Emily Hogye, 19, has brought Ben Lomond global attention over the last several years through her career in competitive equestrian vaulting.
Hogye will be competing individually in the Netherlands at CVI 3* Ermelo August 5 through 8. This is an international FEI (Fédération Equestre Internationale) level competition held annually, which will be held in conjunction with the Junior World Championships this year.
Holding a gold medal from her part as the flyer for team USA’s performance at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Hogye continues on a rich family legacy. Her father, Thomas Hogye, was a gold medal level vaulter as well, and her mother, Mona Hogye, coaches Ben Lomond’s own Brookside Vaulters club.
Although it is her first time competing individually out of the country, Emily is not unused to international travel. She has competed all over the United States, and traveled as part of a team to Germany, Denmark, and the Czech Republic.
Hogye competed on the U.S. team at the World Equestrian Games in both 2008 and 2010 winning bronze and gold medals respectively, and won the Aachen CHIO World Equestrian Festival in 2008.
Hogye’s friend and fellow vaulter, Mary McCormick described her by saying, “I’ve always been impressed with how she approaches life with such strength and grace… Emily is a star in and out of the vaulting arena and I’m grateful to have known her all these years.”
A dedicated athlete, Hogye has faced much tougher challenges than simple eligibility requirements in her competitive career. In March of 2014, Hogye was in a near fatal car accident with a friend and has since had to work to overcome both mental and physical trauma.
“A huge goal I have had for myself after coming back after my accident has been to shift my perspective, re-focus, and re-purpose my vaulting,” said Hogye, “It has been a big goal for me to teach myself to always remember that I love vaulting, that it’s fun, and that it is a beautiful thing that I have in my life that I am gifted to be able to do.”
“Emily’s life long love of horses has been the very thing that brought her through the most difficult time of her life…” said her mother, Mona Hogye, “It has been the love she received from the horses through caring for them that ultimately has brought her through the trauma of emotional and physical injuries of this near life ending accident.”
Vaulting itself will never cease to be a part of Hogye’s life, and quitting was never something she considered. Even as she recovered from her accident in a trauma center, she was looking to the future of her career.
“It’s a gift given to me — something absolutely, totally, and completely wonderful that I have placed in my life and am able to do really because I am blessed to do it… It’s like a part of me, it’s in me, it’s my passion, I just love it…” she said.
In Hogye’s words, vaulting itself is “…kind of magical. There’s something about dancing on a horse that is like nothing else to me.”
Emily is offering supporters a chance to be a part of the magic during her experience in the Netherlands by asking for donations or sponsorship to help her cover the costs of traveling, training, and competing.
Another vaulter, Geoffrey Woolson, expressed his excitement for Hogye’s upcoming trip to the Netherlands saying, “Just from knowing what she’s done to get where she’s going, Emily deserves this more than anyone for sure and I can’t wait to see how she does!”
More information is available on her website which can be found at emilyhogye.weebly.com. She leaves for Europe July 8 and for the Netherlands August 2.
