Intercollegiate/Interscholastic

In the saddle

Subcommittee member dedicates life to horses

By Emily Dewey

Beth challenges I/I player Parker Pearce to the ball at Maryland Polo Club.

I/I subcommittee chair Beth Supik grew up around horses, at times with a focus on polo. She competed in both interscholastic and intercollegiate competitions before starting a career with equine athletes.

A child of a racehorse trainer and a professional show hunter rider and trainer, Beth Supik’s birthday was a practically timed event. Her mother had a planned c-section scheduled for after Dec. 1 to give her an extra year in the junior circuit, so Beth was destined to ride.

“Like a typical horse crazy kid, I didn’t walk anywhere,” Beth laughs. “I galloped.” At two-and-ahalf years old she entered the show ring and began a childhood in the saddle.

ZAPPALA PAUL

Garrison Forest’s coach Kelly Wells, Cara Whelton, Melissa Riggs, Beth and Annie Buck in 1998. It was the only time all girls won the Open National Interscholastic.

Supik’s childhood best friend, Elizabeth was the daughter of Tom Voss, a hall of fame trainer and one of the founders of the Maryland Polo Club in Monkton, Maryland. Beth and Elizabeth were allowed to ride the polo ponies and stick and ball.

“Young players have so many opportunities in polo now—the Middle School League, NYTS, so many things!” Beth exclaimed. “We were rarely allowed to even play on the main fields of the Maryland Polo Club when I was younger. When I did get a chukker, I was terrified of messing up! Adult players are much more accepting of youth players than they used to be.”

Her fascination with polo took off when she transferred to Baltimore County’s Garrison Forest School and was able to participate in its nationally recognized polo program.

Beth stayed with the hunters until high school but was ready for something new. Polo took the front seat when she made the varsity team at GFS.

“I was lucky to have three of the best coaches in my high school career,” she reminisced. “Cindy Halle, Kelly and Trevor Wells were some of the top coaches on the East Coast.”

Two Girls’ and one Open National Championship later, Supik headed across the country to Colorado State University.

Beth was a starting player on the CSU women’s team for two years and captain of the team her sophomore year while enrolled in the equine science program at the university.

“I learned a significant amount while at CSU, both in and out of the arena, and I really loved everything about that experience. However, I chose to return to the East Coast and turn my focus towards other areas of the horse industry,” she said.

Beth secured jobs working for some of the top Olympic event riders, including Philip Dutton, Boyd Martin, and Mara DuPuy. She returned to Maryland and jumped back into a familiar horse world, working for Tom Voss’ steeplechase operation and Ann Stewart’s timber racing outfit. She has been with Cyril Murphy and Irv Naylor for the last six years.

“I’m so grateful to have grown up in an area steeped in so many horse disciplines and top professionals to learn from—trainers, riders, and caretakers,” she said.

While she has crossed the borders into many disciplines, Beth knows there are things that work for any horse. She believes there are certain fundamentals that serve well: positivity, humility, open-mindedness, attention to details, strong work ethic and selflessness.

“Rhythm and routine are key whether in the saddle or on the ground, but I really try to listen to what the horse is experiencing in the moment and change a routine as needed to maintain its confidence, contentment and comfort,” she explained. “A horse that possesses those three Cs, both physically and mentally, has a much better chance to perform at the optimum. Rhythm is crucial from a personal perspective because I feel I need to be positive and leave negative/nervous emotions away from the horses. In the saddle, rhythm is key in matching their movements whether jumping at speed or swinging the mallet at the ball.”

An invitation to alumni chukkers at the Wells’ Marlan Farm sparked interest in the sport again. Encouraged by local coaches and umpires, Beth began umpiring and working to attain a rating. To get more reps on tournament weekends, she joined the manager ranks for I/I as well. Her knowledge of the game, horse performance and post-exercise care tips and tricks have served many I/I teams, staff and contractors well, whether at a tournament, during a club consultation or manager training session.

Beth leads Irv Naylor’s Ebanour out of the winner’s circle after he won the Virginia Gold Cup Timber Stake in 2016.

FENWICK CAROL Beth schools Bruce Fenwick’s Daddy in the Dark in Glyndon, Maryland. She retrained him from Hurdle racing to Timber.

Beth, age 7, shows Starmaker in an A-rated Small Pony Hunter class in 1987.

Beth kisses Interscholastic Girls’ Regional Best Playing Pony June, owned by Kelly Wells. She is with Jordan Peterson. Beth managed the tournament and helped coach.

“The standards across the board are higher than what I remember,” Beth remarked. “From horse care and equine welfare, to umpiring and managing. Standards have really changed and the USPA and I/I Program should be proud of it.”

When the I/I Committee was restructured in the spring of 2020, Beth was a top pick to lend her expertise to the Tournament and Regular Season Sub-committee. Leadership roles were another natural step for her as both of her parents had taken roles in the respective associations when she was younger. She jumped right into the fray, helping to organizing two “I/I Ask the Expert” zoom sessions related to horse care with fellow GFS alum and University of Virginia graduate Dr. Molly Muedeking during the summer educational series. While the I/I fall season was less active than usual, Beth hopes to be on the road at I/I tournaments this spring.

“I’m really so grateful that Cyril and the Naylors continue to support my involvement with the USPA. It can be a real juggling act at times with my responsibilities to both, but it is absolutely worth it!”

Beth identifies in herself that working for top professionals and their big strings of competition

Beth trains awardwinning steeplechase champion Black Jack Blues to be a foxhunter and show jumper in Glyndon, Maryland.

Beth with CSU’s Pata Blanca in 2001 Beth ponies friend Elizabeth Voss to the start of a medium pony race in 1989 when both girls were 9 years old.

horses truly make her tick; but that working with young polo players creates a healthy balance in her life.

“I feel I learn so much from the young players. Their enthusiasm and questions help me keep my own perspective of the horse industry fresh and fun,” she said. •