UPDATE: Congratulations to Taylor on winning 4 World Championships and 1 Reserve with One Flashy Sensation at the APHA Summer World Show! She also was awarded the High Point Youth 14-18. Good Job Taylor!
Multiple APHA Youth World Champion Taylor Prince has some exciting challenges coming up this year. A native of Las Vegas, Prince recently started showing her horse, One Flashy Sensation (Mel), in the all-around events. Taylor will be showing this mare at the APHA Youth World this week. It will be quite a task since Taylor has only shown her a few times.
Her horse is well-known in the paint industry as a top western pleasure mare, but the all-around events are new and still quite unfamiliar to this duo. Mel is a multiple APHA World Champion in the Western Pleasure and Western Riding with Texas trainer Sara Simons of Simons Show Horses in the saddle. Prince also showed her at the Reichert two years ago and won the Non-Pro Color 3 Year-Old Futurity.
Seventeen year-old Prince was hugely successful with her former mount, Mystical Machine (Macy) who is a double registered AQHA and APHA mare by A Good Machine. Taylor said she is most proud of winning the 14-18 Youth Trail back-to-back with Macy at the APHA Youth World in 2008 and 2009. Another favorite experience of Taylor’s was when she won her first APHA World Championship with Nighttime Sensation in the 14-18 Hunter Under Saddle in 2008. “It was special because it was mine and the horse’s first World title,” Prince said. “It was even more special because he was born and raised at the Simons’ ranch in Aubrey, Texas.”
Prince rides under the supervision of Andrea, Sara, and Jana Simons of Simons Show Horses. Taylor, who recently graduated from high school, tries at least once a month to fly to Texas and ride Mel. “It poses quite a hurdle that she lives so far away from her horse,” Andrea Simons said. “But, she is very competitive, works really hard, and has a great attitude.”
Her trainer Sara Simon mentions that Taylor spends several weeks with her before the World Show. “She works really hard when all of her friends are out having fun on the weekends. Taylor understands the sacrifices she has to make to be successful, and she is a very dedicated young lady.” On a lighter note, Sara adds that Taylor also has quite the personality. “You never know what is going to come out of her mouth. We always tease her about trying to be ‘Best Dressed’ her senior year of high school. She took it really seriously,” Sara said. “Wearing a sweat shirt to school was not an option!”
While it appears Taylor is a talented rider and has great fashion sense, she also has proved her commitment to her education by getting good grades in school. She recently received a riding scholarship and will be attending Texas Christian University (TCU) located in Fort Worth, Texas this coming fall. She will be riding for the TCU equestrian western team and showing in the horsemanship. Her scholarship includes all her books, room and board and $15,000 a year. Prince also plans to major in Broadcast Journalism and hopefully pursue that as her career later in life.
TCU Equestrian coach Gary Reynolds says that Taylor has everything they look for in a recruit. “She has excellent grades. She has show ring experience–so she can handle the pressure. She is also very mature and has a positive attitude,” he said. “Great riders may not always fit with the team, but I have no doubt Taylor will be a great leader on the team in years to come.”
Taylor also hopes to continue showing at the APHA shows because she loves the atmosphere of the shows and all the people. “I like how it is a family oriented activity and people of all ages can compete against one another. I like how competitive the industry is and how everyone is always trying to be the best they can be,” she said. “This sport/hobby is all about hard work and dedication, once you have fully committed yourself to it, it rewards you in more ways than one.”
Prince’s family owns the local dairy in Las Vegas called Anderson Dairy, so, Taylor grew up around horses and ranches. She largely credits her parents for her success. “My parents have been so great and so supportive. Ever since I first started showing they were always pushing me to do my best and making sure I accomplished my goals. They never let me give up and always made sure I had a positive and humble attitude. They are the ideal horse show parents!”
GoHorseShow.com wishes Taylor good luck this week and hopes to be able to report some exciting news regarding their World Show debut.
