Memory Lane: LH grad Smith makes mark riding quarter horses
Laurel Highlands graduate Stephanie Smith has forged an exciting career showing quarter horses.
She caught the horse bug at an early age.
鈥淚 got started at a riding facility in Uniontown, Lazy J Stables,鈥� Smith stated. 鈥淚 started riding when I was seven years old and I鈥檝e been riding ever since.
鈥淢y sister鈥檚 friend actually started taking some riding lessons and then my sister (Kristi Michaelis) did and I loved the animals and I loved the competition that they were doing and that鈥檚 how I got into it.鈥�
Stephanie and sister Kristi were aided by their parents, Bill and Linda Smith, who fostered their love of horses and the girls competed in local 4-H and open shows before moving up to larger shows and stronger competition.
鈥淎fter about a year of lessons, my sister got her own horse and I followed with my own horse shortly thereafter,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲e were both instantly addicted and haven鈥檛 looked back since. When I was in high school, I went to my first Quarter Horse show and from that moment on I knew that was a circuit where I wanted to compete.鈥�
Stephanie showed in the 4-H competition from age eight through age 16. In 1991 at the 4-H competition in Harrisburg she was the state champion in Senior Hunt Seat Equitation.
After graduating from Laurel Highlands in 1994 she attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor鈥檚 of Science in Accounting.
鈥淎fter high school I did do the college team a little bit,鈥� Smith offered. 鈥淭hen I continued with my own horses and the quarter horses which is the AQHA, the quarter horse industry, and that is a world wide industry and there are competitions all over the world.鈥�
Both sisters did well in the show pen, and as their skill increased, they bought horses, competed with them successfully then sold them to move up in the ranks. Smith had already achieved success at the elite level before the sisters found the horse Axel.
Smith鈥檚 titles include 2012 AQHA High Point Amateur Equitation with What a Detailed Diva, 2013 Reserve Congress Champion Amateur Equitation also with What a Detailed Diva, and 2016 AQHA High Point Amateur Hunter Under Saddle with I Got the Swing.
鈥淚t taught me responsibility because you are responsible for something other than yourself,鈥� Smith explained. 鈥淵ou develop a bond with them and sometimes it鈥檚 hard and you have to sell them, but you have to progress and you have to continue just, like in any other sport, you have to continue on your path and keep evolving.
鈥淭he actual physical ability to be able to ride is a lot. You are not just sitting there and it takes a lot of leg muscles and core muscles, it takes balance and rhythm and you have to be able to work with your horse and not against your horse. You have to get your horse to work with you and while you are doing that it has to look like you are doing nothing. To a stranger鈥檚 eye it doesn鈥檛 look like you are doing much, but your body has to be pretty fit to be able to do it.
鈥淚 ride two to three, sometimes four days a week just to keep my body in shape. My horse that I currently show is in Columbus, Ohio so I still do some riding on friends鈥� horses around here and taking lessons from Debbie Fields just to keep my body in shape. It鈥檚 hard to use the exact muscles in a gym that you use when you ride, but you can do a lot of core muscles in the gym.鈥�
Smith has had several specialized trainers in Spring Mills, Reidsville, North Carolina, and Columbus, Ohio.
鈥淎ll have helped me advance my riding and showing abilities,鈥� Smith stated.
Kristi decided to give up competition and is Smith鈥檚 partner. Sis decided that her interest really lies with the preparation and management of the horse and rider for competition. It is a special partnership.
鈥淪he did not like to compete, so we started doing this together,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲e split the horses together and we are 50-50 partners and I am the one who just does the riding, but she kind of manages it and keeps track of my points and keeps track of my money.鈥�
Traveling is a big part of what Smith does.
鈥淢y sister and I have made friends all over the country,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e met some really nice people, and people we met 20 years ago we are still really good friends with.鈥�
Since 1998 Smith has been a partner and expert in accounting at Smith, Lewis, Chess & Company, LLP.
鈥淭he riding is strictly a hobby,鈥� Smith reported. 鈥淭he money you are winning just helps pay for the expense of your hobby.鈥�
In 2022 Smith reached the pinnacle of World Champion with her 2022 AQHA World Champion title in Amateur Working Hunter Under Saddle. Riding her horse, One Al Of An Amen, lovingly known as Axel, Smith earned the title over a large, talented field.
鈥淢y most memorable moment in my show career was being the final person standing in the ring at the World Show,鈥� Smith stated. 鈥淚t is hard to describe the feeling when they call your name last and you get to ride your victory lap.鈥�
Smith has been riding and competing for 31 years and shows no signs of slowing down.
She resides in Uniontown with her husband Peter Gabriel
George Von Benko鈥檚 鈥淢emory Lane鈥� column appears in the Sunday editions of the 缅北禁地. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.