Sixteen-year-old Ava Hathaway, of Coldwater, Michigan knows all too well what a roller-coaster ride showing horses at the top level can be. She’s had her share of bumps along the way but staying focused, patient and determined she has also learned that there are just as many high points as there are lows. Like many, […]
Delaney Lee may have just gotten her start showing three years ago but the 16-year-old El Dorado Hills, California native has had a love of horses for the better part of her life. The daughter of Cathy and Aaron Lee first caught the horse bug as a toddler at a preschool carnival where the kids […]
Illinois professional trainer Colton Smith is a firm believer that each horse he trains must be able to do its job in its sleep, in order to be a solid citizen for its rider. And so his program is built on a lot of muscle memory and repetition. “I spend a lot of time confidence […]
They say that discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments and if you know Audrey Thomas and her quest for success in the show arena, you’d probably agree. Before she ever swung a leg over a horse two years ago, the 15-year-old youth competitor from Michellville, Iowa spent almost all of her time cheering […]
Dedication and commitment are what transfer dreams into realities and if you don’t believe that then just ask 34-year-old Non-Pro competitor Mallory Menard. Menard, a Michigan native, was raised around horses. Ever since she was a baby her mother has had Arabs. She started taking riding lessons at the age of five and has not […]
Gretna, Nebraska professional trainer Micah Hansen believes that every horse and person has a way that they like to learn and it’s his job to figure out what exactly that is. “I try not to make every horse’s program the same,” he said. That philosophy has served Hansen well as he has navigated the path […]
When Tammy Conroy returned to showing horses after a long hiatus to finish college and start a family, she could not get over the changes in the industry. “When I left we showed to one judge and all the classes were held the same day,” she said. “In Showmanship, competitors had to stand in the […]
A few years back, Scott Jones finally heeded the advice a special woman in his life shared (actually, yelled at) him: “Let go.” And since he took some time away from the business, he has come back fresher and with a renewed enthusiasm. But it took a long time and a lot of stress to […]
There are three things that motivate Ty Paris, of Adrian, Michigan, to keep showing horses – it’s an activity she can do with her whole family; her genuine love for the animal; and the competition. Born in Dalton, Georgia, Ty grew up in the horse industry. Her grandparents ran a large lesson facility with 80-plus […]
Groundwork plays an important role in the breaking process for Ohio trainer Rob Fowler. He says he lets each horse tell him when they are ready to advance to the next step. “They have the rest of their lives to be show horses, so I think it is important to take every horse at its […]
Nineteen-year-old Madison Fussell, of Waxahachie, Texas, got her start showing horses because her mother and grandmother were so deeply involved in the sport. But over time, she has come to realize that something keeps her coming back. “It’s something I am so passionate about and it keeps you humble,” she said. “It has taught me […]
For most people who take a hiatus from showing horses, there’s a bit of a learning curve. A period of adjustment is often needed for the changes that may have occurred in each discipline. But that’s not the case for amateur competitor Tom Clopp, of Charlotte, North Carolina. Clopp, who enjoyed a successful youth and […]
