Ride above expectations

Ali Barros has over twenty years of horse experience training under some of the top trainers on the east coast. She has experience competing both nationally and locally. For the first twelve years of her riding career was a working student and sales rider for many top New England Hunter Jumper Barns including but not limited to: Saddle Rowe Farm (Lombard Family and Cyndy and Frake Van Der Meer), Walnut Hill Farm (Casey Lorusso), Woodridge Farm (Greg Prince), Shining Valley Farm (Ron Zohar), and Herring Brook Farm (Mary Beth McGee). She spent several weeks each year in Ocala, Fla. riding and showing with Mark Jungherr of Starlite Farm and Mary Beth McGee of Herring Brook Farm. She showed and placed consistently at shows such as HITS Ocala, HITS Saugerties, Vermont Summer Festival, Fieldstone Show Park, Norfolk Hunt, and many more. She qualified for the Massachusetts Horseman's Council Finals (MHC) every year as a junior starting in 2006 as an eleven year old.

She began competing her imported Belgium Warmblood "Waterford Crystal" formally "Prince De Rialfo" out of Kalech and by Prince Royal. As an eleven year old, the pair won the Massachusetts Horseman's Council (MHC) High Point Championship for the Children's Adult Hunters. In addition to winning the Norfolk Hunt Memorial Trophy. The pair also captured a eighth place finish at the 2006 MHC Mini Medal Finals out of 115 entries.

Beginning in 2008, Ali began competing in the Hunt Seat Equitation Junior Medals at the Massachusetts state level as a thirteen year old on a catch ride from Mary Beth McGee named "Daniel" a 17.2 hand seven year old warmblood cross coached by Cyndy and Frake Van Der Meer.  

In 2009 she leased "No Garnish" from Susan Lee and North Ridge Farms LLC from Allentown, Pa. as a junior hunter prospect. The pair had several top finishes in hunter derbies and championships in New England before Ali turned her focus to the jumper ring.

Ali purchased "Pierre" (formally USEA: "Pride Roc") now shown under "Let It Rock" (USEF/USEA) in early 2010 in Ocala, FL under Mark Jungherr of Starlite Farm and Far Out Farm. Pierre won $30,000 in his former racing days and competed up to Preliminary in eventing as a six year old. Once purchased, the due competed in the Children/Adult Jumpers (3'3"-3'9") and Equitation (3'6"). The pair was awarded the highest earning Massachusetts Child/Adult Jumper team in 2010 and Reserve Champion in New England (NEHC). In 2011, Ali and Pierre appeared at the United States Hunter Jumper Association Emerging Athlete's Program level one (1.10m section) in Connecticut after being selected out of a large pool of applicants. They were tested on the flat and over fences for three days. Ali participated in both written and hands on horsemanship exams. After level one, Ali was selected as the only female athlete to represent Massachusetts and continue on to level two in Buffalo, New York. Ali catch rode a jumper named "Mickey" at level two where she competed in the 1.10-1.20 meter level under the direction of Melanie Smith Taylor. 

Ali has extensive horse sales experience. She has worked closely with trainers, clients, and buyers for over a decade. She had the opportunity to compete on Umberto III for Aaron Vale, Thinkslikeahorse,  in 2011-2012. Umberto III was imported from Europe as a level six jumper prospect in Ocala. After a brief time as a jumper, Umberto III was sent north to be retrained and campaigned as a hunter and hunter derby mount. Ali and Umberto III competed in the Junior Hunters (3'6"), Hunter Derbies (3'3"-3'6"), and Big Eq (3'3"-3'6"). Career highlights include: Top 12 finish at the Vermont Summer Festival in the $5000 NEHJA Hunter Derby Qualifier, Second place finish in the Yozell Associates $2500 Hunter Derby, top twenty-five in the MHC Days of Champions Junior Medal Final, and many top finishes at AA shows. Umberto III was sold after a successful show season and continues to win with his riders across the country. 

