She has looked up to her sister for as long as she can remember so when the zoo in her town sent out a brochure about riding lessons and Amie Bussing enrolled, that is all young Katie had to hear.

A few years later Amie quit the sport but Katie was hooked.

At the age of 7, Katie started taking riding lessons from Brad and Vicki Pitts. About a year later she bought her first show horse, RL A Sudden Escort (Bo).

“We went to my first show in Murray, Kentucky and I’ve been showing ever since,” Katie says. “When I was about 8 we won Grand Champion Youth Gelding – it was the first big prize of my career.”

Since then the senior at Newburgh Christian School has had the opportunity to own and show many talented horses.

Sure Good Money, a bay mare by Good Version and out of Sonnys Suremoney, helped Katie earn a Top 5 placing in both Youth Performance Halter Mares and 11 & Under Youth Western Pleasure at the Quarter Horse Congress in 2009. They also finished in the Top 10 in Performance Halter Mares at the AQHYA World Show.

Katie also shows A Good Cookie, a 2007 sorrel mare by Zippos Mr Good Bar and out of One Classic Chip, in Western Pleasure and Western Riding.

“Her two favorite things are food and naps,” she reveals.

Together Katie and A Good Cookie captured Reserve Championships in both the National Team Tournament Western Pleasure and 12-14 Youth Western Pleasure at the 2012 Quarter Horse Congress. They also ended up the year as AQHA High-Point Youth Western Pleasure Champions. Then in 2013 they placed eighth at the AQHYA World Show in Western Pleasure.

Katie has also been showing CK Mardi Gras, a 2006 chestnut mare by CK Kid and out of Tardee Cool Trouble, in Performance Halter Mares and Ranch Pleasure.

“Mardi has a fun personality, and she is always up for anything,” Katie says.

In 2013 Katie and Mardi placed third in Performance Halter Mares at the AQHYA World Show and they captured Reserve Championships in that same class at the 2013 Quarter Horse Congress and again this year.

In April Katie purchased her first futurity horse, Cool Lookin Moonie, a 2011 mare by Only In The Moonlite and out of Cool Lookin Lady. Cool Lookin Moonie was third in the 2013 Masters Western Pleasure at the Congress and Reserve AQHA World Champion in 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure.

“She is very sweet, but she definitely knows she is pretty and talented,” Katie says.

Together this new team placed fourth in the 15-18 Youth Western Pleasure at the Congress this year.

“I show because it is my passion,” Katie explains. “It is one of those things that you cannot really explain, but I think all people who show experience it. My vacations are even horse shows. I would love to go to England some time though.”

Katie’s favorite class is Western Pleasure.

“I can appreciate a talented horse in any class, but I especially appreciate a beautiful pleasure horse,” she says.

When she is not showing horses Katie spends a lot of her time focused on school.

She earned the Newburgh Christian School Principal’s Award for a 4.0 grade point average in both 2013 and 2014 and the 2014 Evansville Courier and Press Star Student Award.

“Most people would be surprised to learn that I genuinely enjoy education,” she says. “I enjoy it so much so, in fact, that I plan on continuing my education for many years in medical school. It is something that many people would never consider simply because of all the schooling required.”

Katie is also very close to her mother, Marie Bussing.

“My hero is definitely my mom,” Katie says. “She somehow juggles being an author, professor, businesswoman and mother; and she always has a positive attitude. My sister and I have both learned from her great example.”