Q&A With Collier Wimmer Of Three Wishes Freestyles
For readers who may not know your story, how did you first get involved with horses, and what led you to combine your passion for music with the sport of dressage?
COLLIER: I’ve loved horses ever since I was little! I took backyard schooling lessons growing up, and competed in IHSA in college but, I was introduced to dressage through my mom, Ashley Wimmer, who has been in love with this sport nearly as long as I’ve been alive! She’s represented the USA in Nations Cups, placed top 3 at US Dressage Finals, and currently competes 2 amazing mares (Somerhall and Halcyon). I was immersed in the world of freestyles from a very young age as I groomed for her at shows.
While horses were always a part of my life, dance is and has always been my passion. I was a competitive Irish Dancer at the highest level for 12 years, and for the past 2.5 I’ve been competing Pro/Am Latin ballroom. Dance, combined with a decade-long classical music training through the Royal School of Music provided the perfect springboard for freestyles many many years ago.
Sometime in my high school years my mom’s coach at the time, Stacey Hastings, asked me if I could create a freestyle since I ‘know music, dance, and horses’ and let me tell you, I had zero knowledge of floorplans, level requirements, music guidelines…I just picked a soundtrack that I felt fit that horse visually and provided a story arc. A few months later Three Wishes was officially born.
Three Wishes Freestyles has become known for creating some of the best dressage musical freestyles. What inspired you to start the business, and how has it evolved over the years?
COLLIER: To have that distinct of a brand now that Three Wishes is recognized as a top design house is still incredibly surreal to me.
Three Wishes may have been founded by happy accident, but it’s grown with a distinct purpose. To craft stories for every rider, at every level, globally. The more I delved into the world, the more I wanted to mold my passion for music and dance into stories that resonate with people. There is so much incredible music out there, and every combination I am privileged to work with has a story to tell - and I get to be their story builder.
That has pushed me to get better across the board with everything. How do I continue to evolve my technical capabilities? How do I listen to riders and help bring out the story they want or need? How do I create a story that people will remember? How do I continue to be valued member of a rider’s team and help them achieve their goals? All of these questions are ones I constantly reflect on, 15 years later.
I’m also very fortunate now that I am Tom Hunt’s US-based partner. He’s someone I’ve looked up to for a long time, and we’ve become good friends and close colleagues over the years. His work continues to inspire me to this day.
Many riders think a freestyle is simply riding to music. What goes into creating a truly successful musical freestyle behind the scenes?
COLLIER: Creating and riding a freestyle are 2 sides of the same coin in my mind.
Creating a freestyle is all about collaboration. My job is to unearth and tell the story the rider wants. We find music that not only resonates with the rider but meets their goals competitively and visually matches the horse (I always like to tell my riders that the music is the sonic representation of the horse, and the horse is the physical manifestation of the music). We will go through potentially many rounds of music demos (with music options paired to a video of the combination) to find the right music!
Next, choreography is something that is carefully constructed together with the rider (and their trainer). We build out the floor plan based on the horse’s current strengths while setting it up for the best possible execution of any weaker elements. It’s a gamification of the pre-requisite requirements. We balance difficulty with creativity without overburdening the pair. And it’s very normal for floorplans to change as the pair get miles under the freestyle and grow stronger.
Once a freestyle is built and delivered to the combination, I don’t go away. I think part of being an effective member of any rider’s team is helping them wherever possible. So, this is where the dance background comes in handy. Riding a freestyle to music successfully is a bit of a different skillset; I work closely with riders on how to practice their freestyle (on and off the horse), we discuss musicality and how to actively listen and be one with the music and not let it passively run over you while competing. I review run-throughs, show performances, and am with them for the lifetime of the freestyle in whatever capacity I am needed.
What are some of the biggest mistakes riders make when choosing music for their freestyle?
COLLIER: I would say all riders should come with an open mind about music. Your designer is your partner in this and has their own ideas! I’ve had riders that come with one option in mind, and we find it doesn’t truly suit the horse visually; or it does but the music has been overused, etc. This is where I think riders should have an open mind and see what ideas your designer has! I will point out though that all my riders have final say in music choice. I can provide my best guidance and thoughts, but at the end of the day it’s their freestyle story and I absolutely respect that!
You've worked with riders from amateur levels to national and international competition. Does your creative process change depending on the rider's goals?
