Samuelle W Leerkamp

Samuelle W. Leerkamp, a young Midwest-based equestrian

An equestrian journey that started with a GROUPON gift for 3 horse back riding lessons at a neighboring barn in Zionsville, IN for her 8th birthday...

At age 15, 2025 show season

Second show season with Havoc/Malacrianza, Sam's very own off the track thoroughbred- taking on a second career in the jumping ring and loving it!

Still technically 14/yo when she qualified for and attended the USHJA Gold Star Clinic at WEC Ocala back in January, making for a memorable and enlightening start to the new season!

2025 USHJA Gold Star Clinic ⭐ #USHJAgoldstarclinic

Samuelle & Malacrianza were zone 5's TOP qualifiers for USHJA Zone Championships with the most accumulated points and their team made podium as Reserve Champions 🥈

GO team Samuelle, Malacrianza & Trainer, Emily Farmer!

2025 Show Season >>

At age 14, 2024 show season

HUGE development and growth for Samuelle this season as it is her FIRST time working on and showing with her very first own horse: Malacrianza/Havoc (OTTB) who's still green at the horse show life after the race track, with minimal jumping experience and show ground exposure. Lots of training, desensitizing and growing into a new team even though tragic personal circumstances (us parents getting hit and thrown off the highway in Belgium, severely impairing Samuelle's grandmother,) required several returns back to Belgium: meaning less available time and funds spent on show grounds competing.

Well done team Samuelle, Malacrianza & Trainer, Emily Farmer!

2024 Show Season / Highlight 1.10m jumpers at Kentucky Nationals >>

USHJA Zone 5 "HOTY" Horse Of The Year 2024

(including all riders in Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois & Indiana)

- 2nd in the 1m Junior Jumpers division 🥈

- 3rd in 1.10m Junior Jumpers division 🥉 -- with only 8 competitions under her belt as opposed to 13 or 15 shows competed in by first and second place!

2024 USHJA Las Vegas Nationals rated division:

- 1m OPEN (all ages) Jumpers National CHAMPIONS 🥇🥇🥇

- 3rd in 1m Junior Jumpers National Grand Prix 🥉

- 5th in 1m Junior Jumpers National division

2024 T.I.P. Thoroughbred Incentive Program:

- T.I.P. Inner Central Division CHAMPIONS 🥇

- T.I.P. Overall Reserve CHAMPIONS 🥈

- T.I.P. Junior Rider Reserve CHAMPIONS 🥈

At age 13, 2023 show season

Samuelle & Idol of Kings (OTTB) explored new goals & out of State show grounds for bigger competition... Finishing the season by reaching the ultimate dream goal of achieving NATIONAL AFFILIATE CHAMPIONS in BOTH the Children's jumper divisions they competed in throughout the year (17yo & under) with trainer Emily Farmer.

USHJA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS in Las Vegas:

- .80m National CHAMPIONS 🥇

- .90m National CHAMPIONS 🥇

- .90m jumpers Grand Prix Winners🥇

- USHJA Outreach Gold Level 🥇

- 2023 T.I.P. National Junior Rider CHAMPION of the year! 🥇

- T.I.P. Jumpers National Champions 🥇

- T.I.P. Low Jumpers Champions, Central 🥇

- T.I.P. Intermediate Jumpers Reserve Champions, Central 🥈

- IHJA, twice Reserve State CHAMPIONS, a third and two fourth places State wide 🥈🥈

At age 12, 2022 show season

Samuelle achieved USHJA Outreach High Point Scorer for Zone 5 and all of US Zones combined:

winning the Golden Backstage Pass at USHJA Nationals (affiliates) where they placed:

TOP 2 in Children's jumper divisions (17yo & under) with Idol of Kings (OTTB) and trainer Emily Farmer:

- .80m National Reserve CHAMPIONS 🥈

- .90m National Reserve CHAMPION 🥈

- .90m jumpers Grand Prix Winners 🥇

and was awarded:

- 2022 T.I.P. National Junior Rider CHAMPION! 🥇

- 4 times IHJA State CHAMPION 🥇🥇🥇🥇 & twice Reserve CHAMPIONS 🥈🥈

- Overall IHJA High Point Jumper CHAMPIONS with Idol of Kings (OTTB) 🥇

- Overall IHJA Reserve High Point Jumper CHAMPIONS with Be Sorta Bad (OTTB) 🥈

At age 11, 2021 show season

Samuelle & Rooster/Be Sorta Bad (OTTB) achieved USHJA Outreach's second High Point Scorer for Zone 5: Winning the Golden Backstage Pass at USHJA Nationals (affiliates) where Samuelle & Idol of Kings (OTTB) won their division's national championship with trainer Emily Farmer!

- .70m USHJA Nationals CHAMPIONS (Children's jumper 17yo & under) 🥇

- 3 times IHJA State Champion 🥇🥇🥇 & twice Reserve CHAMPIONS 🥈🥈

- IEA High Point Rider, flat for Zones 5 (ZEQ - Zionsville Equestrian Team) 🥇

From age 8 through 10

After being introduced to horseback riding through her 8th birthday Groupon, Samuelle very quickly if not instantly fell in love with horses and submerged herself into their world becoming what is referred to as a true "barn rat."

Who's writing?

Hi! I'm mom, the "narrator." I grew up in BXL, Belgium and lived in BIG CITIES my whole life (BXL, Amsterdam and San Francisco) before moving to Indianapolis, IN. With English as a third language, the "horse language" is a fourth that I speak at toddler level by now -so I tag my husband in (who grew up playing soccer here in Indiana,) when it comes to helping her figure out the rule book and regulations. I resort to contributing and supporting her in the ways that I know best. Having majored in the arts, I used to build websites to make ends meet and have always loved photography, so documenting her journey is one of those contributions along with chauffeuring, sponsoring, providing horsies with treats, mucking, grooming and being Samuelle/s biggest fan. GO SAM!

~Deborah Jacobs @ripplebnb @broadripplefloweralley

Mom: Deborah Jacobs & dad: Alan Leerkamp.

Mom & dad trying to figure this horse thing out!!

Welcome to

Sam's equestrian journey