Ali was recruited to ride on The University of Tennessee at Martin's NCAA Division 1 Equestrian Team, where she rode as a division one athlete for her freshman year of college. In 2013, she decided to test the waters in eventing and focus on her political science and public relations studies.  In 2016, she rode to a eighth place finish at The Indiana Eventing Association Horse Trials out of twenty with a double clear XC and show jumping round. She was also eleventh at Queeny Park Horse Trials in Saint Louis, MO. Ali and Let It Rock competed up to training level, before "Pierre" retired from eventing in 2017 due to an injury sustained running training level at Dunnabeck. She was a 2015 honors graduate of UTM with degrees in Political Science and Public Relations.

In 2018, "Let It Rock" (aka Pierre) was awarded seventh overall at The United States Hunter Jumper Association - USHJA Zone 3 & 4 Adult Amateur Hunter Championships presented by SmartPak in Atlanta, GA. He was the only Off-The-Track Thoroughbred that qualified and competed! He placed seventh overall, and had the third highest score in his handy round with a 81 and 82 (his personal best hunter scores to date). In addition to earning a fourth place finish on the Adult Hunter Team Challenge day. Ali and Pierre were prepared and coached by Spring Mill Farm of Eads, TN. Ali and her horses relocated to Nashville, Tenn. in 2019 where she worked in high profile event management and brand representation in addition to maintaining a small sale horse program. During covid, she was offered a full-time trainer/rider position for a show jumping farm in Naples. After working in Naples, Fla. as a trainer and professional rider for a FEI show jumping barn in 2020 she moved to Ocala, in January of 2021.

Once relocated to Ocala, she worked for Justine Dutton as a rider/groom from January 2021-July 2021. She moved to a private farm in August of 2021 where she trained her team of horses and worked for a political consulting agency from home. 

In 2022, she began to take private clients for training and grooming in the greater Ocala area. She currently trains horses and riders for hunters, hunter derbies, and EQ in Ocala close to WEC Ocala. Her program focuses on Off-The-Track Thoroughbreds and young warmbloods. She opened her farm to training horses in June of 2023 while maintaining her students who have their own farms in the Ocala area. 

Ali serves as a board member on USHJA's Horse & Rider Advocates Board. She is currently enrolled in USHJA's Instructor Credential program. 2023 Practical Horseman Magazine Top 10 Trainer Of The Year.         

For training or sponsorship requests please e-mail: barrossporthorses@gmail.com 

Riding Highlights

2006

Massachusetts Horseman’s Council (MHC) Champion Child/Adult Hunters

Trophy Recipient at the Norfolk Hunt Horse Show

Eighth in the Massachusetts Horseman's Council Finals out of 150 riders

2007

Massachusetts (MHC) Reserve Champion for Children's Eq.

Fourth in New England Horseman’s Council (NEHC) for Children's Eq.

Tenth in the Massachusetts Hunter Jumper Children's Hunter Horse Finals

Top Twenty in the Massachusetts Horseman's Council Finals

Nominated for the Equine Affaire, rode in clinic with Nona Garson

2008

Seventh in Massachusetts for Open Eq 12-14

Eighth in New England for Children's Hunter Horse

Best Child Rider Award at the Fieldstone Summer Festival

2009

Third in Massachusetts for Open Eq 12-14

Trophy Recipient at the Norfolk Hunt Horse Show

Eighth in the Massachusetts Horseman's Council Junior Medal Finals Open Eq

Third in the Children's Equitation Challenge at USHJA Zone One Finals

Seventh in the Children's Hunter Horse USHJA Zone One Final

Nominated for the Equine Affaire, rode in clinic with Peter Leone

2010

Ninth in the USHJA Hunter Derby Qualifier at Fieldstone Summer Festival

Top 45 out of 200+ In the New England Equitation Junior Medal Championships

Champion in Massachusetts for the Child/Adult Jumpers

Reserve Champion in New England for the Child/Adult Jumpers

Top 15 in USEF Zone One for the Children's Jumpers

Participated in a Clinics with Mark Jungherr and Schuyler Riley

2011

Twenty-Second in the Massachusetts Junior Medal Championships out of 150 entries

Emerging Athlete's Program Level One & Two (Zone One Level One, Invited back as the only female athlete from Massachusetts for Level Two in Buffalo, NY)

