Following her long time dream of winning an American Paint Horse Association World title, Buna Mandell of Asheville, North Carolina, will be competing in her final APHA Youth World Show June 27- July 5 in Fort Worth, Texas, aboard Sippin Cuervo (Hippy), a 2009 gelding by Joses Real Deal.

Since she was a little girl, Buna has always been horse crazy although oddly no one else in her family is.

“I started taking horseback riding lessons when I was 4 at a local barn my parents took me to and never stopped,” Mandell says. “My parents are not horse people but they have been very supportive of me through the years. I could not have done any of this without them.”

Starting out riding both English and Western, Buna originally was more drawn to the English riding Hunters and Jumpers in her early years but eventually getting into the

Paint horses and showing in Western Pleasure with her mentor, D. John Deas. No stranger to success in the show arena, Buna competed at her first World Show at the age of 13 and has won multiple Top Five and Top 10 placings at the APHA and Pinto Horse Association (PtHA) World Shows.

” I really have no time for anything else but horses. I am always gone at a show,” Mandell says. “My parents have really pushed me to stayed focused and keep going at my goals.”

Now 18, Buna is home schooled so she can show throughout the year. Although she is not sure where she may be attending college yet, she is likely to start in the direction of pre-med since both of her parents are doctors.

Until then, she is focusing hard at doing well at her upcoming events with her best friend, Hippy, under the guidance of Eric Petersen of Cannon Falls, Minnesota.

Bred by Linda Smit and owned by friend Jennifer Cornett, Buna had watched Hippy grow up from the time he was a baby.  After winning the BF Gold 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure at the APHA World Show and placing in the Top 10 in the 3-Year-Old Western Pleasure at the 2012 APHA World Show, Hippy was a perfect fit for the top show horse Buna was looking for and was purchased in the Fall of 2012.

“He is by far my favorite horse. He tries so hard every time and he knows his job,” Mandell says. “There is almost a twinkle in his eye when he is showing. I think we get along so well because we have similar personalities. He is very sweet and is always invading your personal space. We also both love to take naps and have been known to even take them together!”

The duo hit it off last year, winning countless circuit championships throughout the country and top placings at some of the major shows including a Top Five finish at the PtHA World Show in Youth 14-18 Western Pleasure, a Top Five finish at the APHA Youth World Show in the Ideal Paint Western Pleasure class, a Top Five finish in the APHA Youth Western Pleasure 18 & Under at the Reichert  Celebration and a Reserve Circuit Champions at the National Western Stock Show in Youth Western Pleasure 14-18. Hippy was Reserve Champion in the APHA Junior Western Pleasure at the 2013 Reichert, Top Five in Bridleless Western Pleasure at the APHA  World Show and Reserve Circuit Champion in Junior Western Pleasure at the Western Stock Show.

Besides showing in Youth Western Pleasure 14-18 at the World Show, Buna and Hippy will also be competing in Novice Youth Showmanship and Horsemanship under the guidance of  Theresa Martz. Petersen’s assistant, Hunter Cash, will also be coaching Buna there as well.

“He is a super cool horse. He has a lot of self- carriage and is easy for Buna to show,”

Petersen says. “He is by far one of the best Paint horses I have ever ridden for sure. He shows a lot of talent at changing leads and I think Western Riding is in his future.”

In addition, Buna is looking forward to competing at the Tom Powers Futurity where she will be showing in the Non-Pro Color Maturity and Hippy will be competing with Eric Petersen in the Color Maturity. Hippy will also be shown this Fall by Eric at the

APHA World Show in Junior Western Pleasure, Bridleless Western Pleasure and Green Western Riding.

Buna says she would love to show at the Quarter Horse Congress this year if she finds the right horse. For now, she is setting her sights on success with Hippy this summer.

“I would like to give a big thank you to my parents Arnold Mandell and Karen Selz for the countless hours of work they do so they can put me up and down the road every weekend and also for all the love and support they give,” Mandell says. “I would also like to thank my current trainers Eric Petersen, Hunter Cash and Theresa Martz as well as my past trainers D. John Deas, Justin Johnson and Wes Stallings. A special thanks to great friends who have supported me and helped make my dreams come true, including Jan Bellows, Brody Whitmire, Hunter Cash, Dori Hirzel, Jennifer VanHal, Kimmy Shidler, Desarae Gilley, Regina Hodge and Leona Mart. Also thank you to Michelle Beitlich for  taking care of hippy and loving on him when I’m not around and keeping me so organized. To Barbra Maitia and Bryan Akes of Barbara’s Custom Hats thank you for all the love and support you guys give me and for being my horse show parents last year when I was on the road. Also thank you for all the gorgeous hats you guys have given me. Thanks to Jacque Ray for all of my gorgeous show jackets and to Dana Wilson with Unbridled for all my World Show jackets.”