Starting Young at Castle Hill Farm
Edvin Soto was just 15 when he asked if he could work part-time – after school – at McLain Ward’s Castle Hill Farm in Brewster, NY. His family was connected to the Grand Prix rider and Soto had grown up watching and learning about horsemanship. He knew he wanted to be more than an observer.
“I’ve been around there for a while, and that’s how I decided that I wanted to work for him,” Soto said. “One day I was speaking to him and asked if I could work with the horses and he said yes.” After leaving school Soto took his grooming to the next level. “That’s when I started full-time and when I knew I was ready to take a big step.”
Growing Within a Top Operation
Now he is 27 and has two of the most important horses in the barn under his care – Snapchat Van de Broekkant Z and Saturday Night Lights’ winner High Star Hero. His ascendancy through one of the leading show jumping operations in the world, came with help from Ward’s Manager Lee McKeever and his wife. “I’m very, very thankful to Lee and Erica, for everything that they have taught me,” he said.
Meeting ‘Hero’
Soto knew of High Star Hero before he joined McLain’s stable some 17 months ago. Australian Grand Prix rider Thaisa Erwin, campaigned the horse in its formative years for owner Michael Smith – a longstanding supporter of Ward – and Soto had watched from afar. “Of course I saw videos of him when he was jumping with Thaisa,” he said. “He looked amazing. When he came to our farm I was like, oh, it’s Hero! It’s him.”
At the ring and waiting behind the scenes with fellow groom Ohla Kruglova at Saturday Night Lights
Hero is imposing in stature but kind in nature. Soto was drawn to the 13-year old Belgian Sport Horse gelding when he first arrived at the barn. He asked if he could take care of the horse, and was duly appointed as his groom. “It just felt like a connection between him and me,” he said.
A Gentle Giant
“We’re very good friends now. He has the coolest personality – I would call him a gentle giant. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. It’s nice to deal with him and he likes to have people around.”
One of those people is his owner. “He really loves Mike Smith,” said Soto. “He always comes to the farm and talks to Hero, gives him treats and Hero loves him.”
Saturday Night Lights
Smith is invariably ringside when his horses compete and was one of a team of supporters for High Star Hero and Ward. Soto was helped behind the scenes by McKeever and Craig Pollard and fellow groom, Ohla Kruglova for the CSI5* $500,000 Modon Grand Prix. Ward and Hero put the first clear round on the board, answering Soto’s prayers. “I was talking to the horse. I really wanted everything to go well and thank God it did.”
The jump off brought its own degree of anxiety. “I was very excited that he got in the jump off, yes,” said Soto. “But at the same time I was nervous because we were first in the jump off and some of the other riders came very close to going in front of us. I was just closing my eyes and praying that we had the win.”
Recognition and Teamwork
Victory in the bag, Soto found out that he was expected in the arena to collect the $500 Double H Grooms Award. He had already been given acknowledgement for his contribution to the win by Ward. “He congratulated me for all the good work I have done with Hero. He shook my hand and said thank you to me for the great job I’ve been doing.”
Team Dinner
When asked what he would do with his prize money, Soto’s answer reflected the team behind the triumph. “I was planning on taking my co-workers to dinner…because we all do this together, it’s not just me, we’re like a whole team,” he said.
This groom interview is part of an ongoing series by HorseGrooms, featured throughout the Wellington season in the official publications of Wellington International, the WEF Weekly Wire, and the AGDF Times. By highlighting the grooms behind elite competition, Wellington International supports HorseGrooms’ mission to give greater visibility to the people whose daily care, horsemanship, and dedication underpin top-level equestrian sport.
HorseGrooms collaborates with events, horse show organizations, brands, and professionals worldwide to share practical knowledge and real stories from the people who care for horses every day, from local barns to top-level competition venues.
For support options and to learn more, go to www.horsegrooms.com/get-involved
Feature photo courtesy of Sportfot
Sarah Eakin has a long history of sports reporting and covering equestrian disciplines – particularly show jumping, polo, racing and dressage – for a range of international publications as writer and editor-in-chief. In 2024, Sarah launched Paper Horse – an online magazine with an eclectic mix of stories from the horse world at www.paperhorsemedia.com. Paper Horse is an official Media Partner of Wellington International. Sarah was born in England and came to the US in 1996 as Sidelines’ Polo Editor; at the time she was chief polo writer at the Horse and Hound and Polo Correspondent to The Daily Telegraph. She married US professional polo player Gary Eakin and stayed Stateside traveling throughout North America while covering equestrian events. She is also an author; Wed, White and Blue, her first novel is on Amazon.
