United States Eventing Association

IEL Rider Carolyn Rice Has Come Full Circle

Seventeen-year-old Carolyn Rice, a high school junior from Johns Creek, Georgia, has spent the last 10 years riding at Willow South Riding School—the very place where she first sat on a horse. What started as a casual introduction quickly became a lifelong passion. “We had no idea what we were getting into,” her mother Amy Rice recalls with a laugh. As Carolyn marks a decade in the Willow South program, she’s come full circle, now teaching the child of her first instructor.

With a supportive community and riders of all levels, the program helped shape the teen’s journey from beginner to mentor. “It’s rewarding to see riders like Carolyn grow,” said Tawn Edwards, her longtime trainer and owner of Willow South. “Even at 11 or 12, she showed remarkable patience with horses of all temperaments. Not every kid has that kind of mindset, and I’m grateful we had the horses to challenge her along the way.”

Carolyn also has a natural talent for instructing the younger riders at the barn. “It’s not every rider who wants to teach, because it takes a lot of patience and thought and planning, but Carolyn really enjoys explaining things to people,” said Edwards. “It’s a rare quality in a kid!”

Encouraged by her first grade teacher—a passionate equestrian—Carolyn began taking lessons at Willow South as a young child, and before long she was a regular fixture at the barn. “In the school cafeteria, they used to give us apples and carrots, and I remember taking as many as I could to the barn after school,” she recalled. “I always loved looking up at the white board when I arrived and seeing which pony I’d get to ride.”

She rode lesson horses through middle school, until she began leasing a pony from another rider at the barn during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. She fell in love with eventing and even competed in the Junior Beginner Novice, 14 & Under division at the 2021 USEA American Eventing Championships (Lexington, Kentucky). “I remember riding in the Rolex area and thinking, ‘This is what I want to do,’ ” Carolyn said. “I want this kind of environment.”

The family bought their first horse during Carolyn’s freshman year, an Irish Sport Horse named The Fernhill Fox. “‘Fox’ was the one who really showed me the ropes—he was a great teacher for me,” Carolyn said. Throughout the year of their partnership, they earned top placings at the Modified level—including ninth place in the 2023 AEC in the Modified Rider division.

After the pair successfully moved up to Preliminary that fall, Carolyn decided she was ready for a new challenge. “I wanted a project. I was always drawn to the green ponies at the farm. I liked the idea of being a part of a horse’s upbringing and their future career,” she said.

The family purchased a promising youngster named Goose, but he was soon sidelined with a ligament injury. After eight months of injections, therapy, and rehabilitation, they made the tough decision to euthanize him. “He wasn’t happy in stall rest—he was just going crazy,” Carolyn recalled.

An unexpected silver lining to the situation was Carolyn’s newfound interest in veterinary medicine. “I always knew I wanted to do something with horses when I was growing up,” she said. “At first, I thought I might want to sell horses, but I’ve always been drawn to science and anatomy. So, even though the whole ordeal with Goose was a really tough time, it was very enlightening and a blessing in disguise since I’m on the medicine track now.”

“She handled it with remarkable maturity for a 16-year-old,” said Edwards. “Stoic yet engaged, she asked thoughtful questions and brought intelligent conversation to the situation. She’s set on pursuing veterinary research—something we sorely need.”

Throughout Goose’s rehab, Carolyn was a steadfast presence at the barn for hours each day, mucking stalls, doing chores, exercising horses, teaching lessons, and lending a helping hand wherever was needed.

Now, with the heartbreak behind her, she has a new partner—Fernhill Oreo (OBOS Quality 004 x Good Lady), an Irish Sport Horse gelding who previously competed to the CCI2*-L level with Jade Anderson. “I’d really missed the sport and wanted to get back out there and start showing again,” Carolyn said. The pair contested their first Novice last fall and quickly progressed up to the Modified this spring, recently earning a fourth at the Bouckaert Equestrian Horse Trials (Fairburn, Georgia).

This year, Carolyn plans to take her time forming a partnership with “Adam,” as they get to know each other. “We’ll probably stay at Modified for awhile,” she said. “It’d be great to get back up to Prelim again, and maybe start looking at some Intermediates, but I’m not in a hurry.”

