An expletive was the catalyst for Mohamed “Mo” Mostafa’s transformation from one who dreamed of riding to one who now rides every day – often several times a day and well enough to earn the USEA’s 2025 American Eventing Championships Starter Rider Division Championship at Galway Downs.
The expletive came in response to Mo’s inquiry to a male rider competing at a Woodside Horse Park schooling show several years ago. Impressed with the rider’s show jumping round, Mo struck up a conversation.
“Are you a rider as well?” the gentleman eventually asked. “No, I’m too old to learn!” Mo responded.
“Bullshit!” the rider scoffed. He said he’d started 10 years ago at the age of 50 and was now 60.
Mo had dreamed of horses and riding since his boyhood growing up in Cairo, Egypt. Lessons weren’t in the budget, but his mother arranged regular picnic lunches near a stable so Mo could at least enjoy the sport as a spectator. “I watched and learned and thought ‘Maybe one day…’” Mo shares.
Wake-Up Call
The Woodside encounter was the wake-up call Mo needed after living in the Northern California area for several years – still dreaming of riding. Yet even in the horse-dense area, he had trouble finding beginner lessons with school horses. He landed at a less-than-ideal small, private program where he was put on Off-The-Track-Thoroughbreds. “It was not very pleasant,” he says. “I wasn’t given any instruction on what to do and the horses were bucking and running off. I fell off all the time and even got really hurt.”
Unaware that safe and successful beginner lesson programs existed, Mo kept going back. A year into it, he had the good fortune to meet an eventer connected with accomplished amateur competitor and sport supporter, Ruth Bley.
The eventer, Katherine Schultz, invited Mo to watch her compete at a Woodside event, where she worked with Bay Area legend Yves Savignon. “I was so impressed with her riding and with the way Yves worked with her. He was super nice and he actually told her what to do,” Mo shares. “Katherine said, ‘Yes, Mo, that’s normal!’”
At the same show, Mo saw Ruth Bley and Rodrigue du Granit compete on cross-country. “I thought, ‘This is my dream life!’”
Realizing The Dream
He realized that surrounding himself with good horse people and suitable horses was critical to realizing that dream. “I asked Ruth if I could come to her stable, but she said they didn’t have school horses.”
Ruth’s private stable in the East Bay Area’s Castro Valley is home to her own horses. They range from youngsters, current competition mounts for herself and a few select riders – now including Mo – and retirees.
Ruth told Mo that she didn’t usually take on boarders, but that he was welcome to come with his own horse. She also indicated he could ride one of her retired show horses. Mo, however, couldn’t bear the thought of leaving without his favorite OTTB at his first stable -– Kissin Tristan. So, he bought “KT” and moved to Ruth’s barn.
There, Mo’s friendship with Katherine Schultz grew into their current situation as “besties.” She’s my “horse wife,” jokes Mo, who is happily married to a supportive husband who prefers to stay out of the spotlight.
“She is my everything and my rock,” Mo says of Katherine. She’s also a winner. Riding Ruth’s En Vogue, Katherine earned the AECs’ Preliminary title and she’s a consistent eventing winner with guidance of Yves Sauvignon.
Mo and KT made great strides together with the help of Katherine, Ruth and dressage coach Creeky Routson. As they ventured into the Beginner Novice division, however, soundness issues became frequent enough to warrant permanent pasture life for KT.
Enter A Schoolmaster
That’s when Ruth suggested Mo ride Rodrigue, who she had campaigned up to CCI2*. “I couldn’t believe it,” Mo remembers of the offer.
However, their first six months together were not what he’d dreamed. Rails and refusals marred their early outings. The partnership began to come together during a break from riding as Rodrigue rehabbed from a minor setback. Mo did all the hand walking and “that’s when we bonded,” Mo says.
The next accelerant in their partnership came when Rodrigue could be ridden again and Mo suggested he first spend time watching Ruth ride the horse. “I’m not sure why we didn’t think of that before!”
For several more sessions, Mo continued observing Ruth and Rodrigue before jumping on himself and trying to adopt her aids and approach. One habit he picked up was keeping his leg on Rodrigue all the way to the jump. “Ruth explained that that’s what you do with 90% of the horses out there,” Mo shares. “But I didn’t know that. Riding my Thoroughbred KT, I didn’t put any leg on because he would take off!”
Translation issues played their part, too, Ruth chimes in. She recalls Yves – in his French accent — coaching Mo to “finish with your leg on!” and Mo interpreting that to mean “You can finish putting your leg on.” That’s one of several areas where Ruth was happy to notice and help with things affecting Mo’s education.
Throughout any challenges, Mo’s positive attitude never wavered. “He’s very eager to learn, to ride and to be with the horses,” Ruth shares. Most importantly to his future in the sport, “Mo is very talented and he has a great touch. Horses like him. I think he has a great future in the sport and I’m very excited to see where he goes.”
Woodside Win Turns Tide
A win of The Woodside Spring Horse Trials Starter division in May of this year marked their triumphant return to competition. Their 26.3 finish to win the AECs Starter division capped the 2025 show season on a high note.
Mo kept watching Ruth ride other horses, too. “She’s a very calm rider. Sometimes you don’t see her making any movements.” He took videos of Ruth riding and watched them in between lesson days. Mo kept working regularly with Creeky Routson and absorbing Katherine and Yves’ expertise, too. He’s a sponge for horsemanship knowledge and there’s oodles of it at Ruth’s place. But Ruth has been his most constant guide in and out of the saddle.
“She’s not my trainer, but she’s definitely my mentor,” Mo explains. “And not just about riding. She helped me learn how to groom in the correct way and has recommended books and magazines to learn from.”
Ruth received the As You Like It Owners Award at the USEA’s annual convention in mid-December. Mo is one of many riders for whom Ruth’s support has been a complete game-changer. “I’m not surprised at all,” he says of Ruth’s honor. “She is the most supportive person I’ve ever met.”
Ready for 2026!
Up until a recent lay-off from his work as a data analyst, Mo juggled riding a few horses most every day with working full time. He enjoys spending even more time at the barn now and getting ready for 2026.
Rodrigue, a Selle Francais, is coming 21 and Mo counts every healthy day with him as a blessing. They plan to contest Beginner Novice and Novice levels in 2026, including a spring return to Galway Downs. Mo also enjoys work with a 4-year-old mare, Annamarie, whom he hopes to campaign at the Starter level.
Mo’s happy obsession with horses is evident in everything he does. He’s grateful to the horses and to those who’ve helped him fulfill his childhood dream in ways he didn’t even know to dream of.
He acknowledges being a person that others enjoy helping. “I think it’s the way I was raised to appreciate when something is done for me,” Mo says. “I always say please and thank you and I am never shy about saying when I don’t know how to do something.”
He’s also quick and happy to help anybody he can, a trait that’s helped him find his home in the eventing world. “At shows, at the barn, or anywhere, I think everyone in eventing is happy to help each other.”
