By Anna Holton-Dean
Photos courtesy of Sienna Busking
Sienna Busking doesn’t let a challenge define her. The Owasso native recently earned the title of 2025 Adequan/USEF Intermediaire Para Dressage National Champion.
While the Adequan/USEF championship is a significant accomplishment, Busking has her sights set even higher, to represent the United States in para dressage at the 2028 Paralympics.
Beyond her own competition goals, Busking is also deeply committed to teaching and coaching. She runs Whisper Winds, a farm and training facility in Claremore, where she trains riders of all abilities. She also serves as a vaulting team coach, inspiring young athletes while championing inclusivity in equestrian sports.
Her accomplishments, both in and out of the arena, highlight the excellence and heart of someone who is not only achieving great things personally but also giving back to her community.
Despite a neurological disease and mixed connective tissue diseases, Busking continues to inspire her students and her community. She’s proof that grit, dedication and hard work can turn challenges into achievements.
In this Q&A, Busking shares her journey as a para dressage athlete and dreams for the future.
How did you first get involved with horses, and what drew you to dressage?
“A friend I grew up dancing with had horses. She and her mom both rode. Whenever I’d stay the night, I’d wake up early and do barn chores and ride with her mom. She did dressage and trail riding.”
What has your journey in para dressage been like so far?
“I was classified as a para rider in October 2023. That in and of itself is a story! I had submitted my paperwork and asked about coming to Tryon even though it was closer than the six weeks of their standard procedure. Tryon would be 14 ½ hours; Ocala would have been 20, and Wellington would have been 16. I didn’t think I was going to be classified and hadn’t gotten a definitive ‘yes,’ so I had not made any plans and figured I’d wait for the next Tryon.
“The day before I was classified, I got an email saying they were looking forward to meeting me for my appointment at 9. I packed up my car within thirty minutes, left by 10:30 that morning and drove 14 ½ hours! I was not going to miss this opportunity!”
How did you and Divino develop your partnership?
“Divino is my trainer’s horse. I started bringing my young horse, Zephyr, to her for lessons after my classification. She decided that Divino might like a second job and that I could keep learning with Zephyr at the same time. I was very fond of Divino right off the bat. He’s a neat mix of kind and generous but still asks a lot of you to ride him like an upper-level horse. Spending time riding him in the pasture and baths last summer helped our bond.”
What does winning the 2025 Adequan/USEF Intermediaire Para Dressage National Championship mean to you?
“Winning wasn’t just from those three rides at Festival. Winning was because of every ride, lesson and hour spent training and growing. It was a surreal moment seeing my name on the big screen by ‘rank 1.’ There’s been so many people and horses that have played a part in the win too.”
What challenges have you overcome along the way, and how has that shaped you as a rider and person?
“Riding isn’t easy for an able-bodied rider with full use of their body. Most of riding is off of your legs. So when your legs don’t work all the way, it can be challenging. Riding as a para rider takes ingenuity and creativity. You have to come up with ways to accomplish the same movements and skills on a horse without the same aids as an able-bodied rider. I’m naturally a driven person, perhaps even stubborn too. That works in my favor! I don’t like being told ‘you can’t’ — that is one of the fastest ways you can get me to figure something out!”
What are your future goals in riding and competition?
“My big overall goal would be to compete in the Paralympics and represent Team USA. Before that happens, I would love to continue training and being able to show internationally.”
Is there anything else you want readers to know about the para dressage sport?
“Para dressage is not easy. Depending on what grade rider you are determines if you have a walk, walk/trot or walk/trot/canter test. I am grade III and walk/trot. The walk is by far the hardest. It’s like riding in slow motion in front of the judges. They can see everything. There is an extremely high level of excellence required.
“Para dressage has given me a sport that I am not limited in. In other riding disciplines, my physical limitations would hinder me from reaching the top levels, no matter how hard I trained. Para dressage allows me to ride in such a way that I can be the best rider I can be. I couldn’t imagine my life without it now.”
