About Aaron
With more than 170 Grand Prix wins and over three Million Dollars in prize money already in the record book, Aaron Vale’s position, as one of the greatest riders in American show jumping has ever produced, is secure and well earned. Of course, as a keen student of sport, Aaron knows all too well that records are made to be broken and history is fluid.
“I never thought about doing anything else,” says Aaron Vale of his decision to become a professional equestrian athlete. Showing since he was 8, Vale rode in his first grand prix at the age of 14. Although he grew up riding, Vale was not one of the privileged few who were showered with expensive ponies and horses to show. Instead he was a frequent catch rider, earning his rides by his show-ring success and his can-do attitude. On borrowed horses, Vale was reserve champion at all three prestigious equitation finals – the AHSA Medal, the Rolex Maclay and the USET Talent Search.
From those beginnings, this Ocala, Fla.-based rider has gone on to win dozens of grand prix and often has several horses in the top ribbons in a single class. In 1997, Vale made history as he swept the top five places in the $50,000 Grand Prix of Roanoke. A member of two Developing Riders Tours in Europe, Vale was on the winning Samsung Nation’s Cup team at the CSIO in Drammen, Norway in 2001. In 2005, he rode his way to the top for most prize money earned, winning over $500,000 in Jumper prize money. He jumped his way from 68th in the standings during the American Grand Prix Association 1999/2000 tour to 13th place in 2006, with AGA earnings that year at $36,750. Vale currently holds the records for the most grand prix wins in one year, most money won in a year, and the most double clear rounds in a year.
Career Highlights:
Three time winner of the$100,000 WIHS Presidents Cup
Multiple time winner of the $100,000 Hits Ocala Grand Prix
Three time winner of $100,000 Upperville Jumper Classic Grand Prix
Winner of $100,000 Kings Mills American Jumping Classic
Twice winner of $50,000 Indianapolis Budweiser Grand Prix
12 Time winner of the $50,000 Roanoke Valley Horse Show Grand Prix
Winner of Bayer USET Wellington Cup
Winner of Queens Cup Barcelona, Spain
Winner of Rikstoto, Norway Grand Prix
First Peca Elendom Trophy Drammen, Norway
With more than 170 Grand Prix wins and over three Million Dollars in prize money already in the record book, Aaron Vale’s position, as one of the greatest riders in American show jumping has ever produced, is secure and well earned. Of course, as a keen student of sport, Aaron knows all too well that records are made to be broken and history is fluid.
“I never thought about doing anything else,” says Aaron Vale of his decision to become a professional equestrian athlete. Showing since he was 8, Vale rode in his first grand prix at the age of 14. Although he grew up riding, Vale was not one of the privileged few who were showered with expensive ponies and horses to show. Instead he was a frequent catch rider, earning his rides by his show-ring success and his can-do attitude. On borrowed horses, Vale was reserve champion at all three prestigious equitation finals – the AHSA Medal, the Rolex Maclay and the USET Talent Search.
From those beginnings, this Ocala, Fla.-based rider has gone on to win dozens of grand prix and often has several horses in the top ribbons in a single class. In 1997, Vale made history as he swept the top five places in the $50,000 Grand Prix of Roanoke. A member of two Developing Riders Tours in Europe, Vale was on the winning Samsung Nation’s Cup team at the CSIO in Drammen, Norway in 2001. In 2005, he rode his way to the top for most prize money earned, winning over $500,000 in Jumper prize money. He jumped his way from 68th in the standings during the American Grand Prix Association 1999/2000 tour to 13th place in 2006, with AGA earnings that year at $36,750. Vale currently holds the records for the most grand prix wins in one year, most money won in a year, and the most double clear rounds in a year.
Career Highlights:
Three time winner of the$100,000 WIHS Presidents Cup
Multiple time winner of the $100,000 Hits Ocala Grand Prix
Three time winner of $100,000 Upperville Jumper Classic Grand Prix
Winner of $100,000 Kings Mills American Jumping Classic
Twice winner of $50,000 Indianapolis Budweiser Grand Prix
12 Time winner of the $50,000 Roanoke Valley Horse Show Grand Prix
Winner of Bayer USET Wellington Cup
Winner of Queens Cup Barcelona, Spain
Winner of Rikstoto, Norway Grand Prix
First Peca Elendom Trophy Drammen, Norway
THINKSLIKEAHORSE
Aaron Vale Inc.
PO Box 1030
Williston, FL 32696
352-804-4388
PO Box 1030
Williston, FL 32696
352-804-4388
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Although Aaron is an active grand prix rider he also offers the opportunity for boarding, training, and coaching in the Ocala area during the winter season. Students are also welcomed to come along as we head north in the summer to the Midwest Region, mainly traveling to Kentucky, Virginia, and New York. He has created a program that incorporates focusing on training both the horse and rider to be successful in the show ring.
The development of the barn name "Thinkslikeahorse" came from a computer illiterate mistake by Aaron. By accident Aaron was signing up for an aol email account and somehow in the days of dial up he was disconnected from his original idea of "Think like a Horse" being derived from words of wisdom in the way you should train a tough horse, is to think like one. Hence, the only option left available for his email account was "Thinkslikeahorse" with an s intertwined. A catchy saying was then turned into a barn name, under which all of Aaron, and his wife Mallory, horses are owned by.
The development of the barn name "Thinkslikeahorse" came from a computer illiterate mistake by Aaron. By accident Aaron was signing up for an aol email account and somehow in the days of dial up he was disconnected from his original idea of "Think like a Horse" being derived from words of wisdom in the way you should train a tough horse, is to think like one. Hence, the only option left available for his email account was "Thinkslikeahorse" with an s intertwined. A catchy saying was then turned into a barn name, under which all of Aaron, and his wife Mallory, horses are owned by.
