The next member of Team USA that we will be spotlighting is seventeen-year-old Emily Winegar of
Aubrey, Texas. Emily has been riding horses for the past 12 years and
has been showing competitively for six years. Emily competes in the AQHA
and NRHA reining
events, under the guidance of Gabe Hutchins out of her family’s
facility and also has experience in the Working Cow Horse and Cutting.
When not riding her horses or working at her ranch, Emily enjoys
spending time with her family, baking and running her Australian Shepard
breeding business.
How old are you?
I am 17.
Where do you live?
I live at Green Valley Ranch in Aubrey, Texas.
What school do you attend and what grade are you in?
I do Brigham Young University’s high school online independent study program. I am currently a senior.
What are your plans for next year?
Next
year I am planning to attend North Central Texas College as a duel
credit student to finish my high school credits and receive college
credit simultaneously.
Have you traveled to Europe before? If so, when, where and why?
Yes, I went to Europe in 2002 for 2 months. I went with my family. We traveled all over, including Germany!
What’s your favorite memory from this trip?
Discovering
we were on the wrong train to Amsterdam. We tried to jump on to the
correct train as it was moving. We barely made it; luckily some friendly
people on the train helped pull
us on. We sat next to an elderly woman who shared her WWII stories of
fleeing Germany and moving to Holland. She was especially descriptive
of her memory of the U.S. dropping food packages after the Germans were
defeated.
Another
fond memory was going to the Berlin Zoo. While at the gorilla exhibit
we found a very bored gorilla sitting against the glass wall ignoring
all the spectators. After a relatively large crowd had accumulated,
intent on getting him to respond to their gestures, the gorilla scared
everyone by suddenly turning and pounding on the glass. It was quite a
scare. The gorilla would then resume his bored stance and wait for the
next crowd to gather.
Where else outside of the United States have you traveled?
I
have also traveled to Mexico to give Christmas gifts to children in
small towns, to Canada to visit relatives, and as mentioned, all over Western Europe (Italy, France, England, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Austria.)
What are your equine accomplishments?
I have been competing in Reining since I was 11, so I have had the opportunity to have many accomplishments. Some of them include: AQHYA World Champion and two-time Reserve Champion, 5 time PHBA World Champion, Top 20 NRHA Non-Pro, USEF National Champion, 3 time Futurity Youth Champion, Multiple time NRHA Futurity and Derby finalist.
Why do you think you got chosen for the youth world cup team?
Because over the six years I have been competing in
Reining, I have successively won money on more than 40+ horses. Being
able to adapt to or catch ride new horses quickly.
What are you most looking forward to during the YWC?
I am looking forward to being part of a team. Listening to Nancy Cahill talk about the camaraderie and
team working experience sounds like a blast! I also cannot wait to
meet youth from around the world who share the same love of Quarter
Horses.
What are you least looking forward to during the YWC?
Just
as I am most excited about being on a team, I am also most nervous
about being on a team. I think it is much easier to compete by myself,
so the idea of having a team rely on you to succeed introduces a whole
new burden.
What were your feelings when you found out you made the YWC team?
I
was elated. I have wanted to have this opportunity since I first heard
of the Youth World Cup several years ago. When I received the call
letting me know I had been chosen, I could not wait to share the news
with the many people who have supported me in the sport, namely my
family, trainers, and friends.
If you were to create a playlist for your trip to Germany, what would your top three song choices be?
I love music so this is a very tough question. I think we’ll have to see when I get there.
If you could ride any horse alive or dead, what horse would it be?
I would want to ride Wimpys Little Chic because she is such an amazing athlete with a long list of accomplishments. There are not many mares who have had such a successful career.
Tell me one thing about yourself that most people don’t know?
During
my early childhood years I was actively involved in Music, Dance,
Theatre. I first thought this was the direction my life would move.
What is a unique or quirky habit you have?
I
always smile in the show pen. I guess it is my way of dealing with
stress. It also stems from my years on stage when my mom and dad would
tell me to smile and have fun no matter what happens.
If you had to chose one word to describe yourself, what would it be and why?
Organized. I have an obsession of having to know everything is planned and that nothing is forgotten.
If you had to choose your career right this minute, what would you choose?
I would love to be a pastry chef. I want horses to be a part of my life forever but maybe not as a profession, just as a Non Pro.
Who is your role model in the horse world and what is it about this person that makes you choose them?
My biggest role model in the horse world is Mandy McCutcheon because she is so determined to succeed. Also, I love that Mandy is so humble even though she has achieved so much as a Non Pro in the Reining Horse industry.
