Hannah Pierucci – A Rising Star at Hampton Green

Watching Pati Pierucci’s 13-year-old daughter Hannah ride brought one word to my mind—a word I had never thought of before when watching a young rider: prodigy.

She rode three P.R.E. Spanish horses throughout the photo shoot, all with grace and ease, which gave me goosebumps, especially as a long-time friend of her mom, Pati, who I remember when she was born.

This winter, 13-year-old Hannah Pierucci hit the show season in Florida, instantly racking up wins and high scores. Judges repeatedly commented on her test: “We will see you in the Olympics someday!”

“Mary, when I tell you this, believe me, it is true.” said her mom, Pati. This is all self-taught; she has picked all of this up just by watching us—listening and watching.”

“Hannah offered to ride Kim’s horse one day and then just started to do all kinds of movements. I can hardly say I trained her; she knows how to do it. ”

Riding the hot little stallion Cosaco XI for our cameras, Hannah gently handled the warm-up and piaffe-passage transitions. When she began to do the changes for the video camera, Cosaco did every stride. At first, it was not intended, but then Pati said, “OK, Hannah, go for it, try the every’s!” Hannah crossed the diagonal twice, spinning from ear to ear, doing the flying changes at every stride, her first time.

“This is Hannah’s Ken and Barbie doll combined.” said her mom. “She has never wanted to do anything else.”