She has an American/Australian father and Filipino/Spanish mother, began riding at six and launched her international career at the age of 23 in Europe.
While there have been a number of highs along the way in her fledgling career, qualifying for next week’s FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final will be a completely new experience. Some strong performances in North America over the last year on her bay gelding, Triviant, including a first 70%-plus score, helped put her in contention for a place in Paris, but nothing could prepare her for the moment her qualification was confirmed.
“My main contact at my federation messaged me on Facebook late evening my time which is early morning in the Philippines,” she recalls.
“He asked if I was awake, with many, many exclamation marks. I knew something had happened! He said we got the invite! I was screaming in my living room and crying happy tears!
“Fortunately, it was morning in Asia so I called my family, my parents first, and we were all excited and screaming and I called my groom, even though it was her day off, to make sure she had a passport!
“My fiancée was screaming and crying with me also!”
Paris will be a far cry from the lows of nine years ago when Ellesse, then still a teenager, was involved in a terrible car crash while at university in Kansas. Months of rehabilitation, rest, and treatment were needed, and while she relocated to California and earned her degree at the University of San Diego, her riding career was put on hold for four years.
She initially returned to Dressage as a bit of a hobby, but soon her passion and ambition was rekindled and she moved to Europe and began to build her reputation. Now back in the US, her stock has risen over the last 12 months or so thanks to a developing partnership with Triviant.
“I tried to qualify for World Cup final last year since it was in America but my horse and I had just got together and he was quite a nervous horse,” she says. “He’s changed this year and we have just been focused on enjoying each ride and taking each ride one by one and showcasing how wonderful he is.
“Hitting my first 70 may not put me with the big 80-plus club, but it was a big step for me and for my country!”
She says: “My target for the World Cup Final is just to enjoy every minute, smile in the majority of my test, show how wonderful my horse is, and represent my country as well as all the people who support me and make them proud!
“I want to ride like we belong at this level regardless of where I grew up!”
Based in Wellington, Florida, Ellesse has a busy lifestyle, riding and teaching at Farrington’s, and also working with Olympian Tiffany Foster. Of course, equestrian is an expensive business and her stunning looks have allowed her to also pursue a modelling career – coincidentally it was Paris where she was spotted by an agency eight years ago. Without a sponsor, the commercial and runway modelling allows her “to try to survive in the sport and make extra money”.
Her popular Instagram account, followed by more than 30,000 people, allows her to reach out to fans and horse enthusiasts the world over.
“Many of the young riders are very active on social media, so I try to share things that will inspire them and motivate them to work hard and stay in the sport,” she says.
“I want to make sure they know that it doesn’t matter where you come from or how hard the journey may be, hard work and passion in this sport will bring you success.”
Ellesse knows how inspirational senior athletes can be for the young, after her own experience of meeting her hero Isabell Werth when still a child. She got the champion’s autograph at an event in Denmark when she was very young, and was struck by her kindness.
A little later, while on a trip to Germany when was around 12 years old, her parents phoned Werth’s stables to ask if they could visit. Incredibly, the Olympic champion invited them over for a tour!
“She welcomed us to her barn, showed us around the whole place and let me watch her ride,” Ellesse recalls.