Top finishes in the Children's Jumpers at Vermont Summer Festival and HITS on the Hudson

2012

Top 12 finish at the Vermont Summer Festival in the $5000 NEHJA Hunter Derby

Second (Umberto III) and Third (Aspen) finish in the Yozell Associates $2500 Hunter Derby

Massachusetts Horseman's Council Junior Rider Scholarship Award Winner

2014

Queeny Park Horse Trials Eleventh Place

2016

Indiana Eventing Association Horse Trials Eighth Place

Eighth in the Germantown Charity Horse Show $5,000 Versatility Challenge (1.15m)

Reserve Champion in the 3' Thoroughbred Hunters at Germantown Charity Horse Show

2017

Fifth Place High Point Award for MegFord on Talon's Of Tuscany

Rode in clinic with Olympic Eventer Jill Henneburg

2018

Seventh Overall on Let It Rock in The United States Hunter Jumper Association - USHJA Zone 3 & 4 Adult Amateur Hunter Championships presented by SmartPak

Lindsay Maxwell Charitable Fund/USHJA Emerging Athletes Program Regional Training Session at Georgia International Horse Park Under Geoff Teall

Emerging Athlete Program Grant Zone Four Recipient 

USHJA Zone 4 Child/Adult Handy Hunter Challenge Fourth Place on Let It Rock

Top  Finishes at WTHJA Hunter Derbies on Let It Rock

Top finishes at HITS Ocala on Wizardry CBF

2019

USHJA Zone 4 Outreach Jumpers Champion

USHJA Invitational Low Jumper Reserve Champion 

USHJA Invitational Equitation Champion 

TJC Hunter/Jumper Show 3'3" Champion

Rode in Clinic with Alex Du Celliee Muller

2020

Thorsport Farm Low Jumper Champion

Reserve in the Back To The Beach Welcome Stake at Fox Lea Farm

Top ribbons 1.0-1.10m at Fox Lea Farm

Nominated to sit on the USHJA Horse & Rider Advocate's Committee Board

2021

RFTR TIP Jumper Classic Winner on Let It Rock

RFTR TIP Pleasure Classic Reserve on Prince Hansen

RFTB TIP Hunter Hack Winner on Talon's Of Tuscany

WEC Ocala Week 8 .65m Open Optimum Time Winner on Let It Rock

WEC Ocala Week 8 1.0m TB Jumpers Championship Round - Second Place on Let It Rock

WEC Ocala Week 8 Ribbons in the 2' Future Hunters on Bachelor On Broadway RF

WEC Ocala Week 9 Ribbons in the NSBA 2'9" & Baby Greens on Bachelor On Broadway RF

Ribbons at Fall I at Brownland Farms in the 3' Young Hunters 

TIP Championships at Stableview Fourth Overall in English Pleasure on Prince Hansen

TIP Championships at Stableview Eighth Overall in the 2' Hunters on Prince Hansen

TIP Championships at Stableview Ribbons in the 3' Hunters on Let It Rock

TIP Championships at Stableview Fifth and Eighth in the Hopeful Jumpers on Talon's Of Tuscany

2023

April & May MSC at HITS Ocala Reserve Champion Open 3' Hunter on Bachelor on Broadway RF

WEC Ocala Summer Weeks 4-7 Ribbons in the 3' Green Hunters & USHJA divisions on Bachelor on Broadway RF and LPF Lost Shaker Of Salt

WEC Ocala Summer Week 8 Ribbons in the USHJA division on Criss Cross

Practical Horseman Magazine Top 10 Trainer Of The Year