Shota Ogomori: Samurai Showjumper And His Super Hero Horses

御護守 将太  侍ライダーとヒーロー馬たち

Shota Ogomori and SIG Iron Man
Shota Ogomori and SIG Iron Man

There is a cultural reverence in Japan for Manga 漫画, anime, and comic book characters. Shota Ogomori (age 18) is a fan boy! As a Japanese-American rider growing up in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, he has used this fantasy world as inspiration in his approach to showjumping and his quest for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics 第三十二回オリンピック競技大会! For Shota, “It is natural for me to name my loving horses with a matching personality of a super hero. For example, one of my horses was a huge, strong, German horse that was scopey and every time he launched it sounded like thunder was striking, so I named him Thor. I have named one of my horses in Europe Black Panther after my new favorite super hero, having just seen the movie. He has a very dark coat, is sharp, athletic and powerful. An excellent representation of a hero!”

WH: What was your childhood in Rancho Palos Verdes like and how were you introduced to riding?

SO: Since I was young, I’ve been in a environment where horses were constantly around me in Rancho Palos Verdes. People were trail riding everywhere and had barns in their back yards. I went to my friend’s house one day who had a horse in her back yard and I decided to sit on it.

WH: How did you come to have a passion for the sport? Through your parents?

SO: At first it was just a fun thing for me to go out and enjoy, but as I competed more in shows I grew passion and set a goal with the help of my father.

WH: Do you have any thoughts on Japan and the Asian attitude towards show jumping?

SO: I think equestrian is still a minor sport in the Asian countries due to small exposure to the sport. I hope I can show how it’s possible to compete at the top of the sport and still be of Asian descent.

WH: How did SIG (your family sales horse operation) come about?

SO: My father had also been in the sport back in high school, and he decided to start a horse trading company as a hobby because I started to follow his path.

WH: You have outstanding horses, please tell us a little about each one – why they are named for super heroes and what qualities you favor in a show jumper and what were the high points of the past year?

SO: Yes, I have three top horses with Chris Pratt and several more with Felix Hassmann in Germany. Most of them are named after a super hero name. I always loved the DC and Marvel comic books as a child and decided to have some fun with the names. With my horses being sales horses, I thought it was an easy way to remember a horse’s name as well. SIG Ironman has been my partner for almost 4 years, allowing me to do my first international grand prix at the age of 15. We just recently jumped out first Nations Cup together. He’s one of the best horses I’ve ever ridden and I’m hoping we can strive to compete in even bigger classes together.

WH: You must have a very supportive family -please tell us about them. Do they travel with you?

SO: My parents are very understanding about how serious I am with the sport, and support me to the max whether that is following up with school or making sure I do my best as the shows. Me and my father have a strong connection tied with horses and he has always been supporting this sport with me.

WH: What are your plans for Tokyo 2020 and which horse would you take if you qualify?

SO: I have SIG Iron Man as my best horse at the moment, but I also have several top horses in Europe with Felix Hassmann that have potential to qualify.

WH: Hopefully you will become an inspiring role model and poster child for Japanese Americans with a dream for the Olympic discipline of show jumping. Will it impact the training plan and path you chose for you and your horses?

SO: I strive every day to enhance the image of Japanese riders and equestrian, and I hope to become the bridge that connects the top sport and Japan. If everything goes well, I plan to have barns in Europe and Japan to help the Japanese riders access the best horses in Europe to compete.

WH: Please describe your favorite place to visit and ride in Japan.

SO: I’ve always felt like home when I go back to Japan to my family which is in Fukuoka in Kyushu, where I ride horses on my off weeks of showing. The combination of nature and horses can’t get better at this place. Trail rides around the town and the refreshing air of the nature can’t be compared to anywhere else in Japan.

WH: Who is your favorite international show jumper and why?

SO: My idol has always been Marcus Ehning because of his amazing connection and control with his horses, but I also think Kent Farrington is the most athletic rider in the sport that cares about his physique and his horses.

WH: Do you have a favorite horse and why?

SO: I’d have to say Plot Blue and Marcus Ehning. The horse-and-rider combination was just perfect. Both of them trusted each other and jumped many amazing rounds together.

WH: What is your favorite piece of equestrian equipment for horse? For rider?

SO: I love learning about bits. Different angles, pieces, and material of the bits all fascinate me. My father loves collecting unique bits, and I think that’s how I got the interest in it. For the rider, I can not ride with out my Parlanti boots. They are comfortable and soft, allowing packing to become much easier. Traveling is something riders do a lot when competing in the top of the sport, so it’s important my gear is light weight and easy to pack.

WH: Do you have an interest in breeding any prospects for show jumping? If so, which bloodlines do you favor?

SO: I have a couple horses where I chose the sire for my retired hunter back in the day. I would love to expand that in the future and work with young horses to sell. I’m usually interested in Numero Uno, a sire that is often expressed as the sharp jumper with a personality. I love how careful and sharp they usually are. I also love Chacco Blue because the horses all look beautiful and jump in such balanced arcs.

