Georgina Bloomberg
Kathy Russel
GEORGINA BLOOMBERG is the younger daughter of New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg. An accomplished equestrian, Georgina is on the board of directors of the Equestrian Aid Foundation, is an ASPCA Equine Welfare Ambassador, and is the founder of the charity The Rider’s Closet, which collects used riding clothes for collegiate riding teams that are unable to afford them. She also sits on the boards of the Bloomberg Sisters and Bloomberg Family foundations. Georgina is a graduate of New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.
Georgina is donating a portion of her proceeds from this book to the Equestrian Aid Foundation.
CATHERINE HAPKA has published many books for children and young adults, including several about horses. A lifelong horse lover, she rides several times per week and keeps three horses on her small farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania. In addition to writing and riding, she enjoys animals of all kinds, reading, gardening, music, and travel.
BONUS ROUND
A NOTE FROM GEORGINA BLOOMBERG
I have always loved that all kinds of people are attracted to and involved in the show circuit. It doesn’t matter where you come from or how you grew up, showing horses brings people together and gives them something to share. When I was younger, I was blessed to ride at a barn with a large group of other riders my age. We came from different towns, different financial backgrounds, and different kinds of families, but none of that mattered. We were all riders who shared the common bond of love for horses and being at the barn. We spent as much time as we could together—riding, planning sleepovers, and scheming about the trouble we could get into. Playing pranks on each other, hanging out in the office and giving the secretaries a hard time, and running off on trail rides when we were supposed to be cleaning tack or schooling a horse for a show were part of a normal day for us. The barn was like a second home—our escape from whatever pressures we had at school or with our family, and we loved it. A number of the kids I learned to ride with (and got into trouble with!) are still great friends of mine, and the days we spent showing together provided us with a bond that will never fade away.
Many people have asked which character I see as the most like myself in this story. On the surface, it would be Tommi, but the truth is that I can relate to each main character. I know what it’s like to question your talent, like Kate, or feel conflicted about balancing your social life with the pressures of competing on the circuit, like Zara. And most important, I can relate to the way they support one another. That is truly based on my own friends. No matter how poorly a class went or what was going on in our lives away from the barn, we were always there to cheer for one another—or cheer one another up. Riding may be an individual sport, but my friends and I made ourselves into a team.
Now that I am older and have my own operation, I think of my barn as my team. We have many members who each contribute a vital part to our efforts at the shows and at home. From the vet to the grooms to my trainer, each person is crucial to what I can accomplish in the ring. It’s reassuring and inspiring to know that I have so much support behind me. No successful rider gets to the top on her own!
I know firsthand that life on the show circuit can be hard, but when you learn to appreciate the good days, brush off the bad ones as learning experiences, and draw support from your fellow riders, it can also be great! The show circuit has started to change Zara’s attitude, given Tommi the ability to prove herself, and helped Kate feel comfortable and confident. Now, the question is, will they use what they’ve learned in the show ring or get into more trouble? Only time will tell!
Copyright © 2011 by Georgina Bloomberg and Catherine Hapka
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
First published in the United States of America in May 2011
by Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers
E-book edition published in May 2011
www.bloomsburyteens.com
For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Bloomsbury BFYR, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010
The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:
Bloomberg, Georgina.
The A circuit / by Georgina Bloomberg & Catherine Hapka. — 1st U.S. ed.
p. cm.
Summary: A billionaire heiress, a working student, and the daughter of a famous rock star
compete on horseback riding’s elite A circuit.
ISBN 978-1-59990-634-8 (paperback) • ISBN 978-1-59990-641-6 (hardcover)
[1. Horse shows—Fiction. 2. Horsemanship—Fiction. 3. Friendship—Fiction. 4. Wealth—Fiction.] I. Hapka, Catherine. II. Title.
PZ7.B62345Aam 2011 [E]—dc22 2011000562
ISBN 978-1-59990-688-1 (e-book)
The A Circuit Page 22
