Jessica Grutkowski

2 months ago | sidelinesmagazine.com | Jessica Grutkowski |Michelle Greene

By Jessica GrutkowskiPhotos by Sophia DonohueIt’s not every day that you meet anyone—let alone a talented adult amateur equestrian—who spends her weekdays in New York’s Suffolk County Police Department solving real-life crime. But for as long as she can remember, Alexandra Beyrer always dreamed of becoming a police officer. “Even as a little girl, I was brave—nearly to a fault,” Alex said.

2 months ago | sidelinesmagazine.com | Jessica Grutkowski |Michelle Greene

By Jessica GrutkowskiPortraits by Sophia DonohueMatthew Boddy has become such a familiar name on the scoreboard at Wellington International that it’s hard to believe the FEI show jumper once felt like a fish out of water walking the very same show grounds. As a young boy living in Northern England, Matthew remembers the exact moment he fell in love with horses. It was 1988, and 5-year-old Matthew was heading to the Royal International Horse Show to see his mom, Diane, at work.

Jan 14, 2025 | sidelinesmagazine.com | Jessica Grutkowski |Michelle Green

By Jessica GrutkowskiPortraits by Molly KennedyLeslie Butzer founded Ponies & Palms Show Stables—aptly named, as a pony breeding operation based in Boca Raton, Florida—in the 1990s with the goal of breeding championship hunter ponies. “When I first got started in the breeding world, I quickly realized that many ponies were bred for in-hand showing.

Mar 10, 2024 | sidelinesmagazine.com | Jessica Grutkowski |Elliette Baker

By Jessica GrutkowskiPortraits by Shawna WhittyOn the heels of her jumping CSI1* classes all over Europe last year, 28-year-old Alexandra Crown has a bright future. Like many talented athletes, Alex is incredibly disciplined, resilient and focused; but her road to the top took a serious detour when she suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), leaving her bedridden and unable to speak.

Feb 17, 2024 | sidelinesmagazine.com | Jessica Grutkowski |Elliette Baker

By Jessica GrutkowskiPortraits by Melissa FullerAn old soul in every sense, Leah Drew exudes the kind of maturity, poise and sportsmanship you don’t often see in young riders. At only 17 years old, Leah has competed at the FEI and Young Rider levels, earning top scores at National Finals, and was ranked number one in her division in 2022. Leah was born into the sport. Her grandmother always loved horses and dreamed of owning her own farm.