It takes a dedicated individual to do the right thing, even when no one else is looking. It takes an empathetic individual to place the welfare of the horse above the desire to win. Clark Bradley is one of those individuals. Once a year, outstanding professional trainers who demonstrate character, integrity and stewardship in their […]
Nestled on a farm that’s been in the McAllister family for five generations, Tami and Garry McAllister hang their hats in Southbury, Connecticut. The McAllisters have both been horse enthusiasts for over 20 years — long before their horse training operation began. Both Garry and Tami were born into families that were involved with horses. […]
He’s only 32 years old but when Jay Starnes, of Summerton, South Carolina, walked out of the arena with a check for $50,000 for winning the 2013 Congress Masters Western Pleasure, it appears he walked into a place in history by becoming the first Western Pleasure rider to reach the $1 million in earnings mark. […]
Strictly Show Horses is the name of Adrienne Cober’s training operation, located in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. And, according to the Pennsylvania native, her life right now is “strictly business.” “I used to do some modeling and enjoying fishing but my situation is unique because I work full time for the Department of Corrections and train […]
It was Noelle Schmidt’s love for the Appaloosa breed that brought her Chocolatey, but it was her love for Chocolatey that brought her success. Born in Kinnelon, New Jersey, Schmidt, 45, remembers the call she received from Cecily Zuidema, of Micanopy, Florida in 2005 telling her about a beautiful, strong, weanling colt, by Hot Chocolate […]
For nearly her entire youth career, 17-year-old Megan Overberg’s partner in the American Quarter Horse Association show pen has been Invitation To Show, a 1996 brown gelding she calls “Little Bit.” During that time, most of Overberg’s friends and fellow competitors have changed horses once, twice and even three times. The Hillsboro, Ohio native readily […]
In both horse shows and pageants, judges evaluate contestants and compare them to others. They’re picking out things that set competitors apart and make them better than someone else. At 17, Abby Floyd is an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Youth World and Reserve World Champion and in January she was crowned Miss Arkansas Teen […]
Olivia Hoecker is quick to tell you – Pine Meadow Quarter Horses is more than just a farm; it’s a family, a family of which she is extremely proud. Hoecker fell in love with horses at an early age but never dreamed she would own the successful operation she has literally built from the ground […]
Watching Michael and Justine Tidwell at a horse show is like attending an elaborately choreographed ballet. Michael straps a helmet on their 7-year-old son, Ross, and supervises a bike ride behind the barn while Justine takes a lesson from their trainer, Jason English, on Cowboysainteasytoluv. When she’s finished, Michael saddles up his mare, Silk N […]
Ryan Stille, 15-year-old son of Kelly and Geno Stille, was born in Napa, California, but the family of six relocated to Colleyville, Texas when he was just 7-years-old. It was around this time that Stille became interested in horses – thanks to his mother. “My mom actually got me into it because she showed Paint […]
Showing horses in Belgium is much different than in the United States. The programs are slower and people buy their horses “for life” so they are very demanding. They pick a horse apart and vet it out several times before a deal is sealed. It’s a lifestyle that took some adjustment for Eron Dampier but […]
Eric Mendrysa, 25, was born and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan, Mendrysa got his show career started in the local 4-H club with his mother, Donna Mendrysa. “My mother was the one who got me involved in horses, and I don’t think she ever expected it to go this far,” Mendrysa said. She grew up with […]