In part four of our six-part series on what it takes to win a World Championship title Kylie Moeller, of Grant, Minnesota, warns fellow competitors that if they want to win a World title in Showmanship they must get control of their nerves. Kylie and Just Simon won the Youth Senior Showmanship last year at the Pinto World Show. Next up: Davis, a winner in Hunter Hack at the AQHA Youth World Championship Show.

Wanting a win is a big part of the battle in Showmanship classes but 18-year-old Kylie Moeller, of Grant, Minnesota will tell you that to earn one at a World Championship level you’ve got to get control of your nerves and go for it.

Kylie’s plan at the 2025 Pinto World Championship Show was to “go full send” in the Youth Senior Showmanship and when the dust settled she and Just Simon (Simon), a 2018 gelding by John Simon out of I Love Invitations, walked out of the arena as World Champions.

“I never want to come out of the pen with any regrets,” she said.

It was not Kylie’s first appearance at the Pinto World Show. She and Simon have attended every year since 2021 and have competed in Showmanship all four years.

“The most challenging part of Showmanship is always trusting yourself and your horse,” she said. “I 100% get the most nervous for Showmanship because I want it too bad, but when it’s time to walk up to that first cone I’ve learned that you need to leave your nerves behind because they will only slow you down.”

To prepare for the 2025 event Kylie really pushed herself and her horse.

“I practiced my pattern a lot and made sure I knew exactly how hard I could push for it in the show pen,” she explained.

Kylie said she thinks that what sets her apart from other competitors is that when you watch her Showmanship patterns her goal is to make you feel as it’s as exciting as watching a Reining pattern.

“Simon is amazing at running full send into his stops, pivoting as fast as I can walk, backing up perfectly straight with very quick steps,” she said.

The daughter of Dan and Jamie Moeller, Kylie purchased Simon as a 2-year-old with just 30 days of training on him. She and her mom, who is also her coach and trainer, finished him.

“My mom is the one who pushes me and has made me what I am today,” she said.

And Simon holds a special place in Kylie’s heart.

“Simon absolutely loves to horse show, he is definitely a one person horse as he’s not very friendly to anyone but me,” she laughed.