Anna Lia Sullivan tried soccer but it didn’t work out. She tried dance class too but that was a “no-go.”

The 14-year-old from Southampton, New Jersey, insists she was a “pony girl” since the age of 2 and she says she just never grew out of that phase.

So instead of fighting it….Sullivan turned her attention to riding lessons and she’s been happy ever since.

When she turned 10, Sullivan got her first show horse, Will Ya Button Me Up, a 2006 tobiano mare sired by Will Spot Ya. Together the team hit the Paint show circuit in New Jersey. Her first breed show was the Garden State Paint Horse Club Spring Fling and over the next few years Sullivan and “Sassy” developed into quite the competitive team. In 2010 they captured Walk-Trot Zone 7 Show Grand Champion honors and followed that up in 2011 with the title of Paint Alternative Competition (PAC) 4-H English Showmanship Champion. Then in 2013 they earned their first New Jersey 4-H State Championship title and multiple grand and reserve champion awards from the Garden State Paint Horse Club.

This year Sullivan will show Sassy in local open shows in the all-around events.

“We love doing Showmanship and Horsemanship the most,” she explains.

Last year Sullivan teamed with Special This Time (aka Breezy), a 2010 bay overo mare sired by All Time Fancy.

“I started showing Breezy as a 3-year-old last year,” she recalls. “It was challenging, however, I became a lot better of a rider in the last year because of it.”

Sullivan says Breezy is already 16.1 hands tall and still growing. They will compete in Equitation, Hunter Under Saddle and Trail classes at APHA shows in Zone 7, under the guidance of Amy Freeman-Suess.

“She has done so much for me and is always there to help me out,” Sullivan says.

When she is not riding, the 14-year-old daughter of Danianna and Gregory Sullivan, spends a lot of time studying. A freshman at Seneca High School in Tabernacle, New Jersey, Sullivan says her favorite classes are Biology and Geometry. She takes two different languages, Spanish and German and plays violin in the school’s orchestra. Outside of school Sullivan is very involved in 4-H and belongs to four different clubs.

“I love participating in my Horse Science club,” she insists. “We compete at the state level at horse hippology, horse judging, and horse bowl competitions. I am looking forward to attending a horse judging clinic at Texas A&M University.”

She is a New Jersey State Equine Presentation Champion; New Jersey State Equine Art Show Champion (photo contest); first runner-up in the Equestrian Of The Year contest; and an Academic Presidential Award winner.

Ask Sullivan why she loves to show horses and she will tell you that it’s the people.

“I love spending time with friends and meeting new people,” she explains. “Showing horses is always so exciting and fun.”

Her favorite show circuit is the New Jersey Horse Association shows.

They are six shows every year, and they are always something to look forward to,” she says.   “I see all my friends from counties all over New Jersey, which is always exciting. Also, NJHA has jackpot classes and fun classes such as pairs to participate in.”

Her favorite class to watch is Hunter Under Saddle because she says she likes seeing the pleasure horses move out and watch their fancy legs.

“I always pick out my favorite horse and sort of judge the class in my head,” she explains.

But Sullivan’s favorite class to ride is Equitation.

“I love it because it doesn’t matter your horse’s ability, you have to be a really great rider in order to win,” she says.

At shows Sullivan spends a lot of time taking pictures of her horses.

“I share them with my friends on social media such as Instagram and Facebook,” she says. “I have really improved as a photographer; my show friends love the pictures I take at shows!”