That flash of long blonde hair you usually see streaking from show pen to show pen at horse shows is most likely that of American Quarter Horse Association youth competitor Erin Mask. Mask competes in all-around events in every sense of the word. She’s up early to stand in the Halter pen and out late showing in Ranch Riding and in every class in between.

Born and raised in Newnan, Georgia, Mask comes from a long line of horse enthusiasts. Both of her grandparents, Bill and Susie Watts were horse trainers and her grandfather was a carded AQHA judge. As the only daughter of Angie Schmeck, horses are a passion for both mother and daughter and they spend a lot of time on the road together.

Mask began showing at the age of 11 under the guidance of Manita De- Foor and since then she has racked up more Congress and AQHA World Show titles in everything from Halter to Western Pleasure than most of us can dream about.

Erin Mask & Justa Machine

In 2012 Erin teamed with her mother’s Western Pleasure mare, Only Because Im Good, a 2009 mare by Invitation Only and out of Zippity Good Bar. Together they won both the National Youth Association Team Tournament Western Pleasure and Novice Youth Western Pleasure 13 & Under at the Congress.

They also won the Novice Youth Western Pleasure at the National Snaffle Bit Association’s World Championship Show and were Reserve Champions in Youth Western Pleasure. They returned to the show pen in 2014 and were crowned Reserve World Champions at the AQHA Youth World Show. That same year they added another Congress bronze to their collection by winning the Youth 12-14 Western Pleasure.

“When I first started showing her I never thought I would be that successful with her,” Mask said. “As young as I was, she taught me sportsmanship.” Only Because Im Good was retired  that year to the breeding shed and Erin began the search for a new Western Pleasure partner. Little did she know she had already seen him showing and winning the 2-Year-Old Limited Open Western Pleasure that very same year at the Congress.

RR All In

Justa Machine, a 2012 bay gelding by Machine Made and out of Zip N Therapy was being shown under their guidance of Wade Black of Boerne, Texas. After winning the Congress with Black “Ziggy” went on to have a successful 3-year-old year for then owner Cheryl Mullikin before being sold to Mask at the end of 2015.

“The first time I laid eyes on Ziggy I fell in love with him,” Mask recalled. “He looks almost identical to my old pleasure mare Only Because Im Good. At the 2015 AQHA World Show I rode him for the first time and loved him. My mom and I have watched this horse since he was a 2-year-old so I was very excited to try him.”

The team got off to a great start and was circuit champions their first time out at the Florida Gulf Coast Circuit in Tampa, Florida and Champion in Youth Western Pleasure at the Fun In The Sun Futurity. They have already qualified for the AQHA Youth World Show in Western Pleasure this year,  which Mask will attend under the guidance of EH Pait, and she is already looking toward the future as Ziggy has been started in Western Riding and seems to be very good at it.

“I think for us to prepare for the rest of the year and be successful I need to focus on getting to really know my horse,” Mask said. “Ziggy and I have only been to three shows together so far but I am very excited for the future.”

Figure Out Vegas

After the AQHA World Show in November Ziggy will join Mask’s other all-around contender, RR All In, at Tommy Sheet’s training facility in New Albany, Indiana. Mask has been showing RR All In for a couple of years now and will continue to show the 2005 gelding by Invitation Only and out of Im Sophisticated Too in Trail and Western Riding. They qualified for the AQHA Youth World Show in both events. Mask will also continue to show her Ranch Riding horse, Figured Out Vegas, this year under the guidance of Mozaun Mckibben.

“I haven’t been showing the Ranch Riding for very long, but I really enjoy it a lot,” Mask said. “I think that is what motivates me most to show, the process. Getting to know a new horse or teach it something new and learn with it has always been fun to me.”

But perhaps the activity closest to Erin’s heart is showing her Halter horses. Her first Congress Championship came in the Halter pen and since then she has accumulated three more Congress bronzes and a Bronze globe at the AQHYA World Show. Georgia trainer Todd Grant helps prepare Erin’s Halter horses.

This year she is showing Shes Very Cool, a 2-year-old mare by Very Cool and out of Cool Skip Anna and a Performance Halter Mare named Only Classic Chips by Invitation Only and out of One Classic Chip.

Shes Very Cool

“Erin is becoming a great, great horsewoman. She does everything from loading and unloading the trailers to helping us with ponying and getting the Halter horses ready,” Grant said. “Erin is definitely a hard worker. There’s not a lazy bone in her body and that work ethic has paid off for her. She has really become a force to reckon with in the pen.”

When she’s not busy at a horse show Mask is usually working on her home school assignments. She also enjoys deer hunting and spending time with her brother, Drew.