Meet Novice Amateur Jennifer “Jenn” Bruner…from Laurinburg, N.C. She currently serves on the NCQHA board as a District IV Director. She’s the 2012 NCQHA and Martinganza Sponsorship Chair and she also sits on the NCQHA Trail Ride Committee. She’s originally from the west coast of Oregon, but growing up the daughter of a United States Marine, her family lived all over the country. That’s how she eventually landed in North Carolina.

Jenn has always been a horse crazy kid but it wasn’t until she was fifteen that her parents finally gave in and bought her a horse, an Arabian gelding named Maradda. With Maradda, she grew up through the 4-H programs of Virginia and North Carolina riding hunters with a little bit of everything else along the way including western pleasure and speed events. She chose to attend St. Andrews Presbyterian College (SAPC), after graduating from high school, to participate in their equestrian program and earn a bachelor’s degree in biology. It was through an internship with SAPC that she got her first glimpse into the world of the American Quarter Horse at a local cutting horse training and breeding operation.

After graduation she decided to pursue a master’s degree in education at the University of Florida. While there she managed a small, privatebreeding farm while attending classes in the evening. After completing her master’s, she was able to purchase a young Quarter Horse gelding named “Maximum Radical” from the farm she managed and they returned home to North Carolina. Jenn has enjoyed showing Max at local open shows and getting her feet wet at NCQHA shows over the past two years. 2011 ended with a wonderful surprise, she was named the NCAQHA Rookie Amateur of the Year. In addition to showing, she also enjoys trail riding whenever possible. Besides Max, her four-legged family also includes an off-the-track, rescue thoroughbred named Focus, Sally the mule, Blackjack the pony, an Australian Shepherd named Skitz, Triston the house cat, and two chinchillas named Squirt and Eva. She definitely has a full house!

When not riding or cleaning up after her menagerie, she enjoys camping, hiking, reading, as well as arts and crafts though her main focus right now is completing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership at East Carolina University. In the meantime, she tries to show as much as possible and she enjoys the company of her fellow equine exhibitors.

 • Photo credit – Billie C. Lewis, Martinganza