She participated in Young Riders (Junior Olympics) from 1996-1998, netting three medals – team silver in 1996, team silver in 1997, and team bronze in 1998.
Cara was named to the Development Rider Tour in 2004 making her All Nations Cup debut the same year. She has represented the U.S. at three European events, placing 2nd in Helsinki, Finland and 6th in Falsterbo, Sweden. She won her first Grand Prix in 2004 – the $50,000 EMP Grand Prix (Culpepper, VA). She also placed first in
the $50,000 Mary Murphy Grand Prix
(Lexington, KY).
Her trainers
In 2005, Cara won the $25,000 Grand Prix (Wellington, FL) and placed 8th in the AGA finals (Wellington, FL). During that period, Cara also began her training relationship
with Beezie and John Madden in an effort
to further strengthen her riding credentials. This relationship has thrived since inception and continues to provide Cara with both a constructive learning environment and exposure to one of the world’s most accomplished rider/coach pairings.
2007 career highlights
In 2007, Cara was selected to represent the U.S. at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The U.S. won the team bronze medal and Cara finished 8th overall, the highest placed American in the field. Cara garnered several Top 10 finishes at marquee events in 2007, including:
• Placing 7th in the $300,000 CN
Euro Global Challenge Grand Prix
(Wellington, FL)
• 6th in the $200,000 American Invitational (Tampa, FL)
• 5th in the $200,000 Charlotte Bobcats Grand Prix (Charlotte, NC)
• 5th in the $200,000 CN Reliability Grand Prix (Calgary)
• 8th in the $100,000 CN Performance Grand Prix (Calgary, Canada)
• 4th in $85,000 New Albany Classic
(New Albany, OH)
• 8th in the $25,000 Pennsylvania Big Jump (Harrisburg, PA)
• 10th in the $25,000 NAL Speed Final (Harrisburg, PA)
• 3rd in the $25,000 Pasmore Big Jump (Syracuse, NY)
In addition, Cara broke in to the Top 100 of the FEI Rolex Rankings for the first time in her career during this year.
Continued success in 2008
Cara added more ribbons in 2008 with
10 Grand Prix finishes:
• Placing 2nd in the $35,000 Syracuse
Corporate Team Challenge
(Syracuse, NY)
• 6th Çanadian National Performance
Grand Prix, (Calgary, Canada)
• 8th in the $25,000 NAL Speed Final (Harrisburg, PA)
In addition, Cara also served as the 4th alternate to the U.S. Olympic Team, and qualified for the Animal Planet Sport Horse Cup at the Syracuse Invitational Horse Show.
Cara graduated with honors from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where she received a B.A 
