Growing up you’re told that you can be anything you want to be and with guidance, help, and hard work, you can get there. When Sydney Conley Elliot was eight years old, thanks to the help of her mother, she began riding horses at Holly Hill Farm in Benton, LA. This aided Elliott in finding not only her passion and confidence in herself but also instilling in her a hard work ethic and a dream to ride with the best.
“I started as a kid and was so hooked,” Elliott said. “It’s a great outlet, you know, growing up as a kid and you’re trying to figure yourself out, horses are a good way for you to have therapy too.”
When she began riding, she admitted that she wanted to ride fast and would often sneak out with the daughter of the owners of Holly Hill Farm to race in the backfield.
“I was supposed to be doing things like walk, trot, canter, like really easy beginner type stuff and if you looked at me riding Sadie in the arena, I looked like I was probably trying to go NASCAR. I would be racing around the arena,” Elliot laughed.
Since then, Sydney has grown in the sport of equestrian, created Elliott Eventing, and had the opportunity to compete all across the globe. Her most recent trip abroad was the biggest one yet – the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Elliott was listed as the number five slot on a four person team and was asked to travel to the Paris Olympics in case the need for someone to step in and compete arises. She was able to spend time at the training camp that was located about four hours outside of Paris where she could be amongst other Olympians in a similar position.
Before a competition, she received a bittersweet call that it would be necessary for her to step in due to an injury to a teammate’s horse.
“It was also one of my very good friends that was being pulled from the team so that’s so many emotions there because you don’t want that to happen but you’re also like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m about to get into the Olympics,’ and in whatever capacity it’s just amazing,” Elliott stated. “We had about a thirty minute window of cut off time to get me and the horse there. It was fast and furious but it was a great experience.”
Elliott and her horse, QC Diamantaire, have been partners for a decade and he has been a remarkable teammate for Elliott.
“Q is absolutely amazing,” she explained. “We’re like an old married couple because I’ve been working with him for 10 years and he knows my bad qualities and I know his.”
Elliott’s addition to the Paris Olympics roster allowed her the chance to live out a big dream that many said would be impossible.
“This goes back all the years we’ve been here [in Louisiana] and working so hard and people said, ‘At the top of the scores you’ll never make it in Louisiana,’ and I said, ‘I think I can,’” Elliott exclaimed.
Not only was she able to join the team to represent her country and state but she was able to experience once-in-a-lifetime events with Team USA, notably, riding in the specific venue the equestrian events took place in.
“We are here at the Olympics at the Palace of Versailles, this is amazing,” she recalled. “And to think that no one in our lifetime will ride there again. That was a pretty special moment.”
Though the 2024 Olympics are over, Elliott has her sights set for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
“Our plans probably start about four years before things happen so you hope for the best but we have plans A, B, and C,” Elliott explained.
The process of being selected for the Olympics consists of several steps. First, the US Equestrian Federation has qualifications for both the rider and the horse where they ensure both are in a good state of mind and physical shape to compete. There are also teams of selectors that go through riding and competition records to decide if the rider is a good enough fit to represent the team.
“It’s about an 8 or 9-month process from sending your paperwork in and then announcing the team,” she said.
Being selected even as an alternate is an amazing accomplishment that signifies a lot to Elliott.
“I think that means the most to me to say yeah, I’ve made it that far and we’re going to make it again and I am from Louisiana,” she declared. “People don’t understand how great this state is. You can’t beat it. I’m bringing it back home where it all started and to who got me where I am.”
Though she’s been able to travel the globe with horses and compete in front of big crowds in places like the Olympics, one of her favorite things she has ever done is help kids fall in love with equestrianism.
“For me, I love teaching the kids,” Elliott explained. “I’ve been riding for so long and sometimes you’d like to think that you don’t lose what brought you here in the first place with the horses but you do kind of get away from that and wrapped up in your goals and your vision of what your future should look like, so teaching the kids for me is one of the highlights because you see the very beginning stages of them learning about the horses, sitting in the saddle and riding, and you get to see so much joy! You get to see that’s why I started this.”
If you’re interested in learning to ride, it’s never too late and there are several farms like Holly Hill in Bossier Parish that offer riding lessons and camps from ages six to sixty.
Anything is possible and Elliott’s advice to get you there, “You better be determined and do not give up,” she said. “If you want it bad enough you will find a way to make it happen but you have to really want it.”
Elliott wanted it and she’s not stopping there and we’re Bossier Proud of her all the way!
Some photos provided by Sydney Elliott (taken by Shannon Brinkman Photo)
Feature image by Caroline Reed