Fourteen-year-old Sabrina Janis has a plan. For as long as she can remember she has dreamed of attending Texas A&M in College Station and competing on the school’s National Collegiate Equestrian Association National Championship team.

So when her family purchased Huntin Petite Lady, a 2005 bay gelding by Huntin For Chocolate and out of Zippos Petite Lady, from  2007 American Quarter Horse Association Professional Horseman of the Year, Dale Livingston, they decided Sabrina would split residence between Massachusetts and Texas so Sabrina could remain in the Livingston program.

“It seemed to be the best decision to get her closer to that goal,” Livingston says. “Sabrina is a really good rider, but I want her to be a great horsewoman, so she’s learning how to ride and how to ride many different horses.”

The daughter of Stephanie and Dan Janis, Sabrina takes online classes through Bridgeway Homeschool Academy so she has a lot of flexibility and can stay in San Antonio for long stretches of time.

“She currently rides six to seven hours a day and is developing into a great rider and showwoman,” Livingston says.

This year Sabrina is competing on three very talented horses. She shows Huntin Petite Lady in Western Pleasure and Trail. On Holiday, a 2001 sorrel gelding by Barpassers Image out of Prettiest Jet Yet, is her partner for Western Riding and Horsemanship. And she continues to show Ima Money Magnet in Trail. The pair won a Circuit Championship in Youth Trail at the Arizona Sun Circuit this year. Sabrina has plans to add classes with the 2007 bay gelding by RL Best Of Sudden.

“She is very competitive, but at the same time loves animals, especially her horses,” Livingston says. “I think she gets a lot of that from her mother.”

“My mom and my aunt have always been involved in horses. From a young age, their dad had boarding facilities in Massachusetts,” Sabrina explains.  “My mom got involved with it along with my aunt; they had ponies, they had carriage horses, they would take lessons.”

Around the time Sabrina was born, the sisters were involved in the Paint Horse circuit, which is where Sabrina  got her start, first in Lead Line at the age of 2, then stepping up to Small Fry and eventually 13 & Under. She started training and showing with Peggy Knaus of Cleveland, Missouri.

After being in the Paint circuit for a while, Janis and her mother made the decision to move to the Quarter Horse circuit. She started riding with Jimmy and Lisa Farrell of Durham, Connecticut.

“They helped teach me all the basics of Trail and how to do patterns. I was able to learn a lot from them,” Sabrina says.

Since her mother has had so much experience, Sabrina is  able to capitalize on her role as show mom.

“I have so much faith in her because she and my aunt did a lot of things on their own back when they were showing,” Sabrina says. “If they had a problem, they fixed it. If they wanted to go to a show, they did. They were independent.”

She says her mother instilled a lot of that independence in her when it comes to showing horses. That shows in her list of accomplishments.

In 2011, Sabrina and Duies Creditor were Region Six Youth Trail Champions. They placed third in Novice Youth Trail and sixth in Youth Trail at the National Snaffle Bit Association’s World Show. Then at the All American Quarter Horse Congress they placed ninth in 11 & Under Trail and were finalists in 11 & Under Horsemanship.

In 2012 they were Reserve Champions of the 13 & Under Division of Trail at the AQHA Youth World Show and placed 11th in 12-14 Youth Trail at the Congress. In addition they won the NSBA Youth Trail (Team Tournament) at the Reichert Celebration.

Last year Sabrina and Huntin Petite Lady won numerous circuit championships and were semi-finalists in Western Pleasure at the AQHA Youth World Show.

“When I think of being a good show person, to me, it’s more than what the announcer calls out and the color of the ribbon they hand me,” explains Sabrina. “It really is about improving yourself and your horse.”

She enjoys the process – the work that it takes to be successful – and working with Livingston.

“He is a phenomenal trainer. He has this way about him and how he rides a horse that is really just amazing,” Sabrina says. His knowledge has helped her not only in the show pen, but also in life.”

When Sabrina isn’t training or showing, she says you can usually find her with her nose in a book.

“I’m definitely a big reader,” says Sabrina. “I’m such a bookworm. I’d read a whole library if you let me.”