Have you ever wondered what it would be like to ride with one of the industry’s leading trainers? An Illinois native, Caley Coffey was raised in a family who has been involved with showing horses for many generations. After high school, Coffey attended Kansas State University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science and an option in Business. During her years at Kansas State University, she was a member of the NCAA Equestrian Team.
Soon after college, Coffey found her new home at one of the industry’s leading training programs, Highpoint Performance Horses. Coffey works as an assistant trainer and showmanship instructor. For the past four years, Coffey has called Pilot Point, Texas home. Highpoint Performance Horses is owned by trainers Charlie Cole and Jason Martin and is home to leading sires such as VS GoodRide,The Born Legacy and Hot Ones Only.
Coffey shares with GoHorseShow her experience with Highpoint, and what makes Highpoint different from other training programs.
Q: How did you get involved with horses and the show industry?
A: Showing horses has been in my family for generations. My grandparents showed horses and hauled my Aunt and Mother to horse shows when they were Youth and Amateurs as well. My Aunt, Deb Cuvelier, was a horse trainer and AQHA Judge and trained and hauled me throughout my youth and Amateur career.
Q: What inspired you to want to become a professional horse trainer?
A: Growing up, I swore to myself I was never going to become a professional horse trainer. When I graduated college, I had an opportunity to train horses and, at the time, I told myself I would do this one gig, and when I was done there, I would get a job outside of this industry. Well, here it is seven years later, and I am still in the horse industry. I just can’t seem to step away.
Q: What is your favorite part about working with Highpoint Performances Horses?
A: My favorite thing about Highpoint is the people I’m surrounded by. We have a great team of people right now who work well together and make it enjoyable to be around. We also have a great group of customers.
Q: Who’s your favorite horse at Highpoint and why?
A: My favorite horse that has been at Highpoint while I have worked there would have to be Heavenly Mac. He was so kind, and I had a lot of fun getting him ready to show.
Q: What makes Highpoint so different from other training programs?
A: One difference is the number of horses we haul up and down the road to all the different circuits. We usually have 20 or more horses with us at the major shows. There are times we don’t have quite that many, but this was a drastic change from what I was used to.
Q: What is the atmosphere like at horse shows?
A: Well, it depends on the day. If the trail and western riding happen to be on the same day and we have 30 or more horses at the show, it tends to get hectic, but we always manage to get through the day. We all work together and have a system down that works for our barn, and it seems to run smoothly most of the time.
Q: What are you looking forward to in the upcoming show year?
A: Being able to continue showing Look N Hott in the hunter under saddle classes.
Q: What is your favorite thing about JJ (Look N Hott)?
A: What I like about JJ is that he is a challenge. You never know what you might get on any given day in the show pen. He definitely makes you work for your rides, but when he is on, he is so much fun to show. He has a huge personality and he still has his quirks. These quirks consist of his phobia of wash racks and driving carts. Some of my future goals with JJ are to win the Limited Maturity and place Top 10 at the Open World in the Senior Hunter Under Saddle.
Q: What are a few of your significant AQHA accomplishments?
A: In 2004, I was AQHYA World Champion in the Yearling Mares and in 2017, I was Reserve Congress Champion in the Limited Hunter Under Saddle Maturity. Those two wins mean a lot to me as far as wins in my show career.
Q: What was it like to win the Halter at the Youth World Show?
A: Winning the Youth World in Yearling Mares with Call Me Telusive is a day I will cherish forever. At the time, my mother was battling cancer and we weren’t sure she would be able to make the trip to Fort Worth. So to have her there with the whole family one last time and to be able to go out on top was a dream come true.
Q: What are your favorite classes to show in and why?
A: My favorite classes to show in as an open rider would have to be hunter under saddle and trail. Even though I have not shown the trail since I have worked for Highpoint, growing up and even the first couple years as an open rider working as an assistant at other training barns, the trail has always been a favorite class. It is a different challenge each day and on any given day, it is anybody’s game at the horse shows. Also, I have had the opportunity to show some pretty great horses in the hunter under saddle and that always makes it really enjoyable.
Q: If you could say thank you to one person, who would it be and why?
A: My family, especially my Aunt Deb for everything they have done for me past/present to mold me into the person I am today. Thank you is indeed not enough.
About the Author: GoHorseShow intern, Kinsey McDougald is a junior at Oklahoma State University where she is a part of the equestrian team. Originally from California, she grew up on a ranch and showed registered Hereford cattle and Quarter Horses. Since the day she was born, horses have always been a part of her life.
