Suggestions to make money as a junior

[vxf111]

@Bristol_Bay

Then gave it all up

Only on COTH would such an impressive educational background and job be described as giving something all up

[Bogey2]

how cool is she! and wicked smart

[2bayboys]

@Bristol_Bay

I’m returning to this thread not to throw cold water on anyone’s dreams, but to say that even if you have all the elements of a career as a professional, it doesn’t always work out for a variety of reasons.

This rider had money, parental support, experience riding at an Olympic level, her own facility in Europe, you name it, all the advantages.

Then gave it all up for an education followed by life of public interest work.

So interesting that this is where she ended up.

https://www.reaganfoundation.org/reagan-institute/about/staff/reed-kessler/

I’m reading this and thinking what a loss to the world it would have been if Reed Kessler had remained “just” a rider and/or trainer. As good as she is in the saddle, her life and career now can have real impact.

[Rel6]

@Bristol_Bay

’m returning to this thread not to throw cold water on anyone’s dreams, but to say that even if you have all the elements of a career as a professional, it doesn’t always work out for a variety of reasons.

This rider had money, parental support, experience riding at an Olympic level, her own facility in Europe, you name it, all the advantages.

Did she ever have the desire though? I don’t mean that as a snide comment. But there are plenty of very, very talented junior and amateurs who have no desire to make it their career. If it isn’t what she wanted, the rest doesn’t really matter.

[Bristol_Bay]

I know there was press coverage of the farm she bought in the Netherlands, I believe, so I think she was trying to make a go of it. She had several syndicate-owned horses.

From 2015

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/ringside-chat-reed-kessler-putting-down-roots-europe/

Maybe someone with more knowledge can chime in.

It kind of looks to me like she did a reset after realizing she wanted a different kind of life. She went back to school in 2018, so age 23.

https://www.sipa.columbia.edu/admissions-blog/second-acts-its-never-too-late-to-go-back-to-school

[Rel6]

Ah, that makes sense!

[paw]

Thanks for the context. So happy for her she’s found her calling!

[DownYonder]

@Bristol_Bay

This rider had money, parental support, experience riding at an Olympic level, her own facility in Europe, you name it, all the advantages.

Then gave it all up for an education followed by life of public interest work.

So interesting that this is where she ended up.

reaganfoundation.org

Reed Kessler

The mission of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is to complete President Reagan’s unfinished work and to preserve the timeless principles he championed: individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy and national…

It just occurred to me how very, very proud her parents must be of her. It takes an immense amount of moral character and a pretty high level of maturity for someone - esp. a young person - to give up a life of “playing with horses” and the kind of accolades she was used to, to instead pursue a high level of education and then dedicate their life to serving mankind via working in public policy. Kudos to her.

[dogsbody1]

@2bayboys

I’m reading this and thinking what a loss to the world it would have been if Reed Kessler had remained “just” a rider and/or trainer. As good as she is in the saddle, her life and career now can have real impact.

Ummm color me shocked that a billionaire’s daughter would go to work for a conservative think tank. Don’t get me wrong, good for her for finding a career for herself. But I wouldn’t exactly rush to applaud her “real impact.” I guess like the rest of America, I’m still waiting on the benefits of all that “real impact” to “trickle down.”

[fivestrideline]

Yeppppppp. Glad I’m not the only one who clocked that.

[DownYonder]

Gee, for all we know, she may be trying to bring a more progressive outlook to the organization. But really, maybe we should leave politics out of the discussion. The point is that Reed is doing something far more altruistic with her life than playing with horses.

[2bayboys]

@dogsbody1

@2bayboys

I’m reading this and thinking what a loss to the world it would have been if Reed Kessler had remained “just” a rider and/or trainer. As good as she is in the saddle, her life and career now can have real impact.

