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About The Cover
Eighteen-year-old Alexis Potts of Fountain Inn, South Carolina is one busy lady. Potts will be attending Auburn University in the Fall, majoring in Fashion Merchandising, competes in pageants, owns her own business, designs her own show clothes, and also has time to show her horse, Mouse Trapped (Tater).
The Potts family purchased Tater at the Congress as a 2-year-old in 2019 and at the time, he only showed western pleasure. Under the guidance of her father and trainer TR Potts, along with the assistance of Geno Spagnola, they have slowly added more events. Most recently the duo was Top 3 at the Congress, final 4 at the Arizona Sun Circuit, and have earned multiple circuit champions in the equitation.
Alexis also shows Tater in Horsemanship, Hunter Under Saddle, Showmanship, Halter, Trail, and Western Riding. “Western Riding is one of my favorite classes to watch. I think the flow of the class is so elegant and breathtaking. We showed the full line for the first time in July of 2022. Days before we showed, we were submitting our youth world entries and when it came time to decide on western riding, I told my parents not to enter. Well, they had more faith than I did and it paid off. Our second western riding attempt was the prelims at the youth world where we placed 15th making it to the finals. I was already so happy with this accomplishment, but what made it even better was competing in the finals and placing 5th against the best horses and riders in the country.”
In 2020, Potts also started her own business The Frilly Filly, a fashion boutique to expand her love of fashion. “My love for fashion grew as I competed in pageants. With the help of my mom, I learned how to create a business plan, form an LLC, purchase wholesale, design a website, and grow my social media following. My inventory is geared toward the young, contemporary audience that encompasses a Western flair with a traditional Southern style.”
Although Potts has purchased some items from a few different designers in the industry, she does make the majority of her show clothes. “I love being able to have a vision in my head and then bring it to life,” Alexis told us. “Not only that, but I am also able to create pieces for others through my mom’s business That’s Sew Christine. It’s so fun having this love that we can share together, and we are both able to contribute ideas to make some amazing creations that shine in the arena.”
Alexis told us that she loves fashion because it’s a way to use your sense of style to stand out from the crowd, either in the arena or on the stage. A designer who she really looks up to is Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. “She was revolutionary for creating a wardrobe for women that was feminine and stylish, yet more comfortable for everyday wear,” Potts says. “Not only that, but being a women entrepreneur during that time was unheard of, which makes it even more impressive to have built a legendary brand that is still thriving today.” She adds, “Another fashion brand that I find myself inspired by is Balmain Paris. They are a very glamorous, yet classy brand, and I especially love the patterns they use in some of their designs. I have incorporated designs inspired by them with ribbon added to the arms of some show shirts.”
Her current favorite trend is button-down shirts. “Not only are they much more comfortable, but as someone who struggles to make up her mind, I love being able to have several different designs and color options to choose from rather than sticking with one outfit. For colors, I love to combine unexpected colors, from navy and red to teal and orange, I love how these bold colors come together to create something unique and beautiful.”
Alexis’ favorite accomplishment as a pageant competitor was receiving a perfect score in the interview portion of a competition from a Miss USA titleholder herself. “Interview has always been my favorite area to compete in as I love to be able to connect and share my story with the judges. It’s something that is so different from many other competitions; being able to sit with the judges and tell them why you are here, what your goals are, what has shaped you into the person you are, or in my case, even getting to joke around about my green apple Blow Pop obsession. The icing on the cake to this reward was then placing 3rd runner up amongst some of the most accomplished teens in the country.”
Potts has been competing in pageants since she was 13. “They have taught me so many things and one of the most beneficial is how to have a healthy competition mindset. I used to suffer from comparison, not only in my everyday life, but especially competing at horse shows. Looking back, I can see how that mentality and lack of confidence weakened my performance in the arena. With competing in pageants, as soon as you start comparing yourself to others, you have taken yourself out of the competition. There are so many unique and different girls with different looks and different talents that no two girls are alike, so you can’t try to be like someone else. The judges are looking for someone who is authentic and proud of who they are, flaws and all,” she says.
In middle school, Alexis went through a tough experience with bullying. “I began to lose myself and one of those ways was how I dressed. I felt as if I needed their acceptance and the only way I could gain it was by dressing just like them. This may not seem like a big deal, but as someone who loves fashion, this was a huge part of my personality,” Alexis admits. “Through pageantry, I learned to overcome this obstacle and always embrace what makes me…me, especially when it comes to fashion. Whether it’s with my show clothes, everyday outfits, or my boutique, I strive to ‘fit out’ and be as different as I can possibly be, and I am so honored that it has paid off by being recognized with the incredible honor of being on this year’s GoMag Fashion Issue cover.”
CLICK HERE to view the May Issue of GoMag
Cover Design: Holt Pope – Cover Photo: Christine Potts
The deadline for the June Summer Shows and APHA World Show Issue of GoMag is Sunday, May 28. To reserve your space, call or text Suzannah Fuhrman, GoHorseShow’s Co-founder and Executive Vice President, at 214-449-8716 or email her at [email protected]. She will be happy to answer any of your questions and can help design an advertising package to fit your needs and budget perfectly. GoHorseShow…Where The Winners Go.
