Kelsey Thatcher

Kelsey Thatcher

Kelsey Thatcher is from South Jordan, UT, and began riding with the help of her mother at the age of three. Not long after that, Thatcher got her first pony, a troublemaker who would buck her off, but she stuck with it and was determined to keep riding. Thatcher rode in Utah for a short time and then began training with Molly Rhinedollar in Colorado. As she moved up from the ponies, Thatcher began training with Michael Dennehy, who she rode with for a little over a year before she first met Alex Jayne and began training with Jayne's daughter, Maggie.

Thatcher had a very successful 2009 show season and achieved some of her biggest wins throughout the year. She won her first grand prix in May in the $25,000 Roc USA Grand Prix at the Showplace Spring Classic and her second just a few weeks later in June in the $50,000 Showplace Productions Grand Prix at the Showplace Spring Spectacular. Both grand prix wins were with her mare Carlotta, who Thatcher also rode in July when representing Zone 8’s Junior Jumper Team at this year’s Adequan FEI North American Junior Young Rider Championships. Along with those excellent accomplishments, Thatcher showed in Chicago throughout the summer to maintain her place in the top three for the Showplace Leading Open Jumper Rider Series.

Thatcher captured championships throughout the year in the Junior Hunters as well. She showed her horses Gianni, Early Applause, Mirasol, and Namesake to multiple championships and has also done very well in the equitation with Raven, a horse leased from Missy Clark and North Run.