Cynthia Cantleberry of Paso Robles, California just recently turned 71, but this recent birthday girl hasn’t slowed down one bit. The 14-time AQHA World Champion and 2001 AQHA Professional Horsewoman of the Year has trained and shown horses since she was a twelve. Cantleberry has shown in almost every discipline from halter and hunters and jumpers to western pleasure, trail, ranch horse pleasure, western riding, reining, pleasure driving and working cow horse.
Many of her students have gone on to win AQHA World Championships and some have gone on to become professional horse trainers with very successful students as well. Cantleberry especially enjoys working with youth riders and the 11 and under kids at her training facility, Golden Hill Farm. Cantleberry has also been mentors to several trainers in our industry including Charlie Cole and Jason Martin.
“Cynthia is and always will be the Queen of Trail,” says Cole fondly about Cantleberry. “She trained and showed some of the greatest trail horses ever. When I was starting out, Cynthia was a mentor to me, and I would watch in amazement as she showed. She has so much style and grace showing a trail horse–she is a true horseman.”
GoHorseShow sat down with this legendary horse trainer to find out more about her background and love for horses.
A: I was born in Illinois and my family eventually moved out to California. My family always had horses, my dad rode and my brother’s roped. I have always ridden and shown. I got my start as a toddler in leadline
classes. I won my first blue ribbon at one and a half years of age. The first
horse shows I truly remember are when I was ten or 12 years of age. I
showed in every class and rode just about any kind of horse.
Q: What do you like about the horse industry?
A: I love what horses can do for kids. Horses can have such a positive influence on the lives of children, teaching them so many life lessons from responsibility, to thinking positive, to working hard and practicing and being a good sport, and working as a team. My late husband Red and I had a large stable-full of kids that rode and showed with us for years. It has been fun to watch them develop into adulthood and then to see what they have done with their careers and families since then. I still enjoy working with youth and have a number of kids in the barn now. I think giving children the opportunity to learn what horses and showing have to teach them is more important than it ever was in this day and age.
Q: Who are some of your mentors?
A: My mentor in life and with horses was my husband, Red Cantleberry. Some of the other ones that I learned from early on in my career were Clyde Kennedy, Jimmy Williams and Barbara Worth. (Pictured above–The first trainer to ever win the Junior and Senior Trail the same year)
Q: What are some of your favorite wins?
A: This is a hard question to answer because each win is a special accomplishment. I would have to say that the most favorite have been wins at the Forum, The Cow Palace, and, of course, at the AQHA World Championship Show. It is also a big thrill to see my students win.
Q: Can you tell me about some of your favorite horses you have trained and why?
A: Hi Mabel (Katy O’Grady–pictured left) and her offspring are some of my favorites. We got her as a two year-old and she was just an amazing horse–smart, quiet and so much fun to be around. She and I had a wonderful show career together, winning three AQHA World Championships in Senior Trail and numerous other championships at the Cow Palace and the Forum. She was also the ASHA Horse of the Year. Hi Mable’s offspring were also very successful and fun to train and show; her son Hicando earned over 1,500 performance points and two AQHA World Championships, Hi Cost of Mink finished third at the AQHA World Show in Senior Trail and was a multiple Top 10 winner at the AQHA World Show. Her other son, Hi Who, was and AQHA Reserve World Champion in Junior Trail.
I also have always loved the Silky Fox horses that I have had over the years; Silk Worm (pictured right) was my very first AQHA World Champion, Silk Sail was an ASHA Horse of the Year, Silk Classic won the AQHA Reserve Super Horse at the AQHA World Show with two AQHA Reserve World Championships, Silk Silhouette was a Top Ten winner at AQHA World Show. And then there’s Classy Reprint, Spectacular Silk, and Trimmed in Silk that have been consistent winners at the AQHA World Show and international levels.
My two most recent favorites are my cow horses Little Jazzy Lena and Dun Pleasin’ Chics (Cuesta). I didn’t train Jazzy, except to get her changing leads like a pro. Jazzy trained me. She taught me how to compete in reined cow horse and how to work a cow. My other favorite is Cuesta, who takes care of me in the reined cow horse classes and carried us to a seventh place finish at the AQHA World Championship Show in 2011.
Q: Can you tell me some of your students that have turned into successful trainers in the industry?
A: Lori Crow (pictured left) started riding with me and my husband Red at the age of five. She went on to show as a Youth and Amateur and then worked for us before she went out on her own. Lori has had numerous successes herself, recently with a Top Ten win at the AQHA World Championship Show in Senior Trail. She has also become an excellent coach and trainer. Every year that her students have set their goal to qualify for an AQHA World Show, they have done so. Her students and horses in training have won; a World Championship in Trail at the AQHA Select World Championship Show, a Top 5 win in Boxing at the AQHA Select World, a Top 5 win in Performance Halter at the AQHA Youth World Championship Show, and a Top 4 win in Performance Halter at the AQHA Select World Championship show as well as numerous year end awards and circuit championships.
Q: Are there any memorable moments during your career that you would like to share with our readers?
A: This is also a hard question to answer. I feel very fortunate to have had a career and life with horses; it seems as if it has all been one beautiful, memorable moment!
Q: Why do you think you have been successful in this industry?
A: I had a great start and the help of some wonderful people along the way. My husband Red, was a great horseman, and his father before him was a well-known vaquero during the days of the big ranches here in California. Red also had an eye for a beautiful horse with potential. In addition to support, I have always had a positive attitude.
Q: Any advice you have for young trainers?
A: Oh boy, do I! Learn how to be a horseman and not just a horse trainer. Do the best you can with what you have. Today, some trainers act like the only horses that are worth their time are the fancy ones. Well, back when I got started, you had to make the best of what you had. Maybe that client didn’t have such a great horse, but they might have a friend that does, or the next horse they get could be a winner. You have to have a good work ethic and work hard, because you are only going to get out of it what you put in. You also need to be a people person and learn how to deal with people–the great, the good, and the not so good. I think some trainers forget who signs their checks, and it is the people, the horse owners and students that sign the checks. Last I looked; a horse couldn’t hold a pen in its hoof. If you are a good people person, you will always have good people around you.
Q: How does the industry compare to when you first started your career?
A: The horses are a higher quality and better bred. They are more specialized and many are easier to train and show because they are bred specifically for their job.
Q: What are your proudest accomplishments in the industry?
A: Winning 14 World Championships in various disciplines and having students that have won World Championships and top 10 Awards.
Q: Besides the western pleasure – which you have stated still needs improvement – Are there any other changes you would like to see implemented to improve the industry?
A: Horse owners in general need more education, and professionals need to step up and help them. There are so many people that can’t afford a trainer but need help and getting that help needs to be less expensive.
Q: What would you like your legacy to be in this industry?
A: I hope that I have helped a lot of people become better horsemen and horsewomen and have made their experience with horses more enjoyable.
Q: Thanks Cynthia. We really appreciate you talking to us!
A: You’re Welcome!
Please visit her Facebook page to check out her photos from over the years–she has some even more classic photos!
