USHJA On Course Episode 35

USHJA: Welcome back to USHJA On Course. We're continuing our Rider to Rider series, a four-part project that pairs up-and-coming riders with top Professionals for honest conversations about the passion that keeps them in the saddle. In this episode, Lexi Looker sits down with Paige Dendiu at Desert International Horse Park to chat about the horses that have shaped their careers, the inspirations that keep them motivated, and so much more.

Lexie is an accomplished Amateur competitor with a presence in all three rings. Most recently, she earned the Grand Adult Amateur Hunter Champion title at the 2024 Marshall+Sterling/USHJA National Championships in Las Vegas. Joining her is Paige, a Professional rider and trainer based at Highland Farm in California. Paige is a frequent competitor in USHJA National Hunter Derbies and is often found training and developing Young and Green Hunters for clients, helping bring along the next generation of talent in the sport.

Lexi Looker: I'm Lexie Looker, and I'm getting the opportunity to chat with Paige Dendiu today.

Paige Dendiu: Hi.

Lexi Looker: Tell me how you got your start as a Professional rider and trainer.

Paige Dendiu: It was right out of when I was a junior, and I got an assistant training job with Victoria LaCagnina at Storia Stables, and I worked there for about four years. And then after that, I took over at Highland Farm in Palos Verdes.

Lexi Looker: Who has been your favorite horse and why?

Paige Dendiu: I think my favorite horse as a Professional is a new horse that I have. His name's Cornerstone. He's six, and he's just amazing. He's a good mover. He's a good jumper. His mind is amazing, and I'm really excited for the future with him.

Lexi Looker: How long have you had him?

Paige Dendiu: I've had him since December. We bought him in Europe, and my friend kept him over there and developed him for a little bit, and then we brought him over, and this has been his first circuit, and he was champion every week that I didn't blow it. He finished the Circuit Reserve Champion and fourth in the Young Hunter final.

Lexi Looker: What was your most memorable horse show moment?

Paige Dendiu: In Temecula, I did a National Derby in the Grand Prix ring, and I was first, second, and third on client-owned horses. And being in the Grand Prix ring, in the atmosphere of everything. And it was my first National Derby win and my first shot to kind of have that quality of horses to ride, and it was amazing.

Lexi Looker: Who inspires you the most?

Paige Dendiu: I would say probably my mom. Because she's my biggest supporter and also my harshest critic. She never lets me get, you know, too big of a head when I'm riding, and when I'm down, she knows the right things to say to, you know, make me put the pieces back together.

Lexi Looker: How would you describe your riding style?

Paige Dendiu: I mean, I grew up riding with Nick [Haness], so I would say most Hunter people try to mimic Nick. I would say I don't hold the reins a ton, and I like a horse that's quieter versus one that's hotter. But I am open to riding anything. So I would say I ride pretty soft, more from my leg than from my hand.

Lexi Looker: What advice would you give to an up-and-coming rider?

Paige Dendiu: I would say to a young up-and-coming rider, attitude is everything. In this sport, you know, you have the highest highs and the lowest lows, and you can have your best day and go to your worst day. And no matter what, you come out, you pet your horse. Attitude is everything and you know, you can only do the best you can and some things go right and some things go wrong and you got to just keep going forward.

Lexie Looker: What's a typical day like for you at the barn?

Paige Dendiu: I'd say we get to the barn between 7:30 and 8. We walk around, check on the horses, you know, make sure everybody's doing well, nobody has any weird things on their legs. We mainly have kids, so we do most of our training rides in the morning, and then our afternoons from about 1 o'clock to 4:30 are kind of jam-packed with lessons. You know, the kids come after school, everybody rides. I have wonderful assistants who do the grain and things like that. So I would say my main things at home are riding and teaching, and you know, all of those sorts of things.

Lexi Looker: If you competed or participated in any USHJA programs, how would you say that they affected your career?

Paige Dendiu: The USHA classes, the National Derbies, are amazing. They, you know, they're a fair height, so you can do it on a green horse, you can do it on more of an educated horse. They give the horses good experiences to see more impressive jumps without having to have a 3’6” horse. You can do any kind of level horse that you're bringing up, so I would say that gives you a good way to develop a horse, or you know, be competitive on one that's already going.

Paige Dendiu: How did you first get started with riding?

Lexi Looker: I started riding since before I can remember. Both my parents were in the sport. My mom's ridden since she was about 8 years old, so I think I had my first pony bought before I was even born.

Paige Dendiu: That's amazing. What's your favorite part about being involved with horses? What about outside of riding?

Lexi Looker: I think even more than the competition aspect, just what it teaches you as a person. Being so diligent, so disciplined, having someone that's always going to hold you accountable for how well you do and how long you take care of them. Mostly, I think just the bond that you can create with them and see how that pays off when you actually are competing.

Paige Dendiu: And what about outside of riding?

Lexi Looker: I'd say that I use a lot of the tools that I learned from riding outside of riding also. In my real day job, I'm an accountant when I'm not at a horse show. So I think that just being that disciplined and that organized is helpful to apply to the real world, too.

Paige Dendiu: Do you have a favorite horse that you ride? What do you like most about them?

Lexi Looker: I think my favorite would have to be Paddington. He's a horse that I’ve had, actually I've owned him for about 12 years now, and I showed him all the way from the Children's Hunters into the Amateur Owner Hunters, and so just to be able to have a horse for that long and have that kind of relationship with him and bond with him especially, he's a little bit difficult and a little bit fussy, so getting to know him that well has really paid off and feels even more rewarding.

Paige Dendiu: Who inspires you the most in the riding world?

Lexi Looker: You know, there's so many great riders to look up to. I'd say in the Hunter world, Nick Haness would always have to be the top pick, just especially because he's a West Coast-er and seeing him in recent years, even, you know, go to the East Coast and do so well. It always makes you feel like actually, the hard work that you're doing is paying off, and you know, has won so many finals and done so well. So he's always one I would look up to.

Paige Dendiu: What's something you would like to improve on in your riding?

Lexi Looker: I think something that I need to work on in my riding is straightness and track. I tend to like to turn a little early, get a little bit wiggly, and yeah, I tend to ride pretty soft with my hand and legs, so I don't think that that always helps, so better steering.

Paige Dendiu: What's your favorite show you've been to?

Lexie Looker: I think my favorite show would have to be Devon. It's just such a fun atmosphere. They've got the fair there. There's so many spectators that aren't even horse people, just from the community around that come to watch. It always just feels like such a special event. You know? The main ring is such a great atmosphere, and there's nowhere on the West Coast that we get to show that's like that.

Paige Dendiu: I've never been there, but it looks amazing. Is there a USHJA program you hope to participate in?

Lexi Looker: I would like to do the USHJA [3’3”] Amateur Jumping Seat Medal Final. That was something that just started, I think the first year that I became an Amateur. And it just looks like it's such a fun final. I did the USET as a kid, and so getting to compete in something that's kind of similar as an Amateur is a fun opportunity because there aren't really any other classes like that for adults to do.

USHJA: That wraps up this episode of Rider to Rider. To watch Lexie and Paige's full conversation, head to ushja.org/ridertorider, and don't forget to check out the feature in the latest issue of In Stride Magazine.