Todd and Gracie Griffiths are no strangers to the vaulting arena. Todd has deep roots in the sport, including representing the United States at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. Twenty years later, he is set to return to Aachen for what will be his final international competition. This time, however, there is a special twist: his daughter, Gracie, will be his partner in their pas de deux freestyle.
“Working with Gracie is almost subconscious,” Todd said. “There are times we don't have to communicate something. We already know what the
other one is thinking. There's also a different level of trust there. When Gracie tells me she's going to do something, I know she's going to do it. She's all in.”
Gracie describes vaulting with her dad as “seamless.” Having spent much of her career competing in team events, she considers Todd both her favorite and easiest teammate. Their bond and trust allow them to work together naturally and adapt quickly to the needs of their horse.
The lessons the duo share extend far beyond the vaulting ring.
“A big lesson he's taught me in vaulting and in life is giving one hundred percent and trying your best at something,” Gracie said. “Just really giving it your all.”
Todd and Gracie have been working toward their goal of competing at the 2026 FEI Vaulting World Championships for years. While they are performance focused, their drive extends beyond the competition itself.
“We are both very competitive in the sense that we want to do really well,” Todd said. “But doing well is not the only thing we care about. We want to do well together and with our horse. We want to be present and focus on what's important to us.” For the Griffiths family, success is measured by having a safe and clean performance and maintaining a strong partnership with their horse.
Competing at the FEI World Championships is the culmination of years of hard work for many athletes and horses. For Todd and Gracie, Aachen represents something even bigger: a celebration of family, legacy, and the people who made their journey possible.
Their freestyle is a homage to all the horse lovers in their family. Inspired by the song My Body iIs a Cage, their performance explores the idea that passion and love can be passed from one generation to the next.
The message has become especially meaningful this year. Todd's mother, who first introduced horses to the family, passed away this spring. A talented seamstress with a love for music and theater, she created the outfit he will wear in Aachen, the same suit he wore years ago when he and Gracie first performed together.
“We wanted to portray that something you love doesn't have to be limited by your physical body,” Todd said. “It's passed from generation to generation.”
Years from now, medals and results will not be what Todd remembers most. “It’s important for me to look back on this event as say, ’this was a whole family event,’” he said. “Even though not all of them are necessarily there physically, in spirit the whole family is there.”
As they prepare to take to the world stage together one final time, the Griffitts's will represent family, tradition, and the enduring bond that horses have created across generations.