4 Reader-Submitted Trophy Stories
If there’s one thing we love at Horse Nation, it’s celebrating your victories with you, however big or small.
Leah Ried
“In 2003 I double qualified for the NBHA Youth World Finals. Ran two horses and qualified for the short go. Came out 4th in 4D. 11 years later my 2-year-old wore my belt buckle to her first barrel race. I was the proudest mommy that day!”
Danielle Vance
“After several years of struggling in the 0.85m jumper classes, we came out of our first ‘international”‘ competition with a first place win in the 0.85m Classic at Thunderbird Show Park this summer. We won this beautiful etched vase! I just recently sold my girl to move up, and winning that classic was the perfect end to a great partnership.”
Instagram user possessed_zelda
“These are my ribbons and cooler I am most proud of. I received them at the Sigma Alpha horse show at the University of Connecticut. The champion ribbon is from a walk-trot-canter division. This was the first time I got a first place ribbon in an equitation class and it was only the second time I’ve won a division! The cooler and neck ribbon are from the pleasure classic class at the show. I went in with the hope of just placing and getting a neck ribbon (‘cuz who doesn’t love those) but when they started announcing placings and I wasn’t hearing my name I got more and more nervous that I was going to place but also really excited that I may have won. When they announced my name as the winner of first place I was so excited and I couldn’t stop smiling. I was so proud of myself and the horse I rode, UC Master Statesman, who is a Morgan horse at the University of Connecticut. Statesman is also the horse that I ride on the UConn Morgan Drill Team. I love that horse and I love that I got to share this victory with him!”
Stephanie Treadwell:
“When I was 11 years old I began taking dressage riding lessons but I really loved jumping my old mare over logs, homemade jumps of all sorts that were no bigger than 18 inches. My parents bought me a registered Arabian gelding later that year as I showed more interest in wanting to compete. ‘Cami’ had lots of spirit and it intimidates lots of people but I wasn’t one of them. Before long I was jumping him (incorrectly I’m sure) over 3-foot jumps and having the best time of my life. I decided to enter my first show, a hunter walk-trot class and we didn’t even make it to the judging! My horse got very excited and I got very stiff and nervous and ended up leaving the class. Nevertheless, I was still motivated to get into that show ring. My current instructor said that Arabians were not good for hunt seat and dismissed my dream completely. Again, this only motivated me more! I worked harder, found a different instructor and at that very same show the next year we were in it. We placed first in all 3 walk/trot and hunter pleasure classes, winning over my previous instructors riders and I was on top of the world. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t achieve your goals!”
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