6 SIDELINES SEPTEMBER 2012
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Abby Westmark
Sarah Abdi, 19, from Anaheim Hills, California, is more than just
a horsewoman. A business major at California State University,
Fullerton, Sarah is also a Southern California ambassador,
representative and coordinator for JustWorld International. In May
of 2012, she went to Guatemala with JustWorld, to meet, interact
with and change the lives of kids there.
“It was an amazing experience,” said Sarah, about the
Guatemala trip. “There was a language barrier; but it didn’t matter.
We just wanted to be a part of what they’re doing.” Guatemala, like
many other South American countries, has seen a lot of hardship
in the past decade. Drug traffcking and violence affect the lives
of many there, especially those in the poorer communities and
medical care is often very expensive and diffcult to come by.
JustWorld is trying to change that.
“There is a community center there, with a medical center.
It’s a safe place for the local kids to go to, a haven for them,”
said Sarah. For those unfamiliar with JustWorld International, it
is a nonproft organization based in the international equestrian
community that seeks to make long term changes in impoverished
countries like Guatemala (as well as Brazil, Honduras and
Cambodia) by providing the children of war torn and poverty
stricken communities with nutrition, clean water, health care and -
most importantly - education. JustWorld believes that education is
key to helping such communities improve their fortunes, allowing
an opportunity to make a better world for themselves and their
families that children otherwise would not have.
But the impact that JustWorld has is not just on the children they
are helping; but on their Ambassadors as well. Sarah, raised in
e
Sarah at the JustWorld International booth on a delegation trip
to Guatemala, helping to raise awareness during the El Cortijo
International Horse Show. Sarah (center) is joined by Madison
McDougall (left) and Evey Hegewisch
Orange County, California, said, “It struck a nerve with me. [Going
to Guatemala was] one of the best experiences I’ve had.”
This is not a comment to be taken lightly, as Sarah’s homefront
accomplishments in the equestrian world are also quite impressive.
In 2010 she was the USEF Zone 10 Reserve Children’s Jumpers
Horse of the Year as well as PCHA Reserve Children’s Jumper
Champion, with her horse Conquest of Paradiso, affectionately
known as the “cookie monster.”
“He wouldn’t walk out of the ring unless you gave him a cookie,”
laughed Sarah, “He’s my favorite horse, he’s super quirky. We
were always that pair in the jumper ring that is so scary to watch.”
Sarah also has two other horses, her frst junior hunter “Royal
Flush,” currently leased out to another rider at her barn and her
newest partner, “Atylo Z.” “He’s my low junior jumper right now,
he’s 12,” said Sarah, of Atylo. “He’s also quirky, just not as much
[as Conquest.]”
Sarah, a rising sophomore, is looking ahead when it comes to
her show career. “My goal is to move up,” she said, “to accomplish
something.” Still, school is a priority for Sarah right now, who also
works for her parent’s airline software company.
“I’m really close to my mom, who handles the business end
of the company,” said Sarah. “It’s really cool, we have a lot of
international contacts. I defnitely want to go into business; but I’m
not sure which specifc feld I want to go into.”
Even if her feld of study isn’t entirely certain, Sarah’s love
of horses is. The best way to say it comes straight from the
horse(woman)’s mouth - “Regardless, horses are always going to
be a part of my life.”
Photos: Photo courtesy of Sarah Abdi
Sarah and Forlana Van’t Arkelhof
JustWorld