#53 Bailey Poorman

West Grove, PA, United States

After moving off of ponies and on to a thoroughbred mare as a kid, I was hooked on the breed. I was born and raised in Saratoga Springs, so was always exposed to the sport of racing but it was when I began working for Jonathan Sheppard in 2013 at his farm in PA that I really fell in love with the sport. I spent the next 8 years getting to ride a lot of really nice horses and learn the ins and outs of both flat and steeplechase racing. Working for Jonathan is where I first met Hepcat when Jonathan and my parents bought him as a 3 year old from Jimmy and Emily Day. He went on to be a very good hurdle and steeplethon horse for my parents and Jonathan and then Sanna Neilson. I have had so much fun making him into an event horse since recently retiring from running over jumps. He's been tricky to ride his whole life but his main riders as a racehorse did a great job managing him and have made my life taking over the ride very easy! I am very excited to be a part of the Real Rider Cup this year to help promote the thoroughbred and aftercare as it is something that has always been very important to me!