Lillie Carmichael Keenan is one of the country's most well-known junior riders. She made history at the 2007 USEF Pony Finals when she won all three regular pony hunter divisions on Blackberry, Enchanted Forest, and Vanity Fair. In 2008, she won five out of the six possible championships on Sparkle Plenty, Happy Meal, Bracewood's Camelot, Neverland, and Vanity Fair and was reserve champion in the medal. In 2010, at thirteen, Lillie won the WIHS Equitation Classic Finals on Uno. She has been in the top ten at the ASPCA Maclay Finals twice and won her regional in 2011. At Junior Hunter Finals 2011, she won both the small and large younger junior hunter divisions on Confidential and Madison. Lillie also won the $100,000 2011 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals on C Coast Z, beating out the sport's top professionals, including Scott Stewart and Patricia Griffith (who also happens to be her trainer).

In 2012, Lillie returned to the USHJA Hunter Derby Finals and placed sixth overall and third in the handy round on Monterrey, getting all 10 handy bonus points across the board. She was once again named the top junior rider. Lillie was also 15th overall on Kid Rock.

Lillie started riding when she was seven at Claremont Riding Academy in New York City. Neither of her two older siblings wanted to ride, but Lillie was inspired by the pictures she saw of her mom riding. She tried various sports, but ended up choosing riding. When Claremont closed, she moved to Heritage, where she currently trains. There, she began showing in the children's pony divisions before moving up to dominate the regular pony divisions.

Lillie's advice to aspiring young riders is to watch and learn from everybody who goes into the ring and to spend time with your horse.

Though she's only fourteen, Lillie has been champion in the pony divisions at every major show in the country, including Pony Finals, WIHS, Capital Challenge and Devon. She currently does the big eq, junior hunters and junior jumpers. Lillie currently rides with Patricia Griffith and Andre Dignelli of Heritage Farm in Katonah, NY.

Ponies/Horses:

For a list of the horses and ponies Lillie currently owns, or has previously owned, see Chansonette Farm LLC.

Lillie has ridden:

• Logan
• Genuine
• Neverland
• Vanity Fair
• Sparkle Plenty
• Oompa Loompa
• Rolling Stone
• Enchanted Forest
• Dreamworks
• High Cotton
• Center Field
• Valedictorian
• North Country
• Castle
• Red Robin
• Believe
• Blackberry
• Ingenue
• Happy Meal
• Bracewood's Camelot
• Chaconne
• Aspen Spring
• Triple Threat
• Violets Are Blue
• Chloe
• Pink Floyd
• Uno
• Massimo
• C Coast Z
• Madison
• Capetown
• Make My Day
• Light Up The Year
• Beau Rivage
• Blu Venture Rainbeau
• Blue Cowboy
• Highland's Castle
• Woodland's Love-N-Happiness
• Foxlair Infinity
• Debutante
• Clever Endeavor
• Satin
• Mystical Magic
• Sir Neel
• Enso
• Confidential
• Andiamo
• Sanderson
• Winter Place
• Veronieque
• Celtic
• Ubertus
• Charlie Z
• Texas
• Adonis
• Aramis
• Coasting
• Aragon
• Bold Venture
• Ooh La La
• Vanhattan
• Davis Cup
• Mapleside Dolcetto
• Woodland's Misty Rain
• Sonduetta
• Shine
• Matrix
• Touch of Silver
• City Kitty
• Smoke Screen
• Party Til Dawn
• Or De Vay
• Chance Of A Lifetime
• Viorello
• Grand All Over
• Emerson
• Hillcrest Blue Winsome
• Hands Up
• Rock the Boat
• After Dark
• For the Laughter
• Tee Time
• Cruise
• Braveheart
• Valentino
• Northwind's Times Square
• So Ho
• High Line
• Wundine
• Zycarla Z
• Monterrey
• Atlantic
• Arico
• Heads Up
• Bases Loaded
• Bold Venture
• Kosta
• Zentina B

Quotes:

• Sometimes you don't get what you deserve, but alos you won't always do as well as you deserved. Judging is subjective, unfortunately that is the way it works. Life is not always fair.
• On winning derby finals: I just didn't even know what was going on, it was like I was dreaming!

