Lauren Hough

Lauren Hough started riding at an early age as the daughter of Champ Hough, a 1952 Olympic bronze medalist in eventing, and Linda Hough, a Hunter Hall of Fame trainer and rider. Her parents ran Sutton Place, a show stable on the west coast where Lauren began riding.

Hough competed in jumping at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She was also a four-time Pan American Games medalist, winning a gold medal in 2003 team jumping, and bronze medals in 2007 and 2015 team jumping, and an individual jumping bronze in 2015. She also competed multiple times at the World Equestrian Games and seven times at the FEI World Cup Final.

In 2009 Hough started riding full-time on the European Circuit, and based her training out of there, which was unusual at the time. She also ran training stables in England and Wellington, Florida.