Meet Youth Haley Hine…a 16 year old, home- schooled 10^th grader who lives with her parents Tony and Rebecca Hine in Yadkinville, N.C. They live on a small farm with 4 dogs, 12 cats, 4 horses and 1 pony. She started riding at just a few months old and got her first pony, “Sweet Tart”, at the age of two. “Sweet Tart” still lives on the farm and is 30+ years old. She was a great babysitter and teacher. Haley, at age four, won her first ribbon aboard her at an open show in Kernersville. She also showed leadline until she was five when she began showing in the 5-9 year old class at the North and South Carolina PHBA shows with her first show horse, “Parrnicky” aka Bubba. They won several year-end awards and he was sold to Dave Berry and went on to win the PHBA World in Amateur Trail and two Reserve World Championships in the same class plus multiple top ten awards.

In her second year of full-time showing she acquired a new partner, “Dandy Flashy Zipper” aka Nick. Haley and Nick won multiple All-Around and year end awards through 2002-2004. They showed at the 2004 PHBA World Show in Tulsa, OK where they were 4^th in the 5-9 Hunter under Saddle. This was her first time at the World Show and her first class there. She was so excited! They were competitive throughout the rest of the show earning a top ten placing in every class they entered

At the end of the 2004, Haley and her parents decided to sell him because she wanted to show her Mom’s retired show mare, “Nickys Panita”, aka Nita. Nita and Rebecca Hine won multiple year end awards, High Point titles, All-Arounds and Supreme Championships in PHBA and AQHA in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Nita is also the Dam of her first show horse “Parrnicky”. Nita turned 19 years old in 2005 and that was Haley’s last year in the 5-9 year old division. They had a great year with multiple High Point and Reserve High Point awards and All-Around awards at the shows. She went to the PHBA World Show for the second time and was Reserve World Champion in Hunt Seat Equitation, 5-9 division.  She was so happy for that win with Nita, it was a very special moment for Haley and her parents. For the rest of the show they had multiple top ten placings and were finalists in a couple of classes. At the end of the year, they ended up PHBA Reserve High Point in the Nation in the 5-9 division, first in the nation in Hunt Seat Equitation and Reserve in a few other classes.

The next year was her first year in the 13 and under division and she and Nita continued as a team winning High Point and Reserve High Point awards, All-Arounds and were top ten at the PHBA World Show in Horsemanship. Nita was retired for the last time and enjoys her daily turnout time with one of her daughters, Cassie.

In 2007 she started showing a two year old mare they purchased from Mike and Sandy Walker, “MWS Twice as Flashy”, aka Dolly. Haley started showing her in western pleasure and throughout the year added horsemanship, trail, showmanship, hunter under saddle, and equitation to her resume. They finished 5^th in the nation in 13 and under that year. She continued to show and get more solid in the all around events in 2008 and garnered All-Around and Reserve All Around awards, a Supreme Championship, top ten’s in all their classes at the PHBA Youth World show including a top five in the HUS. At year’s end they finished as the Reserve High Point 13 and under youth in the Nation.

During her last year in 13 and under, Dolly had an accident while lunging that set them back over a month but that didn’t deter this pair. They headed back to Tulsa in July for the PHBA World Show. Haley wanted to win a World Championship and the coveted “Golden Horse” award and she felt like she had the right horse to achieve those goals. Haley and Dolly started off the show with a bang winning a World Championship in Hunt Seat Equitation, Reserve World Championship in Hunter under Saddle, a 3^rd in Road Hack and that was just the first day of showing! They went to place 3^rd in Youth Aged Mares and 4^th in Showmanship the next day. They finished the show with World Championships in Western Pleasure and Horsemanship, a Reserve World Championship in Trail and the Golden Horse award she had set her sights on. It was one of her favorite horse show experiences and she says. “I still get cold chills when I watch the videos and the announcer says now here’s your World Champion”!

She wanted to start showing AQHA full time at the bigger shows so they got in touch with trainers, Justin and Joy Wheeler, to put a flying lead change on Dolly. They visited the Wheelers facility and were impressed with their program and quality of horses. She competed with Dolly at the VQHA & NCQHA Futurities winning circuit championships at both. She was hooked on the Quarter Horse shows and was looking forward to her first year in the 14-18 division. Throughout the year they competed at several large circuits wining All-Around and circuit awards. They also won multiple NCQHYA High Point Year End awards and the Reserve High Point 14-18. During this time she decided that she wanted to focus on Western Pleasure full-time.

At the 2010 Congress, the Wheelers found a nice, 2 year old, black gelding, “Upgrade to Escalade” aka Grady. In order to have Grady, Haley had to sell Dolly. It was a difficult decision but Haley wanted to continue to move up and be competitive at the larger AQHA shows. In their first year of showing, they finished 8^th at the Little Futurity in 3 Yr Old Ltd. Western Pleasure and 6^th at the Southern Belle in the same class. At the NCQHA Futurity they were top five in two classes. Throughout the year Justin also showed Grady in the Green Western Pleasure where he was a multiple class winner and even a Circuit Champion. Grady and Justin ended up as the 2011 High Point Green Western Pleasure Champions for NCQHA. Haley is looking forward to showing Grady more in 2012.

In addition to showing, Haley is serving on the NCQHYA Board as a Director. She wants to thank her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for blessing her with such a great life and her parents for providing her with valuable support and fantastic life experiences. Her Mom introduced her to horses and has been there every step of the way as a great horse show coach, supporter and best friend. Her Dad usually stays home to take care of all the critters but he’s with her in spirit at the shows. She also wants to “thank” her trainers Justin and Joy for helping her achieve her showing goals and her horse show friends for making the shows fun and exciting! She’s not sure what her college plans and future career might hold but she does have a few more horse show goals that she would like to achieve such as a World and Congress Championship. You can bet with her determination and support team, she’ll reach those goals soon!

·         Photo credits to Jeff Kirkbride and Shane Rux