Accomplishments:

2012

• Champion: Large Jr Hunters 15 & Under (WEF 7) - Arico
• Champion: Sm Jr Hunters 15 & Under (WEF 5) - High Line
• Champion: Lg Jr Hunters 15 & Under (WEF 3) - C Coast Z
• Champion: Sm Jr Hunters 15 & Under (WEF 2) - So Ho
• Champion: Sm Jr Hunters 15 & Under (WEF 1) - So Ho
• 1st: USEF Talent Search (WEF 2) - Monterrey
• Reserve Champion: Lg Jr Hunters 15 & Under (WEF 5) - Arico
• Reserve Champion: Sm Jr Hunters 15 & Under (WEF 2) - High Line
• Reserve Champion: Lg Jr Hunters 15 & Under (WEF 2) - C Coast Z

2011

• 1st: Zone 2 ASPCA Maclay Regionals
• Grand Champion: Jr Hunter Finals - Confidential
  • Champion: Small Jr Hunters 15 & Under
• Champion: Large Jr Hunters 15 & Under (Jr Hunter Finals) - Madison
• 1st: $100,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals (Bluegrass Festival) - C Coast Z
  • 5th: Qualifying Round
  • 2nd: Classic Round
  • 1st: Handy Round
• 1st: Canine Partners for Life Mini-Prix (Brandywine) - Vanhattan
• 1st: ASPCA Maclay Section B (Devon) - Sanderson
• 1st: Jr/AO Jumper Classic (Brandywine) - Firework
• National Horse Show
  • 1st: SJHF Jr/AO Jumper Classic - Vanhattan
  • 1st: High Jr/AO Jumper - Vanhattan
  • 1st: High Jr/AO Jumper - Vanhattan
  • Champion: Lg Jr Hunters - C Coast Z
• Champion: Lg Jr Hunters (WIHS) - C Coast Z
• Reserve Champion: Sm Jr Hunters (WIHS) - Confidential

2010

• 1st: WIHS Equitation Classic Finals (WIHS) - Uno
• 1st: WIHS Equitation Classic (Vermont Summer Festival) - Valedictorian
• 2nd: USEF (Devon)
• 3rd: WIHS (Devon)
• 5th: ASPCA Maclay Finals - Uno

2009

• 6th: WIHS Eq Finals - Logan
• 7th: ASPCA Maclay Finals - Logan

2008

• Pony Finals
  • Champion: Grand Grn Champion & Sm Grn Pony Hunters - Sparkle Plenty
  • Champion: Med Grn Pony Hunters - Happy Meal
  • Champion: Lg Grn Pony Hunters - Bracewood's Camelot
  • Champion: Grand Pony Champion & Med Pony Hunters - Neverland
  • Champion: Lg Pony Hunters - Vanity Fair
  • 4th overall: Sm Pony Hunters - Rolling Stone
  • Reserve Champion: USEF Pony Medal Finals - High Cotton
  • Buttons & Bows Sportsmanship Trophy

2007

• Pony Finals
  • Champion: Sm Pony Hunters - Blackberry
  • Champion: Grand Pony Champion & Med Pony Hunters - Enchanted Forest
  • Champion: Reserve Grand Pony & Lg Pony Hunters - Vanity Fair
  • 6th: USEF Pony Medal Finals - Enchanted Forest

2006

• Reserve Champion: WIHS Pony Equitation Classic (WIHS) - Enchanted Forest
• Pony Finals
  • 3rd overall: Sm Pony Hunters - Dreamworks
  • 7th overall: Med Pony Hunters - Enchanted Forest
  • 9th overall: Lg Pony Hunters - High Cotton

2005

• Reserve Champion: Sm Pony Hunters (Pony Finals) - Dreamworks

Fun Facts:

• Lillie's mother, Pam Keenan (née Carmichael) was a very successful junior rider.
• Lillie's first pony was Aspen Spring and her first horse was Violets Are Blue
• Her favorite show is Devon
• Lillie is tied with Addision Phillips as the youngest rider to win the WIHS Equitation Classic Finals. (They were both 13.)
• She is the youngest rider, the first junior, and the first female to win the USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals.