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2010 GSPHC Membership Listing as of 7-23-10

At 15, Wenonah native stands tall in the saddle

jdriscoll@sjnewsco.com

Kasey Callahan said competing in horse shows is stressful from going over every pattern in her head before entering the arena to waiting in those tense final moments before the judges announce their decision  but she tries to control her nerves because her horse, Tigger, can feel them too.

Despite those moments of anxiety, the 15-year-old Wenonah girl recently took home three World Championship awards and four "Top Ten in the World" prizes for her performance during the 2010 Pinto World Championship Horse Show in Tulsa, Okla.

"I got started when I was about 7 just because I like animals, I liked horses," said Kasey. "I started taking lessons at a local place and, at first, my mom didn't believe that I could take care of a horse, so she made me clean stalls and stuff like that. A year later, I got my first horse, Diamond, who I'd ride for about a year in local shows, 4-H competitions. Then I had two more before Tigger. This is my first year competing in the national shows."

Tigger is a paint horse/pinto gelding who was born in 2003 and goes by the show name Hang Over. Kasey's first national show with Tigger was on Easter and since then she and her family have traveled to compete in Kentucky, Connecticut, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio and more. This weekend, she'll be at a show in Millville and next weekend she'll compete at the DREAM Park in Logan Township.

Because it's her first year at the national level, she's considered a "novice youth" right now, but she's earned enough points at her competitions to move up to the next bracket next year. Kasey said she competes in all-around events  English, Western, showmanship, etc.

"In some events, you're judged on the horse and others are judged on the rider," said Kasey. "When I'm in the waiting pen, I get nervous that I'll forget my patterns and when I look a judge in the eye I sometimes start to shake. If you mess up, you can be disqualified, and you're showing in front of an audience and it's on the Web and on TV, so there's a lot of pressure."

Kasey practices with Tigger three to four days per week and then heads to competitions most weekends from April to November. She said Tigger's performance can vary each day, just like a human's would.

"Sometimes he'll have a good day and then the next day he'll be nervous, just like me," said Kasey."

Her family, which is in the process of moving from Wenonah to Franklinville  owns three horses Ð Diamond, Chico and Tigger. In addition to the expenses for maintaining the horses, training and travel, Kasey has had to miss school for competitive events. Luckily, she maintains a straight-A average so she doesn't fall behind.

In her free time, Kasey volunteers at Pitman Manor where her mom, Carolyn, Slickmeyer-Callahan works and is in the process of designing a virtual sim-horse game website called mywebhorse.com

"I want to try to get in the top 20 in the nation and, eventually, I hope I can get a full scholarship to college to ride on an equestrian team," said Kasey. "I'm going to try to be a veterinarian for large animals, barn animals I actually had a job shadowing at the New Bolton Center (University of Pennsylvania) and I really liked that."

Kasey said she's grateful for her family and friends who support her 100 percent in her sport, and she said she'll never forget where she started or the people who first helped her to sit up on a horse and learn the basics. She said that though she's made some mistakes and can get discouraged at judges' criticisms, it's never deterred her from competition.

"I'm happy because I'm riding for myself."

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