Mimi Gochman’s journey into the world of show jumping began at a young age, inspired by her mother’s lifelong passion for horses. From the time she and her sister, Sophie, were toddlers, they were introduced to ponies, sparking a love for riding that has only grown over the years. Mimi’s early experiences with horses, including learning to make changes on ponies and working through the challenges, shaped her commitment to the sport. Although there wasn’t a single defining moment, Mimi always knew she would pursue horses seriously. As she progressed in show jumping, her focus shifted to competing at higher levels, and she’s now recognized for her skill, poise under pressure, and a deep bond with her horses. With a career already full of impressive victories, Mimi is focused on continued growth in the sport and working toward her long-term goal of representing her country on the international stage.
How did you first get into riding? Do you remember your earliest experiences on a horse? Was there a moment when you knew you wanted to pursue show jumping seriously?
My mom was really into riding when she was a kid, so I got into it through her. She’s always had horses in her life, from when she was young to now, and she still competes. She put my sister Sophie and me on ponies when we were about two, and that's where the love for riding started.
My earliest memories of riding involve ponies, especially learning to do the changes. I used to fall off a lot during those, and it was definitely a challenge. But I remember working on the changes and figuring out how not to add in extra lines—it was a fun process.
Our mom really introduced us to the horse world, and we've just kept going from there. I always knew I’d stay involved with horses. I think our whole family will always have a connection to them in one way or another. Over time, I started jumping higher in the show jumping world, and it’s been a year-by-year journey.
I’ve always wanted to be seriously involved with horses. While I can't point to one specific moment, I definitely fell in love with horses early on, and I’ve always been committed to pursuing this path.
You've had an impressive career so far. Is there a win or moment that stands out as the most meaningful to you? What made it special?
I have had a couple of big moments that mean a lot to me. More recently, I was third in the Five Star Grand Prix during Week Five on Inclen BH, and that was a huge accomplishment for me. I’ve been watching Saturday Night Lights my whole life, and I started competing in them a couple of years ago, trying to figure out how to handle the pressure. The horses react very differently under the lights, so that was a really big win for me, especially with how competitive the field was. It was a large field with big riders, and that was a huge deal for me. I’ve been working hard to step my game up and become more consistent in the Five Star Grand Prix, so that was a huge win for me, and I was very proud of it.
Also, I won the Four Star Grand Prix at Upperville last summer on my stallion, and that was a huge moment. It was my first big FEI Grand Prix win, and I’d been itching for a win in a bigger class for a long time. That felt like a huge accomplishment. My team and I had a couple of top-three finishes in some places, I won a few qualifiers, but I could never clinch the Grand Prix win. So, that one was really big for me. It’s also a show we’ve been going to for years, so it felt like home. We love that show, and we have all our retired horses there, so it was a very special win for us.
Many riders have horses that shape their careers. Is there a horse that had a big impact on you? What was your partnership like, and what did you learn from them?
I’ve had really special partnerships with horses throughout my entire junior and amateur career, and one that definitely stands out is Selena BH. I’ve had her since I was 14, or maybe even younger. I think we’ve had her for about seven or eight years now. We got her when she was seven, and she turned 15 this year, so it’s been close to that long. She just grew with me. I started riding her in the medium juniors, then moved to the highs. I did all my Nation’s Cups on her, as well as my Youth Championships, and she was just really special.
She taught me how to ride under pressure, how to truly bond with a horse, and she’s probably one of the hardest horses I’ve ever had. She showed me how to work well with something that doesn’t come perfectly easy to me and always encouraged me to try different approaches. She’s also one of those horses who tries so hard for me specifically as a rider. I think she will always stand out as one of those horses that took me to the next level.
I jumped my first five-stars on her, and she really taught me what it means to ride as part of a team. She taught me how to work with others and with different animals, helping me figure out how to get the best out of my horse. Even if things didn’t come easily, she showed me what it takes to work harder on myself and to get the best possible result. She’s always been a challenging horse for me, but she always gave me everything she had. It’s been such a rewarding experience working with her, and she’s still showing it now. She’s definitely one that changed my career forever.
Competing at the top level comes with pressure. You’re known for staying calm—how do you mentally prepare for big events like an FEI Grand Prix? Do you have any pre-ride routines or strategies to stay focused?
I think a lot of my ability to handle pressure comes from growing up competing in equitation and finals. The equitation finals, in particular, really taught me how to ride under pressure. There’s so much pressure in those competitions—doing tests, flat-offs, and all sorts of challenges like taking your stirrups away. A lot of my ability to deal with pressure comes from those experiences.
I also think that the U.S. pathway, including the Youth Nations Cup, NAYC, and even Pre-States, has been really important in teaching me how to stay calm under pressure. You’re young, but you’re still part of a team and involved in bigger competitions. These events really help prepare you for riding under pressure as you get older, and they consistently put you in high-pressure situations so you get more comfortable with it.