Ummm color me shocked that a billionaire’s daughter would go to work for a conservative think tank. Don’t get me wrong, good for her for finding a career for herself. But I wouldn’t exactly rush to applaud her “real impact.” I guess like the rest of America, I’m still waiting on the benefits of all that “real impact” to “trickle down.”

“Before joining the Institute, Reed served in the Department of State at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in the Political Section and at the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations in the Negotiations Support Unit. She also worked in the U.S. Foreign Policy Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, where she assisted Ambassador Robert Blackwill with the research and writing of his upcoming book on U.S. grand strategy in collaboration with CNAS CEO Richard Fontaine. Reed also brings multilateral experience from the UN Operations and Crisis Centre and the UN Refugee Agency.”

If the worst that can be said about her is that she’s conservative, I think she’s doing pretty well.

My opinion stands. A young person whose choices in life are limitless is choosing to pursue a career with a wide reach.

[Bristol_Bay]

The UN isn’t exactly a bastion of conservatism. I am not a Republican but I wish her well.

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[JenEM]

@Bristol_Bay

The UN isn’t exactly a bastion of conservatism. I am not a Republican but I wish her well.

Neither is the CFR, which is another place she’s listed as working. I don’t know where she sits on the political spectrum personally, but as someone with two decades working in DC, I can say there are folks on different areas of the spectrum working in places you wouldn’t always expect.

Reed now has a good education, and what looks like a good career ahead of her in a location that would allow her to pick back up riding if she ever wants to. Plenty of us working ammys around town

[Scribbler]

As we know, lots of top junior riders come from money. As we also know, moneyed families also prize education and if the kids have ability they often find strong niches in the decision making structures of the nation. I know nothing about her family but I wouldn’t be surprised to hear she comes from a clan of maybe lawyers or diplomats or etc.

As I read this story, she was able to progress beyond most of our wildest dreams as a top junior and youngest member of the Olympic team. That takes very hard work and talent in addition to the cash. Then she tries out being a horse pro. And as we know, being a pro means sidelining some of your own goals to help your paying clients. It also means figuring out how to turn a profit from all your horses, which I myself might find draining.

Anyhow clearly she also has the academic, social, interpersonal and intellectual skills to get into the policy and decision making establishment. I don’t much care where her politics are, I still admire the work ethic and talent this shows.

Anyhow I can totally see if you got to the top of your sport at 22, you might be looking for a new career challenge and path if you had the resources. Maybe this was her general plan in her early teens, and she just had such outsize success that she rode that success into her early 20s. Many many juniors at that level ride up through the medals, then go on to university and a good career and ammie status if they stay in horses.

[MHM]

@Scribbler

I wouldn’t be surprised to hear she comes from a clan of maybe lawyers or diplomats or etc.

Um, no.

[Scribbler]

@MHM

@Scribbler

I wouldn’t be surprised to hear she comes from a clan of maybe lawyers or diplomats or etc.

Um, no.

Ok well even more props to her for what she’s accomplished!

[IPEsq]

Her father was discussed here when he became president of USEF. He has corporate leadership experience in industries such as pharma and tobacco. Perhaps requiring its own kind of diplomacy…

[Rel6]

@DownYonder

The point is that Reed is doing something far more altruistic with her life than playing with horses.

I’m not sure altruistic is the right word. Genuinely not trying to be snarky, but I’d bet she is making more money working for a well-funded DC thinktank than she was as a pro.

[Scribbler]

@Rel6

@DownYonder

The point is that Reed is doing something far more altruistic with her life than playing with horses.

I’m not sure altruistic is the right word. Genuinely not trying to be snarky, but I’d bet she is making more money working for a well-funded DC thinktank than she was as a pro.

I wouldn’t call this level of NGO or government service altruistic. I would say that it’s an admirable high level career progression, that it’s going to be very well paid, and that it will give you lots of access and mobility in the future. It’s not remotely comparable to being a horse pro.

I would assume that she felt she got to the limit on horses quite young, and wanted another challenge.