14th Annual Youth Nationals

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Ambassador of the Breed

Alexis Scott

Alexis Scott, Des Moines, Iowa took a national championship in lead line the first year at U.S. Nationals, one of only two years that they placed the class. She came back in '05 to win the prestigious UPHA Challenge Cup in the 14-17 year old division and has just earned a place on the U.S. Saddle Seat Team headed for the world championship in South Africa this fall. She's trained with the same trainer, Lyric Loughlin, of Victory Lane Stables, Wellington, Ohio, since her lead line days. "We've always been a great team, and I saw no reason to break it up," says Alexis. The lessons she's learned from Lyric have been invaluable and many, but she doesn't hesitate to name a few. "Be centered on yourself, your competition and what's going on with your horse and your hands. That keeps you focused. "Have fire in the belly and incorporate that "want" into the riding so it's visible for everyone to see." According to Alexis, the lowest point in her career was when she was about 12 years old, and Lyric bought her a difficult horse. "She said she didn't care whether he darted into the center or took off. I didn't know that she was looking toward a bigger picture for me, but it was hard at the time. She'd say, 'It's not about the winning. It's about going in and doing your best.' " She's excited about making the team and sees herself as not only an athlete but an ambassador. "It's really important to me to go to South Africa and present a good image of the United States and our horse breeds and show people that we have hopes and dreams just like they do." Alexis Scott will be attending William Woods University, Fulton, Mo. Each rider must contribute $2,500 toward expenses, a goal that Alexis is working on now.

Trainers "In the Day"

There are several professional trainers currently working in the business who also showed at either or both the U.S. Nationals before 1993 and Youth Nationals after that. Although it may be hard for young exhibitors today to think that "their" trainer actually showed horses "in the day" once upon a time, Zach Powell, Elizabeth Pizzonia, Dale Brown, Jessica Bein, Shannon Beethe and Chase Harvill all had their time in center ring. They vary in style and technique, but all are dedicated to the Arabian horse and the kids they teach.

Amanda Kegu, Elizabth Pizzonia and Becca Lane

"You can't go anywhere and find this atmosphere of good people and good horsemen," says Elizabeth Pizzonia of Ocala, Florida. "It takes a different kind of thinking to come to the Youth Nationals. If you reach this goal, it helps kids go on and do what they're going to do in life." Although she showed in saddle seat and hunt seat equitation and country English pleasure, she says she won a reserve but never a national championship, unlike the kids in her barn this year. During the summer, her kids stay at her barn for sometimes two weeks at a time. "I have two guest bedrooms with four bunk beds in each," she says. "I want them to learn to understand the horse and having them here gives me a chance to evaluate where they're at." Her students work with a variety of horses, taking .4 or 5 lessons a day and understanding the meaning of "bump," "knock," or "kick." "The only way to learn ring showmanship is by seasoning," she says. She believes that while some have a natural gift, it is a skill that can be taught. "I've taken kids who are shy, quiet, aggressive, hyperactive - they've all been able to learn how to show." She plans to continue to teach multiple disciplines. "Kids want to do a variety of things with their horses," she says. "Some are going to step up, but I want them to do it because they feel it, not because I told them."

Crystal McNutt

Crystal McNutt is known as a reining trainer but there was a time when she rode English and western pleasure, saddle and stock seat equitation and sidesaddle. In fact, she earned a mention in Sports Illustrated in 1986 because she was the youngest person to win a national championship, at 9 years old, in 17 and Under Western Pleasure JOTR. "I always knew I wanted to be a horse trainer," she said, "but I decided to concentrate on reining and make it my niche." Crystal has just earned a berth as the alternate, and only woman, in the reining team for the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany, in November, a "personal goal" of hers that came about probably sooner than she expected. "I decided to try out in Texas because I knew it would be more competitive, and I placed sixth. "I didn't have any humongous lifetime earnings (she's earned $90,000), and I was competing against million dollar lifetime earners with NRHA." Then she went to Lexington for final tryouts, thinking that maybe she shouldn't be there. "The arena was packed, and I've never heard an arena so dead quiet. It was the first time I was really scared, but the crowd got into it once I started and I got a 224 ½ composite score. It proves that someone who rides Arabs can ride."

From left, Catherine Cypher and Daisy, Zack and Lisa Powell, Kristine Baziliauskas

Zack Powell began riding at 5 years old, eventually polishing his skills at Shawn and Carmelle Rooker's facility and eventually working there. He followed that experience by working at Josh Quintus' stable, finally opening his own training facility in Portage, Mich.. With the walk trotters, his biggest challenge is "getting them to pay attention and focus." With his older riders, he tries to make sure they "don't beat themselves up." He believes it's important to help the kids stay relaxed and not tighten up which is easy to do during a week at a national championship. "I try and stress that just making it here is a huge accomplishment. If something goes wrong then we can work on trying to fix it. The most important thing for them to understand is to do the best they possibly can." Like Elizabeth Pizzonia, he likes the camaraderie of horsemen helping one another and the small community of show people which has become a big extended family.

Around the Show

Great Dane puppies and friend
	Olivia Boggs and OO I've Been Spotted volunteer for the judging contest
Judging clinic attendees listen carefull to instructions
	Sienna Snell and SA Misha Apal at the judging clinic
Arabian Hunter Pleasure Walk Trot Champions Black Lite and Danielle Rosenbaum
	Big hug for Arabian Hunter Pleasure Walk Trot Reserve V Aladdinn Echo
Noah Rooker had fun with hair gel
	Arabian Country English Pleasure JOTR 14-17 Reserve Vallejo Spitnfire and Audrey Hart
Arabian Country English Pleasure JOTR 14-17 Champion Spirit Afire and Alexa Cohn
	Bookend championships for Kristen Cooper shown with her mother Janet. She won hunt seat equitation in a '99 walk trot class and in '06 which is her last year showing as a youth competitor
Half-Arabian Hunter Pleasure JOTR 14-17 Top Ten Banderillero and Cory Fritz
	Half Arabian Hunter Pleasure JOTR 14-17 Reserve Rohara Eura American+/ and Brianna Pettijohn
Half Arabian Hunter Pleasure JOTR 14-17 Champion Money Plays+++/ and Alisha Kinney
	Kali Gleason and Martine
Kristine Bazilauskis and Gracie
	Olivia Stull and Jordan DeShazer
"Dad I won," says Rachel Uliano after winning Arabian Working Hunter on Crown Magic
	Half Arabian Working Hunter Champion BHF While U Were Out and Mallory Creter
Arabian Ladies Sidesaddle Western 17 and Under Reserve Rock Me Amadeus and Macie Long
	Arabian Ladies Sidesaddle Western 17 and Under MM Kingslee+ and Steffanie Olson