Personally, I’ve always been someone who stays calm in the ring, which is really nice. But I’ve also worked with a sports psychologist, and a lot of it comes down to clearing my mind and focusing on one jump at a time. My mom has always told me to focus on what I’m doing right now and not worry about the future.
A lot of it comes down to disciplining myself—not letting my mind spiral into thoughts like, 'What if this happens? What if that happens? This is such a big deal.' It’s about consistency, discipline, and trusting my horse, my team, and myself. Over time, I’ve practiced this mindset, and it really helps. I was lucky enough to compete in a lot of Youth Nations Cups, smaller Nations Cups, and many years of equitation finals. All of those experiences taught me how to stay calm and not get too nervous. I still get nervous sometimes, but I’ve practiced riding under pressure so much that it definitely helps.
Every rider faces challenges. What has been one of the biggest obstacles in your career, and how did you overcome it?
More recently, I think, like we just discussed, I’m good under pressure, but the hardest thing for me is the pressure I put on myself. A lot of it is a mental game. When I have a good result, I always want to stay in that good place and keep having strong results. And sometimes I get in my own way by thinking, 'Well, if I was able to do it last week, I should be able to do it this week.'
I’ve been working on that a lot with my sports psychologist, and the mental aspect has definitely been the biggest challenge for me—staying calm, not overthinking, and not putting too much pressure on myself or on my horses. It really comes down to patience and discipline, which are things I’ve been working on consistently for the last five or six years.
I always remind myself that every day is a new day, and every class is a different class. It’s not always going to be perfect. I’m definitely a perfectionist, and that’s something I’ve struggled with. I used to get really angry if I didn’t do something right, but I’ve learned to deal with it in a more positive way so that it benefits me in the future. It’s been a hardship I’ve had to work through, but it’s definitely something I’m growing with.
Have any trainers or mentors played a key role in your development? Are there any lessons or techniques they've taught you that have stuck with you?
For sure. My trainer, Ken Berkeley, who I worked with for 12 years when I first started riding, as well as Scott Stewart, were incredibly influential in shaping my basics and strength as a rider. A lot of my foundational skills, like counting strides and maintaining rhythm, come from them. My old trainer really drilled the importance of counting and knowing where you are in relation to the horse, feeling their stride, and making adjustments as needed. We spent a lot of time working with poles, doing different numbers and exercises. I still implement that in my own riding today because I think it’s essential. Even if the course doesn’t come naturally, if you know where you are and can count, you can usually make it work. It’s a mindset that helps when things don’t go as planned—it’s about being able to adjust and make the space work.
I also did a lot of no stirrup work growing up, and that’s something I’ll always carry forward in my own riding. That kind of strength and balance is crucial if you want to jump big, and I still think it’s incredibly important. I also worked closely with Stacia Madden, and she helped me a lot with riding more complicated lines and patterns. Her equitation courses were always challenging, with tough bending and straight lines, and some creative exercises. She also emphasized a lot of flatwork, which has been invaluable in my development. I’ll always be grateful for that.
As for my current trainer, I feel like I’ve learned so much from all of them. They’ve all contributed immensely to my growth as a rider, but I will always give a lot of credit to Ken Berkeley for giving me my start and teaching me the importance of focusing on the horse first. He always stressed that the horse’s needs come before your own as a rider. He taught me how to really understand each horse, and how to figure out what makes each one tick before you move on to more advanced work.
I think the horsemanship that Ken instilled in me has been crucial. He would spend hours with a horse, working to understand how they think and how to communicate with them. While you don’t spend an hour on a horse every day, that mentality of being a good horsewoman has stuck with me. It’s about learning how to count, how to be strong, and realizing that even if you're not the most naturally talented or strongest, you can always find ways to improve yourself. The training tools Ken taught me will stay with me forever.
You’ve already reached major milestones. What are your goals for this season, and what are your long-term ambitions in the sport?
I’m really looking forward to the Rolex Grand Prix. It’s definitely something I’ve set my sights on. It’s exciting. I’d really love to jump double clear with my horse, Inclen BH—that would be something that would truly make my year. Beyond that, I’d love to jump in a few more Nations Cups. It’s something I’ve been wanting to learn how to do—consistency at that level, consistency on a team. That’s something I’ve always been working on.
Other than that, I’m focused on learning how to be consistent while also gaining experience riding younger horses. That’s something I really want to implement in my own riding—learning how to develop horses, sell them, and get them to a good place. It's not just about riding my amazing Grand Prix horses all the time, but also learning how to develop and work with younger, less experienced horses. It’s always been both a long-term and short-term goal of mine, and I keep that in mind.
In the future, I’d love to compete at championship events, like World Cup Finals or Nations Cup Finals. I would love to jump on some of those teams, and eventually, hopefully, the Olympics. But those things are so far off that I can’t say for sure. In terms of long-term goals, my main focus is to be a regular rider on the team and stay consistent.
