Four girls from the area recently competed at the All-American Youth Horse Show in Columbus, Ohio.

Audrey Smith, of Warren, riding Shez Forging Chex & Big Time in the Dark, owned by Sherry Wagner, placed in the top five in four out of five classes. She’s been a 4H member for three years with the Sugar Grove Ruff Riders, and was the 4H district champion in Showmanship last year. She trains with Wagner in Pittsfield.

Audrey Ferrie, of Warren, riding Shez Forging Chex, owned by Sharon Wagner, placed sixth in Ladies Western Pleasure and top 10 in the Open Quarter Horse Western Pleasure in the All-American Youth Show. It was Audrey’s first appearance at the All-American Youth Show where she competed in the 15-year-old age group. Audrey has been a member of 4H in the Scandia Trail Blazers club since she was eight years old. She rides during the winter months for the Western New York Equestrian Team, coached by Heather Payne and Shawn Terry from Nash Hill Barn in Gowanda, N.Y. Audrey’s IEA competition riding has included both Western Horsemanship and Reining.

Hailie Cass is a junior at the Tidioute Community Charter School. She rides a 13-year-old Palomino Quarter Horse gelding named Skip A SuperJet. Skip was born, raised and trained at Miracle Mountain Ranch in Spring Creek, and has spent his life teaching kids to ride. Hailie fell in love with Skip after riding him at a jumping camp. She has owned Skip for two years. They started their show career together, as neither of them had shown before. They are both laid back and mesh well as a team. It’s a great partnership. Last year, Skip was named Horse of the Year at the Erie Hunt Club and Hailie won the Junior Hunter division. This past October they were named Reserve Champions over fences at the State 4H Competition and this month they won the Hunter over Fences Senior Division at the All-American Youth Horse Show, for ages 14-18 at 2’6″. Hailie heard about the Youth Show from a friend that competed last year. Her trainer is Kara Baratta.

Alex Hangge got involved in this event four years ago. She has met a lot of people at this event. Her Current IEA coach spotted her at the All-American Youth Show two years ago and asked her to ride on her middle school team. She just finished her second year on the Grove City Equestrian Team. She made it to nationals in Lexington, Kent., last year and placed fourth in the nation in Future Novice Horsemanship. This year she qualified for Zones. She was able to acquire her current horse, Hershey, through people met at the All-American Youth Show.