There are three things that motivate Ty Paris, of Adrian, Michigan, to keep showing horses – it’s an activity she can do with her whole family; her genuine love for the animal; and the competition.

Born in Dalton, Georgia, Ty grew up in the horse industry. Her grandparents ran a large lesson facility with 80-plus horses. Her mother, Beckey Schooler, is a professional trainer and so was her father, Joe Paris. They were training in Georgia when Ty was born but moved shortly afterwards to southern Indiana.

“After my mom and dad divorced when I was about 4-years-old, we followed my mother’s training career,” Ty explained. “I literally learned to ride before I walked.”

Her show career started just as early.

“The first horse show I remember was the 1997 Kentucky Futurity,” Ty recalled. “I was four and I showed Walk-Trot with my favorite horse, Lizard (DJ Lucky Lizard). I believe at that show, I won my first circuit award.”

Although she can’t remember Lizzard’s breeding or the year he was born, she does remember showing the big, bay, patient gelding at the Quarter Horse Congress that same year.

Ty attended elementary school in Indiana but then homeschooled until her sophomore year of high school.

“I grew up at the horse shows and at the barn and loved it,” she said. “Homeschooling gave me flexibility to ride a ton and compete for national titles.”

When Ty decided she wanted to attend college she returned to public education and enrolled at Lenawee Christian High School.

“This was a great decision as there I learned many study habits that helped me graduate from a reputable program that then made the transition into college easier,” she said.

After high school Ty attended Oklahoma State University and competed on the OSU Equestrian Team that won three conference titles and a national championship while she was there.

“College was the best time, I truly enjoyed riding on the team,” Ty said. “I believe that the reason I am able to ride so many horses now with varying styles and personalities can be attributed to the experience I gained while competing in college. It taught me that the horses don’t have to be perfect, talented, or sometimes even very solid at times to get through the elements of a pattern. You take each horse for its own strengths and weaknesses.”

Ty graduated from OSU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management with a concentration in Human Resources.

“College opened many doors for me to launch a career after graduation,” she said. “I got a Human Resources internship with Owens Corning, a global building materials company my junior year, based on my course of study, professor recommendations and role on the equestrian team.  This also led to a full-time role with Owens Corning after graduation.”

For the past six years, she has worked for Owens Corning and is currently a Senior Talent Lead and Enterprise Program Leader in the Human Resources department.

In 2018 Ty started dating Kyle Dougherty, assistant trainer at Beckey Schooler’s Becky’s Place in Aiden, Michigan. They became engaged in December and are planning a May 28 wedding.

“We met through horses and have been a team since,” Ty said. “Training and showing young horses in various events (Western Pleasure, Trail, Horsemanship, Hunter Under Saddle, etc.) has been a lot of fun together over the years.”One horse that brought both Ty and Kyle tremendous success is If It Aint Dixie (Frances), a 2017 chestnut mare by Its A Southern Thing out of JDZ Madison County. Ty won the Level 2 Amateur Western Pleasure with Frances in 2020. In addition, Kyle won the Level 2 3-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes Class with Frances and Beckey Schooler placed third with her in the Western Pleasure Versatility Challenge.

“It was special to have the whole family there to be a part of the journey and success,” Ty said.

This year Ty is competing on a horse that is very special to her and her family. The Red Dirt Road, a 2019 chestnut gelding by One Hot Krymsun out of Ty’s old show horse, Im Sleepin Single (Beyonce) was raised at ShowPlace Farm which is owned by Ty’s mother and her partner, Todd Yoder.

Last year Ty showed Brooks to a win in the 2-Year-Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle at the Tom Powers Futurity and they placed sixth in the 2-Year-Old Limited Non-Pro Hunter Under saddle at the Congress. Ty will continue to show him in Hunter Under Saddle classes this year and plans to start his all-around career by competing in Equitation and Horsemanship.

“My love for the pleasure horses came from getting to show Beyonce,” Ty recalled.

After Yoder, showed Beyonce with great success in all the major 3-year-old futurities, Ty showed her in Amateur classes.

“Now I am getting to show her babies. Beyonce is like the gift that keeps on giving. It was extra special showing Brooks last year in the 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle classes with my mom. It was the first time I have gotten show one we raised.”

Amateur Profiles are part of InStride Edition’s editorial content. If you know someone who would make a good subject for an amateur profile email Corrine Borton, Editor, at: CorrineBorton@InStrideEdition.com.