Special to NKyTribune
Southgate’s Madalen Paul, 15, brought home one of only 12 All-Around awards from the All American Quarter Horse Congress competitions held recently in Columbus.
A freshman at Highlands High School, Maddie, as she is known, has been riding since she was five years old. Her passion for horses and riding — and training — is paying off as she earned a champion title, a reserve champion title and a seventh place award at the AQHA competition. These rankings navigated her to an All-Around Reserve Champion and Hi-Point Level 1 Youth 14-18.
Out of 622 competitors in this category, she finished second after a 3-way tie-breaker with the first place champion.
Maddie trains under Missy Jo Hollingsworth at Saddle Lake Equestrian Center in Camp Springs. She rides Pipen Hot Irons (“Hope”), a yearling purchased from and trained by Missy Jo. Maddie competes in approximately 10 shows a year and assists with some of the UC shows. She competes in Working Hunter, Equitation Over Fences, Hunter Hack, Hunter Under Saddle, Equitation, Showmanship and Halter.
Hollingsworth is also the coach of the University of Cincinnati Equestrian team.
With the guidance of the trainers at Saddle Lake, Maddie started her competitive career at age 6. She learned the basics of riding and participated in the Campbell County 4H programs and shows and was successful at their district and State competitions.
She earned her Small Fry of the Year in the Kentucky Quarter Horse Association two years in a row and Rookie of the Year the following year.
In 2016, her horse ‘Hope’ was the Reserve High-point Junior Working Hunter horse for the American Quarter Horse Association.
The All American Quarter Horse Congress is the largest single breed-horse show in the world and is held annually at The Ohio State Fair Grounds where there are over 23,500 horse show entries in a wide variety of categories. The largest collegiate and youth judging contest is held at the Congress, with more than 65 teams of college students, 4H, FFA and Quarter Horse youth members and where 77% of the entries have attended college or are college graduates.
Maddie says riding has helped her gain confidence and keeps her grounded when things are tough. She is passionate about horses, has a deep connection with her horse and is looking forward to a career that involves horses in some way.
In 2017, Maddie was Novice Youth All-Around Champion at the Tennessee Quarter Horse Spring Celebration, Multiple Circuit Champion at the Martinganza Show in Williamson, North Carolina, Division Champion at a Kentucky Hunter Jumper Association event, Novice Youth All-Around Champion at the Dogwood Classic in Harriman, TN, and Youth All-Around Champion at the TQHA Murfreesboro event in September.
