Pace Paw Print

Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Sports

Alex Pandolfi- Welcome Paw Print Readers to this week's Setter Stage. This week I interview Julia Freeman, a junior and co-captain of Pace's equestrian team, or la squadra l'equitazione, since Freeman minors in Italian. So Julia, has horse riding been a life long thing for you, or is it just something you took up recently?

Julia Freeman- I rode when I was eight, and I dibble dabbled a bit. Then when I came here I joined the equestrian team, so altogether I guess it has been four years.

AP- Ok, now I know what equestrian is but I'm sure there are going to be some people reading this that have no clue. So just give me a brief statement of what equestrian is, you can elaborate more in a minute.

JF- Equestrian is simply horseback riding and horsemanship.

AP- I'm definitely not one of these people, but some people could argue that equestrian is not a sport. Care to prove them wrong?

JF- Yes, it is a sport. Equestrian is an Olympic event, and it's a lot harder than it looks. It's not just getting on a horse and riding away.

AP- Alright, that's convincing to me. Have you ever had any major injuries from equestrian?

JF- No major injuries, knock on wood.

AP- Yeah, I'll knock on wood for you too, that's good to hear. Have you played any other sports, or has it all been about horses?

JF- I played tennis for a while. I went to tennis camp and I dibble dabbled playing basketball in middle school.

AP- So, do you have your own horse?

JF- I don't. It takes up a lot of time and money to own one.

AP- So let's say you do get a horse at some point, and you have the time and money. What are you naming the horse?

JF- I actually have three names in my head, Accapella, Cavalier, or Saggezza.

AP- There might be more, but off the top of my head I can think of two types of mythological horses, a Unicorn and a Pegasus. If you could own either one, which would it be?

JF- It would be a Pegasus, because to fly and ride a horse at the same time would be delicious.

AP- I love the words you're giving me here. Delicious, dibble dabble, I love it. So Julia, it was Valentine's Day exactly one week ago. We had a discussion about this at a Paw Print meeting, but I want your opinion. What is the worst love movie?

JF- Probably Gigli, it was just horrible.

AP- Let's go to the other side of the spectrum, what do you think is the best love movie?

JF- I have three, A Walk to Remember, Wedding Crashers, and the whole Jerry McGuire "you had me at hello" thing is just cheesy at its best.

AP- What is the worst gift you have ever received for Valentine's Day?

JF- On Valentine's Day in 2004 I was in a car accident and I fractured my back, my L5. It was a gift and a curse.

AP- Wow, you can definitely say that again. Alright, enough with Valentine's, we need to move onto the next holiday. I see Easter decorations all over the place, but some people display the green for St. Patrick's Day which occurs soon before. Is St. Patrick's Day a holiday to you?

JF- It's a holiday but it's not as significant as Easter is.

AP- It's time for the question I love and ask every week. Julia, give me three celebrities dead or alive, that you are dying to have dinner with.

JF- Shoshana Bean, Catherine Zeta Jones and Will Smith.

AP- Let me give you a choice with this one. Which would you rather be too hot or too cold?

JF- Too cold, you can always bundle up, or get a space heater.

AP- I fully agree with you on that one. I'm going to give you one more equestrian question. Do you do anything superstitious before a riding event?

JF- I don't believe anything I can do, or wear can make me or my horse perform better. I don't really believe in superstitions.

AP- I have one more question Julia. Tell me something about yourself that very few people know about you.

JF- I like to ballroom dance. I took lessons but my occupation this past summer didn't allow the time for it, but I have started back up recently.

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