The Warren Area High School 16-year-old won the Ruby riding class recently at the 2025 Youth Equestrian Development Association’s (YEDA) National Championship Show at the Tri-State Exhibition Center in McDonald, Tenn.

But it’s not about belt buckles for the soon-to-be high school junior.

“I’ve been around horses since I was eight,” she said, “and I’ve always loved them because they help me stay at peace and control my emotions.”

A member of the 4-H group “Hilltop Maniacs,” Hallas has owned her own horse, “Dexter,” since she was 11.

“Over the five years I’ve had Dexter, we’ve grown a bond,” she said. “He trusts me and vice-versa. It’s like the one ‘person’ in the world you can trust with secrets and deep emotions. And when everything gets to be too much, you can take them out on a nice scenic ride. I do take him to local 4-H shows. His last owners were too scared to take him anywhere, but after creating that bond, I took a chance and took him out, and he absolutely loves it. So far, he’s been to three shows.”

Hallas is more the veteran of showing horses than Dexter. He’s more the friend along for the ride in this story.

“He is 16, a thoroughbred,” said Hallas, “which are the fast ones used for racing. We board him at Serenity Equine Center.”

While Hallas is the teacher with Dexter, she’s the student while competing in the Youth Equestrian Development Association. She won a national title last year on a horse named “Button.” She won again this year on a horse named “Raquel.”

“I’ve never met or seen her before that,” said Hallas. “That is the thing with the YEDA program — you get a horse you’ve never been on and you’re supposed to ride them like you’ve known them forever. All of them are incredibly different. The judges want to see how you are able to handle new horses.”

Hallas has only been showing horses since last year.

“And we have team practices once a month starting around October and ending in June,” she said. “I usually go to five or six different showing arenas throughout multiple weekends, and next I will be moving up a division. I am a Senior Ruby rider. ‘Senior’ meaning you’re in high school. ‘Ruby’ is the fourth-highest division out of six.”

Hallas has competed at the Bradley County Area before.

“I won the Rail class (last year),” she said, “meaning you are told to operate the horse at different speeds along the rail, and you have to look perfect and calm while doing it.”

Did Hallas look “perfect and calm?”

“Well, I did win the class, so you could say so. Haha,” she responded.

“In the Rail class, there is usually 10 to 15 other people with you,” she added, “so you have to look better than all of them for the judges’ attention, while keeping the horse at a consistent speed. I also do Pattern classes, which I’m not good at.”

Ultimately, in any and every class, Hallas’ goal is “to win,” she said. “I get into the arena with that goal in my mind, and I make myself stand out by following guidelines to a ‘T.’ It is scored on your body position and how you deal with the horse’s ability.”

She’s good at showing horses.

“It was a lot of work, but I couldn’t be happier with where I am,” she said. “I love feeling at ease. And even in big shows such as that, I now feel free and comfortable with what I’m doing.”

From a young age, Hallas has been around her grandparents’ horses and started going to horse camps.

Competing aside, owning Dexter will always be her passion.

“It’s nice to just be able to have a connection with one animal without worrying about others doing anything to them,” she said.

While she plans on competing through her senior year of high school, her passion for Dexter doesn’t have a time frame.

“His breed can be anywhere from 25-to-35 (years old) with proper care,” said Hallas.

“He definitely is my heart horse,” she said. “I wouldn’t trade him for any million-dollar horse out there.”