelines, U.S. Equestrian, WeRideTogether, World Equestrian Brands, and Young Rider for sponsoring the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League.