One activity she’s looking forward to is the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League. Willow South has been an active part of the program since its inception, even earning reserve champion at last year’s inaugural championships. Since Goose was in the midst of rehab, Carolyn might’ve missed out on her chance to take part in the festivities—but in the true spirit of the sport, a friend let her borrow a horse to compete. “We just did Beginner Novice, and we had a blast,” Carolyn said. “It was so much fun being there with our team. It was a nice distraction from everything happening with Goose, and I was really thankful my friend let me compete her horse.”

This year, Carolyn’s planning to attend the Championships with Adam—and hopefully help her team take a shot at the championship title. “We always have a pretty competitive group of riders,” she said. “I think we can do it!”

Likewise, her coach is just as excited about the program. “Before, eventers only had IEA [Interscholastic Equestrian Association], which offered just dressage,” said Edwards. “Competing as a team is so much more motivating, and adding it to my program has really elevated enthusiasm for the sport. We get a lot of new parents that come into the sport, and to have this team aspect to show them is so meaningful. I think it’s going to help eventing a lot, so kudos to whoever came up with it!”

Willow South currently has 14 riders in the club and are planning to send three teams to the Championships at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, in May. “We’re still figuring out who’ll be on which team, so we can separate them out for the levels,” explained Edwards. “Last year, I didn’t pay attention to that as much, and if I had, we would’ve won. This year I’m going to pay attention—the team that won definitely deserved it, but we might have a better shot this year. It’s just wonderful competition with other clubs. We’ve already decided we’re going to do a mixed team if we have extra riders, if we’re allowed, since we all get along really well.”

Having been around Carolyn competing actively for five years or so, Amy has seen all different kinds of show environments throughout the Southeast region. “Eventing is a funny sport, because you’re usually there with other people from your barn, but you’re on your own,” she said. “What’s nice about the IEL is that the riders are working together to get to a good end result. They all support each other, but I think the kids who devote a lot of time to eventing are pretty competitive about it as well.“

One fact that everyone loves is the socializing aspect, especially with teams from other local barns. “Everybody really gets into the team spirit, which is fun because it’s such an individual sport,” Amy added. “Plus we always enjoy seeing all the college teams as well. They’re fun events—we look forward to the pageantry of it. We’ve met top riders and Olympians from other countries. They’re so supportive of the young riders. I have really special memories about that aspect of eventing.”

After she graduates high school, Carolyn has aspirations of competing at the intercollegiate level. “I’d love to continue riding in college, and hopefully I’ll end up at a school that has a club,” she said. “The team spirit aspect is one of my favorite parts of the IEL—it really brings everyone together. It can become a very individualized sport. I think it’s important to combine forces occasionally and have fun in friendly competition.”

But it’s not just the organizers and volunteers who make the IEL a success—Amy is quick to applaud the venue owners for their commitment. “Coming from a farm family myself, I understand the challenge of maintaining large properties, and the landowners’ commitment is crucial for eventing’s future,” she said. “The effort they put in—far beyond occasional volunteer work—keeps the sport alive, especially as cross-country courses become harder to sustain. In metro Atlanta near us, accessible eventing venues are rare due to rising land costs, making their dedication even more vital.”

That dedication has allowed families like Amy’s to build lasting memories while traveling to shows across the Southeast. One moment that stands out was at River Glen (New Market, Tennessee), where a bagpiper once emerged from the mist by the river, playing music. “Seeing that for the first time, I thought, ‘I can’t believe we get to do this,’ ” she recalled.

For her daughter Carolyn, eventing has been about more than just competition. “The sport—three disciplines in one—demands coordination, planning, and independence,” said Amy. “Even at a young age, Carolyn showed remarkable maturity and responsibility, traits many credited to the complexities of eventing. Watching that kind of growth has been one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.”

Of course, with the highs come inevitable setbacks—a dropped rail, a cross-country refusal, a disappointing dressage score. Amy believes those moments build resilience, teaching young riders to handle disappointment and keep pushing forward—an attitude that carries far beyond the arena.

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.