The FEI North American Youth Dressage Championships, presented by USDF, is considered one of the most exciting weeks of the year for many young athletes, but for Region 6 Young Rider Olivia Martz, it has also become a week of remembrance and celebration for a different reason.
Born into a horsey family, Martz was surrounded by horses the moment she opened her eyes, and she learned to walk at NAYC while her mother was teaching students from the in-gate. Growing up immersed in the sport, Martz learned how to ride on a variety of horses, including some “naughty ponies.” While she gave dancing and track a try at school, she found herself back in the barn alongside her mother and aunt as they operated Kellenbrook Farms in Gig Harbor, Wash.
Martz’s mother, Brooke Irving-Martz, had a passion for developing young riders and promoting dressage to youth athletes within her community. Involved with the Youth Outreach Clinic and serving as Chef d’Equipe for Region 6 at NAYC for many years, Kellenbrook Farms became a place of opportunity for many. When Irving-Martz passed away in 2025, her legacy remained stamped within the barn aisle and her daughter’s heart.
“I've been fortunate to grow up in a horse-focused family,” said Martz. “Our barn has always been about creating opportunities for kids who don't always have access to certain resources, and that has been such an amazing part of my life.”
In 2025, Martz attended NAYC for the first time without her mother cheering from the sidelines. She was able to honor her mother’s legacy when she presented the inaugural Brook Irving-Martz “Pursuit of Excellence” Trophy to Grace Christianson. Memorializing her mother with this award not only keeps Irving-Martz alive in NAYC tradition, but it allows Martz to enter the ring knowing her mother’s legacy will always be remembered. While it was hard to attend their favorite shared event without her, Martz was never truly alone.
“I remember Lexi [Kment] being there for me and giving me a big hug after I cried through my interview,” she said, “I am so grateful for the opportunities I have, and the people who have supported me so much along the way, especially through some really difficult times in my life.”
Through all the highs and lows, Martz made it clear the team aspect makes NAYC truly special. From organizing travel plans to creating the team’s golf cart design, it’s the friends and family you leave with that make it the most memorable.
“Building a relationship with your teammates, even before you ever get to NAYC, really creates a community. For Region 6, we're all very interconnected because we have to create the best trip possible for ourselves,” she explained. “We work together to find different sponsors and figure out what we're going to do for the golf cart parade. It’s special to make these relationships, even if you're not on the same team.”
Whether you learn something about yourself or learn a new skill in the saddle, NAYC isn’t just a week of friendships; it's a week of growth for young athletes alike. It’s shaped Martz into the person she is today.
“It allows young riders to experience that level of competition and pressure that they'll be experiencing if that's what they choose to do in the future,” she said. “It’s also been an opportunity for me to learn how to redefine success. I realized it’s never been about the medal I win; it's the people that you're with. The people I’m there with mean so much more than any medal ever could, and walking away from NAYC, that's what I remember most.”
Martz’s deep understanding of sportsmanship and treating everyone with kindness and respect earned her the 2025 Style Award donated by Brian and Penny Ross in conjunction with Bel Cavallo.
Heading into her fourth NAYC, this year looks a little different than Martz had originally thought. She planned to take her own longtime partner, Rihanna Ymas, a 2008 German-bred mare (Relius x Akira), until an untimely injury put that idea on the sidelines. Pivoting, Martz turned to Fresco LD, a 2010 KWPN gelding (Ampere x Trento B) owned by Kathleen Politakis. Just four months ago she was approached by her aunt’s client, “Kitty,” who offered her the ride on the gelding.
“I’m so grateful to Kitty; she was so gracious and said to me, ‘I want to give you this opportunity on Fresco,’ and it’s been a super quick turnaround to go from not riding him at all to qualifying for the Young Rider team,” said Martz.
Qualifying for NAYC in four months is no small feat, and heartbroken by no longer having her partner Rhianna with her every step of the way, it took some tears and a lot of dedicated time in and out of the saddle to kickstart their partnership.
“He's kind of introverted by nature, but he's one of those horses that once you earn his trust, he will do anything for you, and I feel like we're on the verge of really clicking,” she explained. “He’s so particular, but it's really rewarding when I get it right. It's been a bit of a process, but I know that it'll be amazing, and I'm not going to stop until I figure it out.
“He’s really sweet once you get to know him more, and you bribe him with some carrots and sugar cubes. He has big lips and always tries to nibble on you; that’s his form of endearment,” Martz said.
Letting go of expectations and the need to be perfect all the time is something many athletes struggle with, and Martz is no different. It’s been a learning curve finding the balance between perfectionism and enjoying the journey, but it fuels her to keep going every single day.
“Fresco is a horse that you must have confidence for, and when I'm second-guessing myself, the self-doubt creeps in, and I start thinking ‘I don't understand why this isn't working today,’” she said. “He feels the pressure I put on both of us, and then he loses his confidence, but I don't think that it’s a bad thing. Learning how to ride different horses is part of being in this industry, and it's a real place for growth and has been a great challenge for me.”
Throughout the struggles of connecting with her new partner, Martz remains excited to return to an event she shared with her mom. To her, this week is the second-best holiday, after Christmas, of course, and none of it would be possible without her love of horses and passion for the sport.
“Dressage, through all the struggles I’ve had, has been the one place in my life that doesn't fall apart. It’s the one place that I always feel like I can succeed, and it’s what keeps me going every day,” she said.
“When my mom was sick, I would spend all afternoon at the barn up until 10 o’clock at night, and she would finally call me saying, ‘Olivia, you have to come up to the house; it’s bedtime,’” Martz laughed. “I think they're also my coping mechanism, Rihanna, especially; she helped me deal with a lot. Horses have been an outlet for all the hard things in life.”
Throughout the struggles and hardships Martz has faced, she has always remained true to herself. Centered with kindness and understanding, she continues to be the caring and hardworking girl her mother raised her to be, and with that, her mother’s legacy will always be carried upon Martz’s heart the moment she trots down centerline.