An exciting new collaboration...
LAUNCHING AT BADMINTON 2026
🐴 HIHO X OPTIMUM TIME 🐴
The ultimate 5* Eventing Travel Challenge
Encapsulated, remembered, celebrated in silver.
There is something rather special about the big 5* events isn’t there?
Not just the competitions themselves, but the journey there, the people you meet and the moments that stay with you long after the event has come to an end.
This year, we are delighted to be introducing a new collaboration that celebrates exactly that...
🐴 Hiho X Optimum Time 🐴
Optimum Time is a US based eventing tourism company who specialise in helping you achieve your 5* (spectating!) dreams.
From Kentucky to Adelaide, Badminton to Luhmuhlen, they offer eventing experiences that bring people together through their shared love of the sport.
And here at Hiho, we want to give you the opportunity to keep these memories of 5* travels close to you, in silver form.
Which is where the new 5* Travel Challenge comes in...
For every event you attend with Optimum Time, you can purchase a Hiho bead - keeping your memories on your wrist and slowly building up your Hiho X Optimum Time collection!
Register your travel challenge with Optimum Time
and start y![]()
our journey today!
Launching at Badminton as part this exciting collaboration:
🐴 Exclusive Optimum Time Double Stranded Leather Bracelet with Stainless Steel Clasp
💙 Exclusive Optimum Time Flat Bolo Leather Bracelet
And to display your Optimum Time Collection why not have a look at
a few of our charm bracelet options...
BADMINTON MEET UP
FRIDAY 8TH OF MAY, 4:30PM ON THE HIHO STAND
To celebrate the launch of this exciting collaboration, we're hosting a relaxed meet up on our Badminton stand (190, Deer Park Drive) with Optimum Time on Friday the 8th of May, 4:30pm.
We would love for you to join us!
It will be a chance to meet Cherie (Optimum Time's Founder), chat all things eventing and travel with like-minded friends and answer any questions you may have about these trips.
PLUS...
There will be nibbles and drinks! But not just any nibbles and drinks.
What better way to celebrate a UK, US partnership than by hosting a meet up featuring our favourite UK snacks and Cherie's favourite US snacks!
Think M&S meets Trader Joes!
So, you've met the brand. Would you like to meet the founder?
Meet Cherie, Founder of Optimum Time
I've been in the Washington DC area for almost 25 years, and found my way to my farm—Trevi Manor, just south of Annapolis, Maryland—about 13 years ago. I've always been someone with several answers to "what do you do," but at the moment, I seem to have a lot more answers!
For a long time, I've lived two lives: strategic planning professional by day (working national security topics from human decision making to undersea vehicles) and horse person always. When I’m not at my “real job,” I manage my small farm, train and compete my event and dressage horses, and coach a small group of the most fun eventers around!
But lately, I took the plunge into two exciting new directions that finally bring those two worlds together. First, I'm collaborating on research exploring the non-verbal communication and emotional intelligence benefits of equine-assisted leadership programs—because it turns out horses have a lot to teach us about how to be great leaders and team members. And second—the reason we're here today—I've launched Optimum Time: Worldwide Eventing Tourism, a new company that combines my lifelong passion for horses with my love of travel and competition on a global stage.
At what age did you get into riding, where did your love for horses come from?
My love for horses is genuinely in my blood. It traces back to my Gramps—my great-grandfather—who caved and gave my grandmother a horse! She saved up every penny she had just to buy a book on how to teach it tricks. And whenever my mom visited Gramps as a child, he made sure there was always a pony waiting to be her new best friend.
So when we moved from Los Angeles to just outside Dallas, Texas, when I was four years old, a pony showing up was probably inevitable. And that was it. From the very first day with that very first pony, horses were my thing, for life. Not long after that I found my way into the U.S. Pony Club which was my gateway into eventing.
So when we moved from Los Angeles to just outside Dallas, Texas, when I was four years old, a pony showing up was probably inevitable. And that was it. From the very first day with that very first pony, horses were my thing, for life. Not long after that I found my way into the U.S. Pony Club which was my gateway into eventing.
What inspired you to set up Optimum Time?
For years, I've been dragging horse friends and non-horse friends to my favorite events—Kentucky, Maryland, Badminton, Burghley—and I've had some truly incredible trips with incredible people. So, I’ve been inspiring and organizing eventing vacations for a long time. But last year, a great friend inspired a trip to Aachen. I went with two of the most capable, extraordinary women I know. Both had dreamed of going to Aachen for years, but they hadn’t taken the leap. They were intimidated by the complexity of planning an international trip and navigating in a foreign language.
That really shocked me! If these two outstanding women were hesitant to make the trip of their dreams happen, how many other eventing fans have that same dream with the same hesitancy?
And that’s why I created Optimum Time. Because the barriers are real—but they're also breakable. We’re creating a community of eventing travelers by helping them plan the trip of a lifetime on any budget and creating unique onsite opportunities to learn more about the sport.
What does a typical day look like for you when you’re juggling the running of Golightly Sport horses, PEMF Equine Therapy and Optimum Time?
