For Erika Collins Sterling, the dirt of a horse show arena feels like home, though her path back to it was anything but linear. At 47, Sterling is navigating a “second act” in the equine world, one only dreamed about by most riders. After a decade-long hiatus marked by family loss and professional demands, she hasn’t […]
For Hailey Brown, life is measured in strides, rhythms and the quiet communication between a rider and a 1,200-pound animal. At just 13 years old, the Escondido, California native has already spent 11 years in the saddle, transforming from a toddler on a pony named Polley into a decorated champion. Born into the industry as […]
For Molly McElrath, the “horse bug” was not a passing childhood phase but a foundational element of her identity that survived the rigors of law school and the demands of a high-stakes career in global software sales. Now 38, the Mercer, Pennsylvania, native is entering a transformative year. Living on a few acres north of […]
Iowa Amateur competitor Teresa Krueger likes to tell people that her addiction to horses is something she just never outgrew. When she was just a child, her sister decided to buy a half quarter/half Arabian mare. “I used to ride double with her everywhere,” Krueger recalled. “I was finally able to get my first 50-inch […]
Pennsylvania Amateur competitor Ali Hubbell has never tried a discipline she didn’t like. From Showmanship and Horsemanship to Equitation to Trail, she’s shown in it. She even rode Saddle Seat and Dressage for a time on her first show horse, a leopard Appaloosa by the name of K Doc Holiday. “He did everything,” Hubbell said. […]
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 […]
For 28-year-old Justin Melvin there are no “one size fits all methods” when it comes to training horses. “I like to learn what works for each horse specifically,” he explained. “Some horses may learn more quickly than others and some may need to be started a little slower.” Melvin became seriously involved with show horses […]
This is an important year for Blacklick, Ohio Amateur competitor Jessica Balo. It marks her transition into all-around competition and her trainer, Missy Thyfault found the perfect partner for her in Absolutely Krymsun (Goose). Goose is a 2018 bay gelding by One Hot Krymsun out of Absolutely Luxurious who was bred by Karen Hurtgam. “Missy […]
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 […]