COLLIER: Not one bit! CDI riders have an inherently more in-depth process when we think about music selection, choreography build, and the freestyle as a whole, but my process and care for each freestyle does not change based on the rider’s goals or level.
Every horse is different. Have you ever had a horse completely surprise you with the type of music that fit them best?
COLLIER: Yes! All the time! I had a really funky pony that we thought modern music would fit best but turns out the soundtrack from the Sherlock Holmes movies was the right pick! The plink plonky instrumentals really fit the spunk the pony brought to the show ring. I love being surprised by different combinations of music and horse; if I’m delighted by it, I like to think the judges will too!
What makes a performance memorable for both the judges and the audience?
COLLIER: Storytelling. Everything circles back to that. The music must tell a story, and the combination must act it out. The best freestyles follow a narrative arc musically and through the floorplan (beginning - entrance, rising action - 1st part of the floorplan, climax - a key highlight, falling action - 2nd half of the floorplan, resolution- big ending centerline). We’re creating a live performance we want to bring the audience and judges into. We want to elicit emotion and create a connection to the pair so that judges and audiences WANT to watch the performance again and again. To do that, the freestyle must tell an effective story.
Technology has changed the way businesses operate. How has it influenced the way you collaborate with clients around the country and internationally?
COLLIER: Technology has been nothing but an amplifier to my business. I’m able to connect with clients any time with ease. I can do live editing sessions or choreography builds through zoom, take a look at practice run-throughs through videos sent on WhatsApp, watch livestream performances etc. And our music capabilities continue to grow! I can use AI to help with music editing and BPM matching, I have a full orchestra at my fingertips to implement when and where and how I need them to, and access to music from artists across the globe. Technology has helped close the distance by virtually bringing me closer to my riders and enabled me to bring more offerings to the freestyle table.
What advice would you give to someone who has always wanted to compete in a musical freestyle but feels intimidated by the process?
COLLIER: Find a designer that you feel comfortable with. The best designer will walk with you, answer any questions you have, help you along the way and be your guiding light and support. For many riders that I work with, freestyles can be a scary black box. Part of my job is to help shed light on the process and mold their ideas into a freestyle they love.
Is there a particular freestyle or client success story that stands out as especially meaningful in your career?
COLLIER: I honestly did not think Anna Buffini’s and Diva’s Top Gun Freestyle would go as viral as it did. I mean, we worked our asses off on that one, but for it to gain the traction that it did was wild to see.
And recently I had 10 riders make the freestyles at NAYC. Watching them dance down that centerline just made me so proud. These junior, young, and U25 riders are some of the most dedicated and passionate bunch I have the privilege to work with. To see them succeed and to be part of that success is huge. When Eila Fisk won the Young Rider MFS this year, I was one of the first people she called after the ride (and before the awards). It’s so special to be one of the first people a rider calls. To have that kind of relationship, to be a part of someone’s team to that degree…I don’t really have words, it’s an incredibly special feeling and one I strive to have with all my riders.
Running a creative business requires balancing artistry with entrepreneurship. What have been some of your biggest lessons as a business owner?
COLLIER: Clear communication, always have a solution, and always listen. I also have a full-time job with Deloitte, on their Global Communications, Marketing, and Brand team, so I get to take the soft skills I learn there and apply it to my work with Three Wishes. Riders need someone that not only produces high levels of work, but communicates with them, anticipates their needs and is there for them. I’ve had some hard lessons in the past, and Three Wishes has grown stronger for it. I’m continuously thinking about how I can improve the process for riders and find new ways to support them.
Looking ahead, what projects, goals, or exciting developments are on the horizon for you and Three Wishes Freestyles?
COLLIER: In the immediate future I’m excited to support my riders in person at Dressage at Devon and the upcoming Wellington season in Florida. Tom continues to help push my technical capabilities, so I look forward to upskilling with him and hopefully get him to the US for a time! And LA 2028 is on the horizon!
Collier Wimmer
Three Wishes Freestyles
Collier Wimmer is a professional dressage musical freestyle designer based in the United States (North Carolina and Florida), offering fully custom dressage musical freestyles (choreography and music editing/producing) backed by 18+ years of freestyle production and success.
This article is from the October 2026 issue of Equine Business Magazine
Comments