ESCANABA – It might not be the Olympics but for Emily Siebert of Escanaba the horse jumping show at the Upper Peninsula State Fair is just as important.

“You get pretty nervous but after you are done, it’s pretty fun to do and you just want to keep doing it,” Siebert said.

Siebert said passion is needed to horse jump. She said if you have the passion to do it.

A kick is needed to help encourage the horse to jump. If they are still reluctant, Siebert says she squeezes the horse with her legs.

“You have to train for awhile. If you want to, you can get up to a height like in the Olympics. I can go to three feet,” she said.

Seibert says jumping the barriers feels like she is flying with the horse. It is not an easy competition. Often the horses will balk at the jumps.