At the end of a long and successful youth career, many soon-to-be amateurs are faced with many decisions including to keep or sell their youth horse. But this choice is often even more complicated as most riders share unique and special bonds with their horses. Moving up to a new age group comes with new challenges and goals to achieve and strive towards, with or without their youth horse. Below are multiple scenarios from exhibitors who have recently had to make this difficult choice.
Sold: Bailey Anderson
Multiple Congress Champion and AQHA Reserve World Champion, Bailey Anderson (pictured above left) made the decision to sell her partner, Zippos Kat Man Do at the completion of her Youth career.
“My parents always told me that when I finished my youth career, it would be my turn to pay for the horses,” says Anderson.
Though “Teddy” came into Anderson’s life unexpectedly after the passing of her former horse, Kruisin Krymsun, she now acknowledges Teddy as her dream horse.
A member of the University of Georgia Equestrian Team, Anderson is still competitive in the horse industry, but does not currently own a show horse or has any plans to until she graduates from college.
“Teddy” is now owned and shown by Deborah Harris in the Select All Around events.
Keep: Anne-Marie Fortenberry
Anne-Marie Fortenberry and her horse, The Only Kiss To Envy, teamed up in 2014 after Fortenberry lost her once in a lifetime horse, A Good Intention. These APHA World Champions will continue with their All Around events in 2016 and are looking forward to their first year together in the Amateur division.
“I am very blessed to have parents who allow me to keep my horse even after my last year of youth and not every one has the option to do that and I am so thankful I do,” says Fortenberry.
Anne-Marie also shares the bond that her and her horse affectionately known as, Scottie share. “I absolutely adore every single thing about him. My trainers and my parents joke that if I could marry Scottie, I really would,” she says.
With such a deep connection together, Anne-Marie claims that she is looking forward to her and Scottie’s Amateur career along with her new horse, a double registered yearling filly.
Keep: Graceon Ehrman
“It was never a question as to if I wanted to keep him,” says Graceon Ehrman of Steubenville, Ohio who kept her youth horse after a successful youth career.
This duo has not only been Congress Champions, but they were also the Reserve All Around team at the Congress in 2014. Including that Dontskipmygoodimage, also known as “Farmer” is her once in a lifetime horse,
Graceon and her mother, Lilly Ehrman both show competitively with him.
Although Graceon is away at college, she has no plans to get rid of her partner and hopes to have him forever.
“He has brought so much happiness into my life and now my mom is beginning to show him with success as well,” says Graceon.
With one year in the Amateur division under their belt, this duo will continue to compete in the All Around events.
Turn Pro: Carli Pitts
Carli Pitts of Newburgh, Indiana recently made the decision to take a big leap and go straight from the Youth division into the Open division. With Carli’s choice to turn professional, she chose to sell her AQHA Reserve World Champion mare, Hot Lady Born Lopin.
While Carli points out that “Dixie” was a very special horse to her, it did make it easier to sell her because she was able to keep the mare in her barn.
“Even though I cant show her in horsemanship anymore, I still get to ride her everyday and show her in the Open classes like western riding, western pleasure and trail,” says Pitts.
Carli also adds that she is looking forward to helping Dixie and her new owner, Katie Van Slyke, succeed.
Retire: Katie Van Slyke
With the purchase of her new horse, Hot Lady Born Lopin from Carli Pitts, Katie has certainly had to learn how to adjust to a new horse. The new team is off to great success having just been crowned Reserve Champions in Amateur Western Riding at the AQHA Level 1 Central Championships in Oklahoma City.
“It is so weird going from a big hunt seat All Around horse, to a small western All Around mare, but I have enjoyed the challenge,” says Van Slyke, who made the decision to retire her youth horse, Zippin On Top.
Though she includes that “Kalvin” made her the rider she is today, Katie chose to reward him in the best way possible by retiring him. By giving Kalvin a giant stall accompanied with his own turn out field, Katie claims that he is enjoying the retired life.
“I just want him to have the happiest post show-horse life possible,” she says.
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Though sometimes we part ways with our show partners, our bond and memories will always remain. In growing up, we will be faced with new challenges and new opportunities to succeed. We are thankful to the horses that have brought us this far and look forward to the ones in our futures. No matter if we keep the same horse we have had since our youth days or get a new ride, the show must always go on.