WH: What is your day like? Please describe your training program in the US as well as your projected training if one exists in Japan and what you love about life in this country.

SO: My day starts off with going to school until usually 12:30 and going straight to the barn to ride a couple horses with Devon Gibson at SeaHorse Riding Club. I then go to the gym to keep my core strong for flat work. After a nice work out I go home and have meetings about the business with my father or do homework so I don’t fall behind in school when I miss classes for competitions. In the winter time where we rest the horses in the U.S., I go to Japan to ride horses there. We have horses there for sale as well, so I ride them to prep for the upcoming season, but also to keep my riding in shape.

WH: Did you go to school in the US or Japan? Where and what were your impressions of the US and Japan?

SO: I’ve spent most of my life in the U.S., going back and forth for summer or any breaks I get. As I became older, I’ve noticed a distinct different in the sport between the two countries of how common it is as a sport here as opposed to being a minor sport in Japan. My goals is to succeed and to become the bridge between Japan and equestrian.

WH: How did you come to the sport of show jumping?

SO: My father was a big influencer for that. He encouraged me to improve my skills and to execute it at shows. I also thought it was a great way to connect with variety or people and personalities.

WH: How does Chris Pratt, your trainer’s coaching differ from the program you were in before? What does he/you practice?

SO: I’ve been with Chris for almost a year and a half now, and I’m impressed of how much he cares about his horses and the sport of show jumping. He will constantly update me and my horses, talk about who won what, and all the news in the international world of jumping. He also believes in good flat work leading to success which has helped me a ton especially when I lack in flat work skills. He values correct flat work and connection that can be carried on in the ring to execute.

WH: You have outstanding horses – please tell us a little about each one and what qualities you favor in a show jumper. What were the high points of your competition year?

SO: SIG Iron Man, Thor, and Comedy to name a few have been amazing this past year. Iron Man and I did our first World Cup qualifiers in Showpark last year, and many FEI classes with Thor and Comedy. Iron Man and Comedy have tons of blood allowing me to be competitive in the sport. Thor is a very German type horse where leg to hand connection is most important. This horse teaches me to understand how connection works and has been a pleasure to ride.

Photo: Sara Jorgensen

WH: Your family must be an integral part of your life. Do they travel with you?

SO: My father used to travel all around the world with me to watch and give me advice. Now that I am 18 and he’s busy with his business in Japan, I often go to shows alone. He still calls and emails me about how the horses are and organizes shows and goals we want to reach.

WH: What are your plans for the future?

SO: I am currently working on getting on the national team for Japan to compete in the Asian Games this summer.

WH: Are you known in Japan and is that a good or bad thing?

SO: People acknowledge me as the Japanese kid that rides in America when I go back to Japan. Being relatively young for the sport in Japan, I believe I do influence juniors and young riders to go to Europe and America to experience the top sport. I think it’s a great thing that I get to be part of something huge – making equestrian relative to people in Japan.

WH: I’m not sure our readers understand the nuances of Japan, but will you try to describe what riding is like in Japan?

SO: The system and barns are very much like how it is in the U.S.. The barns usually have one indoor and one outdoor ring because rain is a common thing in Japan through out. Some places are in a urban city where people can ride for pure pleasure and work out, and some in urban places strictly for competition.

WH: You are in a unique position to tell us about the specific cultural differences between keeping the horses on American soil and Japanese soil. Please tell us specifics and what is the future of the sport in Japan post-Olympics.

SO: I am hoping that if we do well in Tokyo, the sport will become much more common via media and social life where more riders can get access to better horses leading to a higher level of the sport.

WH: Please tell us about other Japanese riders and their horses.

SO: Taizo Sugitani and Karen Polle are the top two riders riding for Japan currently. I am honored being able to talk to both of them personally, and learning wisdom from their experiences. Karen Polle and With Wings are currently showing at the top of the sport every week and showing that Japan can indeed be a good competitive country. She is amazing!

WH: If you don’t qualify for the Tokyo Olympics is there another plan?

SO: Well, I haven’t thought about that yet to be honest. I think as the time becomes more closer, I will have an idea of what to do for the future with me and my horses.

WH: You just spent some time competing in Belgium – please tell us about it.

SO: I was in Europe for 3 weeks. I focused on watching the best riders in Europe and learning from their flat work and it’s fundamentals. I was coached by Chris Pratt.
I competed in Lanaken, Belgium at the Zangersheide 3* show and the biggest difference between the California shows and here was the amount of horses. The 1.40m warm up class had 179 horses, and other classes were filled with competitive riders. The courses are not huge but very technical requiring riders to shorten and lengthen in a couple strides. The show stables are all very close together allowing interaction between different riders and nations.

WH: Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions Shota.

About the author: with a background in filmmaking , fashion and contemporary art, Winter Hoffman brings a unique perspective to the equestrian world. A life long horsewoman she helped her daughter, Zazou Hoffman, navigate her way to a successful Junior career culminating in 1st place in the 2009 ASPCA Maclay Equitation Championship at the National Horse Show and second in the USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final with East Coast trainers Missy Clark and John Brennan.

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