Somewhere in a small Louisiana town outside New Orleans resides a bay gelding named Crescent City Classic. He wears a small crescent star on his forehead just off center to his right side. Though he’s close to being plain he’s anything but ordinary.
I had the pleasure of watching this horse in August at the Kentucky American Eventing Championships. As I waited for Suzanne and Tiger to warm up and leave the start-box the announcer introduced this horse. I knew I needed to know more.
Crescent City Classic, or “Cres”, is a bay Holsteiner/Thoroughbred born July 25 1997. He is by Columbus and out of Miss Ariztar. When I saw him in Kentucky he was 27 years old and taking on a championship cross country course in 100+ degree Kentucky heat. It was his 100th cross country start and he had the fitness and fire of a horse half his age.
Emily (Embree) Jackson is Crescent’s current owner. She bought him years ago from the Hall of Fame eventer Mike Huber and owner of Gold Chip Stables where a young rider named Katherine brought him up the levels. Mike had even shown Crescent a few times, winning 2nd at the Training level and 1st at preliminary. He ran intermediate in 2004 and his first advanced with Katherine in 2006. His partnership with Katherine appears to end in 2006 (except for 1 more trials in 2008) when a few others and Mike himself took the ride. Emily took over in 2010 to begin their story.
Emily describes meeting and trying Crescent like many of us might own about our own horses. “I just knew.” Crescent was a kind horse and happy to teach. He can take a joke but certainly gets annoyed if make the same mistake twice. Emily rode Crescent in her first preliminary, and her first Intermediate events.
Emily describes Crescent as the type of event horse who tolerates dressage so he can get to the jumping. He often trots through his free walk but has mellowed in his old age.
By 2014 it was apparent that Crescent was ready for a slow down. As many of us well understand horses are expensive and owning two was out of the question at the time. Emily placed Crescent with a Pennsylvania family so he could help take his next kid through the lower levels. He was happy to run novice right into his 20th year. He then took some time off.
In 2021 the family in Pennsylvania realized Crescent wasn’t living his best life in the harsh northern winters. Emily brought him back home to Louisiana. He brought one of her lesson students to her first beginner novice event in 2023.
Emily took him around a few courses in 2024 after having a tough previous year. “It was like putting on your favorite pair of shoes.” They came back together reunited and like no time had passed. At Chatt Hills Easter Weekend they took home 2nd place out of 98 entries. They placed 4th at Majestic Oaks.
Because the pair was overqualified for AECs, Emily’s friend Lorri showed him at the championships in Kentucky.
Last year Crescent City Classic was recognized as Reserve Champion of Beginner Novice Open Recognized Horse Trials of Southern Eventing and Dressage Association (SEDA), Reserve Champion on Beginner Novice Adult Amateur Schooling Horse Trials, Reserve Cham[ion of Beginner Novice Jr Combined Test, 3rd in the Starter Combined Test, and 6th in 2′ Combined Test.
Crescent currently enjoys evening turnout with a 4-year old thoroughbred sales horse as his companion. He’s a great babysitter with Emily’s younger horses and still works happily 4-5 days a week with Emily’s younger riders.
He’s a grump about tacking up but otherwise can be a total treat hound. His favorite snack is Swedish Fish.
Emily (Embree) Jackson is the owner of Elite Rhythm Eventing out of Hunters Bluff Farm in Louisiana. Her services include lessons, sales, training, coaching, and PEMF therapy.
Emily found eventing at ten years old after starting in the hunter jumper world when she was six. She belonged to the Cantering Cajuns Pony Club and earned her C2 certification and earned 2nd in the 2005 Showjumping Championships.
Interestingly enough Emily worked briefly in Granville NY as a farm manager, Granville is about 1 hour north of me. She left NY to work for Will Coleman for a while. Later she worked closer to home in LA, and took another move to the opposite side of the country in Oregon. Now she runs her own program in Louisiana.
I love seeing stories like Crescent’s. At rising 28 he is strong, healthy, fit, and happy. His owners have all done right by him to ensure his best life. I strongly feel that horses enjoy routine and having a job as long as their bodies allow it. Emily has been a fantastic advocate for him and listens to what he needs, which is why this former advanced horse can continue what he’s doing at 28 years old.
Champions aren’t always the ones taking home ribbons.
“Champions are not the one who always win the race….’Champion’ is a state of mind.”
Simon Sinek
The Green Horseman 
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