Jumping to Perfection: Internationally-trained instructor shares knowledge with area riders

By CAROLYN ROST | South Central Texas Edition

Stephanie Tropia -Staff photo by Rost

Sept. 8, 2005 - Learning to ride a horse is an achievement in itself - learning to ride a horse while it clears a five-foot-tall jump is a whole other challenge.

Riders taking on this challenge and looking to gain confidence in themselves and with their horses, participated in a “Jumping Clinic,” offered at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds’ rodeo arena in Rosenberg on Aug. 21.

The clinic, given by Stephanie Tropia, an internationally-trained instructor, consisted of sessions for students with various skill levels, ranging from beginners to novice to intermediate. Each session lasted 1 1/2 hours with Tropia focusing on three components.

�I try to focus with every rider, depending on (their) level; I focus on organization, and on balance and on correct, absolutely correct, riding,� said Tropia.

Practicing what she’s learned at the recent clinic, rider Chelsea  puts her horse over the jump. -Staff photo by Rost

When in training, as a rider’s skills rises, so do the height of the jumps. Beginners start at a height around two-foot, three-inches; novice up to three-foot; intermediate, four-foot;  and advanced, four- to five-foot. According to Tropia, a five-foot jump is the top of the line and these jumps are made in competitions called Grand Prix.

Having secured six Grand Prix rides since 2001, Tropia is very familiar with the competition and is able to share the knowledge she has gained through years of training and competing at the national and international levels.

Riding since the age of 6 in her native Germany, horses have always been Tropia’s passion. “I live and breathe it every minute of my life,” she said.

According to her website, Tropia trained for five years with Hugo Simon, international trainer, and since 1995, has taught and competed in the United States. Combining her riding success with her training credentials, she founded Clear Round Show Jumpers in Houston and began importing top-bloodline European Warmbloods to train and sell.

Tropia uses the classical German foundation - a quiet and organized approach to the entire course - for teaching jumping skills. It is accomplished by concentrating on improving the horse’s rhythm and way of going, thereby improving the actual jumping motion.

Seeing her students perform well at the end of the session is what brings satisfaction for Tropia. “When you start an unfinished product, whether that is a young rider or a young horse, and you put a lot of hours of work in and then you see them perform well at the end of your time that you’ve spent with them, it’s the most rewarding thing ever in life.”

Hoping to benefit from one of Tropia’s training sessions was Christine McCarter, 15, of Richmond who already has 10 years of riding under her belt.  Although McCarter has been jumping for five years, she signed up for the session to mainly help her horse. “I hope to make my horse a better jumper,” said McCarter.

New to the experience of  jumping was Beth Kelly of Waller who found the teaching skills Tropia offers to be very beneficial. “She always pushes me to the limit. She gives me confidence that I can do more all the time.”

Before leaving to cool down and water her horse, Kelly offered these words about Tropia’s training ability, “I think I can jump the moon with her.”

(Stephanie Tropia and her husband Paolo are owners of Clear Round Show Jumpers, a modern European horse boarding and training facility based in Houston. For more information visit www.clearround.com or call 281-726-2049.)