Add in my professional career and lets just say I’m never bored! Two things I really try to do every day is to be present wherever I am and give myself permission to do nothing when I need a break! My mornings start early in the barn. There’s no better way for me to start my day than having a great ride! It sets the tone for the day with goals, commitment, pushing myself to improve, and laughter! My horses make me smile every day. By mid-morning, I usually transition to the computer for meetings, research, and writing for my job or Optimum Time. And before I know it, it’s evening and time for more horses— lessons, grooming, tack cleaning or maybe a cocktail with barn friends watching the horses in the field!
For years, I've been dragging horse friends and non-horse friends to my favorite events—Kentucky, Maryland, Badminton, Burghley—and I've had some truly incredible trips with incredible people. So, I’ve been inspiring and organizing eventing vacations for a long time. But last year, a great friend inspired a trip to Aachen. I went with two of the most capable, extraordinary women I know. Both had dreamed of going to Aachen for years, but they hadn’t taken the leap. They were intimidated by the complexity of planning an international trip and navigating in a foreign language.
That really shocked me! If these two outstanding women were hesitant to make the trip of their dreams happen, how many other eventing fans have that same dream with the same hesitancy?
And that’s why I created Optimum Time. Because the barriers are real—but they're also breakable. We’re creating a community of eventing travelers by helping them plan the trip of a lifetime on any budget and creating unique onsite opportunities to learn more about the sport.
What does a typical day look like for you when you’re juggling the running of Golightly Sport horses, PEMF Equine Therapy and Optimum Time?
Add in my professional career and lets just say I’m never bored! Two things I really try to do every day is to be present wherever I am and give myself permission to do nothing when I need a break! My mornings start early in the barn. There’s no better way for me to start my day than having a great ride! It sets the tone for the day with goals, commitment, pushing myself to improve, and laughter! My horses make me smile every day. By mid-morning, I usually transition to the computer for meetings, research, and writing for my job or Optimum Time. And before I know it, it’s evening and time for more horses— lessons, grooming, tack cleaning or maybe a cocktail with barn friends watching the horses in the field!
Compassion, community and support are values that are very important to you, how do you achieve this across your businesses?
In my heart, I just like helping people achieve more than they ever thought possible. That’s the thread that carries through everything I do from strategic plans for organizational transformation to riding in your first nationally recognized horse trial… or spectating at Burghley! Anything is possible with the right help, focused on the right things.
You have some amazing equine achievements under your belt already, what has been your proudest moment in the saddle so far?
It’s hard to pick because I have very different achievements with several different horses … achievements that I never thought possible until each special horse showed me the way! But I think I’m most proud of finishing 2nd in a very large class at the Classic Training Three Day (long format) at the Kentucky Horse Park with my now 25 year old retired event horse, Katchi. I bought Katchi when he was 5 as my first horse as an adult returning to riding after very sporadic saddle time through college, grad school, and the first years of my career. To be at a point in my life where I could make that happen for myself, train him, compete him, and be successful with a horse I felt so incredibly bonded to— it was so special to have everything come together at a major event and deliver the performance I knew we were capable of!
It’s hard to pick because I have very different achievements with several different horses … achievements that I never thought possible until each special horse showed me the way! But I think I’m most proud of finishing 2nd in a very large class at the Classic Training Three Day (long format) at the Kentucky Horse Park with my now 25 year old retired event horse, Katchi. I bought Katchi when he was 5 as my first horse as an adult returning to riding after very sporadic saddle time through college, grad school, and the first years of my career. To be at a point in my life where I could make that happen for myself, train him, compete him, and be successful with a horse I felt so incredibly bonded to— it was so special to have everything come together at a major event and deliver the performance I knew we were capable of!
When you’re not training/competing/working, what do you enjoy doing to relax or have fun?
Travel with friends to big horse events! That’s definitely been my thing for a while now. But I also love hiking, traveling anywhere, and a good book in the shade of a warm day! I also have a knack for finding great fun in odd places—a cat show, a bonsai exhibit, hot yoga!
What is your ultimate Hiho love and why?
I’m a little obsessed with the Cherry Roller Snaffle Bangles—especially with sparkles! They mesmerize me! They’re elegant, unique, and so interesting! They immediately say “equestrian” to anyone in the know, and they’re classically beautiful to everyone else. They’re simply perfect!
Is there a lesson horses have taught you that will stay with you for life?
Consistent fairness. Whether on the ground or in the saddle, horses are remarkably perceptive about the energy around you and the way you communicate your presence. They appreciate consistency and have a keen sense of fairness. They have a lot to teach us about how to be better humans… if we just listen!
Consistent fairness. Whether on the ground or in the saddle, horses are remarkably perceptive about the energy around you and the way you communicate your presence. They appreciate consistency and have a keen sense of fairness. They have a lot to teach us about how to be better humans… if we just listen!
If you could give one piece of advice to others what would it be?
Always show up ready to learn. You’ll reach unimaginable heights if you show up with a curious mind, ready to tear down what you think you know and recreate yourself into who you want to be!
What a blog!
Full of exciting Badminton launches, a new challenge, new friends and an exciting future!
We can't wait for you to see the collection launch at Badminton, and don't forget to come to our stand (190 Deer Park Drive) on Friday the 8th, 4:30pm, for our fabulous Optimum Time meet up!
See you there!
Hiho x
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