January 4, 2023 
Skylar Wireman launched her professional career at Desert International Horse Park on Wednesday from precisely where her junior career ended—on top.
The 18-year-old California native was named the Junior Equestrian of the Year in 2022, after collecting wins in the USHJA Gladstone Cup Equitation Classic — West, the World Equestrian Center Premier Equitation Cup, and four titles at the Capital Challenge Horse Show. (Those included Overall Grand Junior Hunter 3’6” Champion, High Point Junior Hunter 16-17 Champion, Small Junior Hunter 16-17 Champion, and Best Junior 3’6” Rider Award.)
Her pro-career is off to an equally impressive start. Wireman made her professional debut in the first class of 2023 Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA, and jumped straight to the top of the leaderboard, logging a one-two finish in the Whittier Trust Welcome Speed 1.35m.
“It was the first class I did this week and it was my first win as a pro, so it was pretty good!” she smiled.
Wireman rode four horses in Ken Krome’s speed course. It was her third mount, Coolio 23, that set the time to beat, crossing the timers in an efficient 50.605 seconds.
“Coolio has a massive stride. With him, my plan is always to shave off time where I can without having to go faster necessarily,” she said. “So I shave off time by taking the bend out of the lines and [tightening] a couple of turns. He turns really well, so I use that to my advantage. He lands and turns on a dime.”
Their time was nearly two seconds faster than the rest of the 29-horse field. Until, that is, the penultimate combination took to the field—Wireman on Karen. Crossing the timers just a tenth of second slower, she claimed second place in the class as well. Mark Kinsella (IRL) and La Capitol took third.
Wireman has been partnered with Coolio 23 since March, originally taking on the 16-year-old Oldenburg gelding as a catch ride in an effort to qualify for the Youth Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. The 2* class didn’t go their way that day and the pair collected 28 faults.
“He was a little bit tricky ride when I got him and I got run away with in the first class I did. So it was kind of a learning curve to figure him out. It was definitely a rocky start,” she shared.
Fast forward to November, Wireman contested her first ever CSI4*-W in Las Vegas on Coolio 23 and jumped clear in the 1.45m Two-Phase to finish second and collected a single fault in the Table A Speed at the same height.
Wireman credits down time at home and a bridle change with helping to develop their relationship.
“I’ve gotten to know him over the past almost a year now,” she explained. “After we got him home [in April], we just hung out and let him down because he had been in Germany, so he just hacked around at home and trail rode. Then when we started showing again, we figured out the right bridle and we went from there.
“He’s really become quite a special horse. We definitely have a relationship now, so that’s awesome.”
Wednesday’s win was also a first for Coolio.
“This was his first class [at Desert Horse Park], so I wasn’t sure [how it would go],” Wireman said. “Usually he’s better in smaller indoor [arenas], so I wasn’t sure how he would jump. I’ve never ridden him in that ring and he was phenomenal, so I was thrilled.”
Catch all the action live from the Desert Circuit on DIHP TV.
