Sloane Betker made it a clean sweep of the Western Pacific Emergency Response U25 division, supported by Costa Palmas, this week at tbird’s April Season Opener. But her biggest victory came from learning to stop chasing perfection.
Betker capped off an extraordinary U25 week on Saturday, piloting Indiana II to victory in the Western Pacific Emergency Response U25 1.40m. The win followed back-to-back red ribbons earlier in the week—Wednesday’s U25 1.35m jump-off class and Friday’s U25 1.40m speed—both aboard her other mount, Kristalstar.
“Obviously my goal [today] was to win, but my strategy was just to have a nice round,” she explained of Saturday’s victory. “Indiana is jumping the Grand Prix tomorrow as well. I saved him for just these two classes.”
For a rider who admits she has always felt the need to be flawless, the three-peat performance marked a turning point.
“I always felt that I had to be perfect,” Betker said. “I’ve been working on my confidence. Kristalstar is so talented, but I struggle with just trusting her, so I’ve been riding her a lot more forward and I think it showed. I trusted her a lot more [in the ring] and she’s been so good [this week].”
Betker has developed a strong bond with both 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding Indiana II (Numero Uno x Capitol II) and 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Kristalstar (Arezzo VDL x Stakkato).
“I’ve had Indiana for three years,” she said. “He’s super straightforward. He just wants to do his job. He’ll take a big look at the flowers [decorating the jumps], but once he’s on course he knows his job—and he’s really good at it.
“Kristalstar is really shy. She’s super sweet. She likes things her own way.”
With the summer season ahead, Betker is focused on building on her momentum—and on her consistency—in the U25 division at tbird.
“I’m pretty happy with my results today and all week,” she smiled. “Hopefully, I can win more in May.”
Showcasing rising talent in show jumping, the Western Pacific Emergency Response U25 division, supported by Costa Palmas, returns to tbird May 20–24 for the CSI4* Canadian Premier.
Full results here.
