They laugh about it now but Gracie Robertson’s parents, Mark and Katie Robertson knew they were in trouble pretty much the first time she ever sat on a horse.

Since they themselves showed American Paint Horse Association (APHA) as kids and actually met showing horses, they were careful not to push Gracie in that direction so they enrolled her in gymnastics and soccer at a young age. But, they say, neither held her attention for long. So when Gracie turned five, they took her for a lesson at a local hunter barn near their home in Mocksville North Carolina.

“Mom likes to tell people that they saw the grin on my face, looked at each other and said ‘we’re so done for,’” Gracie said. “I started out in the hunter jumper world and my first trainer was Kristi Watson. Looking back now I appreciate how many challenges I’ve had in my riding career – from injuries of myself and the horse to switching disciplines and learning how to ride a completely different way.”

Gracie’s first horse show was at a hunter show in Greensboro, North Carolina, back in 2012.

“I used a barn lesson pony and did the Walk-Trot,” she explained. “Soon after on Christmas of 2012 I got my first pony as a gift, which still tops as the best Christmas ever! Her barn name was Holly and her registered name was Ever So Slightly. I had Holly for six years and throughout our time together we went to many top hunter shows including the 2017 US Pony Finals where we ended up 17th in the conformation out of around 100 ponies.”

Gracie says Holly was a saint and provided her with a solid foundation. In 2018 her family purchased Kaptain Kruze, a 2015 gelding by The Krymsun Kruzer and out of a daughter of Fabuluke.

Kruze was at the time a very green 3-year-old appendix gelding who was in need of an education so Gracie’s mom dug up her old contacts and North Carolina trainers Paul and Tami Thurston were enlisted to help. That move proved to be her gateway into AQHA competition. Gracie and Kruze started showing locally in Level 1 Youth Hunter Under Saddle classes. Gracie says Kruze was a tough ride but taught her a lot and made her a better rider.

“Our time came to an end in 2022 when Paul and Tami, my parents, and I decided that if I wanted to keep growing I needed a new partner, even if that meant starting over with a new young one and being out of the pen for a bit,” she said.

That’s when Good As Ever (Cam), a 2019 bay gelding by Give Me The Goods and out of From The First Hello, entered the picture.

Since then, Gracie and Cam have been competing in 14-18 Youth Hunter Under Saddle and in Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle classes.

“Cam and I have a very special bond,” Gracie said. “I know exactly how our ride will go from the moment I throw my leg over him. I know that if I stay calm and confident he will as well.”

That instinct proved valuable when she and Cam won the National Youth Team Tournament (NYATT) Hunter Under Saddle at the 2023 Quarter Horse Congress and were Reserve in both the Level 1 Youth Hunter Under Saddle 14-18 and the 15-18 Youth Hunter Under Saddle. It was especially satisfying for Gracie given the fact that it was their very first appearance at the Congress.

“When we lined up on the wall I was already happy because I knew I just had the best ride of my life but being the only one left on the wall was so surreal,” she said.

Gracie credits her trainers for much of her success in the show pen.

“There are a lot of great horse trainers out there but it is hard to find equally as great of people,” she said. “Paul and Tami know that life is bigger than horses and they know and respect that we don’t have unlimited resources.  They have helped us find the perfect young one to develop and become very successful. They have given me so many opportunities and I couldn’t ask for anyone better.”

Gracie will compete in the NYATT Hunter Under Saddle and Youth Hunter Under Saddle at the Congress next month. She is excited about finishing out her Youth career with Cam and has big goals for competing as an Amateur next year.

“Cam has an interesting personality,” she said. “He hates any normal type of horse treats and will only eat sweet potatoes and fruit loops. He also will, under no circumstances, put his ears forward for anyone or anything when taking pictures. He’s tends to be sweet only for me but I’m not above bribing with treats and long scratch sessions.”

Gracie loves watching maiden classes at the shows – both Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure, because of what she calls “the insane amount of talent that the horses and trainers have.” She thinks it’s fun to watch them actually compete, especially after seeing all the advertising for the horses in those classes.

As far as showing herself she says her first love will always be over fences classes but she’s currently focused on Hunter Under Saddle.

“I love the Non-Pro classes too,” she said. “ If I could do another class I would love to do the Western Riding because it looks like so much fun.”

A 2024 graduate of Davie County High School in Mocksville, North Carolina, Gracie now attends Sweet Briar College in Virginia, where she is studying biology on a pre-vet track and riding for the school’s Equestrian Team.

When Gracie is not riding or at a show she loves spending time with her family, including her mom, dad and brother, Chase; friends whether that’s at the pool, going shopping or riding four wheelers. None of them know anything about horses so she says it’s kind of nice being able to have two separate worlds.

But Gracie’s true passion is showing horses.

“I show because of the love God gave me for the sport,” she explained. “The thrill I get in the show pen is unlike any other. I love the bond I have with my horse. Explaining what I do to non- horse people can be really hard and then when they find out we basically pay for someone’s opinion, they ask why would you do that? And honestly, why would we do that? The love for the sport and the friends and community it has brought me is the reason I continue to do it.”

She said she admires many people but after a great deal of thought she decided her hero has to be Tami Thurston.

“Not just as a rider but as a woman as well,” Gracie said. “Tami is a phenomenal trainer and rider but the other aspects of her life outside of horses are nothing short of amazing and someone I hope to be a least half of one day. Tami walks with God in everything she does whether that’s teaching her students, being a mom to (son) Carter, a wife to Paul, or riding my bull headed horse who sometimes makes you want to scream. No one is perfect and we all mess up but, I know I can always go to her about anything and she’ll always talk with me and pray with me. She is someone I aspire to be with or without horses.”

Youth Profiles are part of InStride Edition’s editorial content. If you know someone who would make a good subject for a youth profile email Corrine Borton, Editor, at: CorrineBorton@InStrideEdition.com.