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YOUTH CORNER
We are very happy to introduce Caroline Willis our new RCAHA Youth Club Vice President!
Caroline will be joining President Bella Boyd in and around the ranch supporting our RCAHA Youth and working to create learning and show opportunities for our Youth riders throughout the year.
Many of you know Caroline personally in her role as a Green Acres lesson instructor. Since 2023 she has been working 12 hour per week teaching “up top” developing the Green Acres riders in the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. Just a week ago she led three very talented lesson riders down to compete in the SCPHA Show Hunt Seat Equitation Classes which showcased everyone’s weekly dedication to the lesson program.
In April of 2024 Caroline expanded her riding career by joining the KRE competitive team and in no time she found herself at the LA Equestrian Center Holiday Dressage Show in December of last year. She had a great first dressage show riding Fioenix which helped her set some clear riding goals. As Caroline describes it, “I went from the little show ring up top to the LA Equestrian Center in one year!”
Most recently Caroline successfully competed in the combined RCAHA - Region 2 Sport Horse Championship in April at Galway Downs and the Region One Championships at Del Mar Showpark in May aboard Nifty, a Half Arabian dressage horse she is leasing.
It all started much, much earlier though when Caroline was first introduced to horses and riding through family vacations and local trail rides in Wine Country. Neither of her parents grew up with horses but once Caroline took a few rides she was “hooked”. She started asking her mother to ride. Persistence paid off and her mother, Christine, enrolled her in the Green Acres lesson program when she was just 11 years old.
Caroline took lessons diligently and rode any chance she could. Her favorite first horse was Catzee and she loved participating in the Green Acres Fun Shows and the RCAHA Sponsored shows at the ranch. She reflects that the true value of her years in the Green Acres lesson program was a very strong Hunt Seat foundation! It helped her become the rider she is today.
Caroline will be starting her Junior Year at Great Oak High School this Fall. She has her sights set on pursuing something in the Veterinary field so she can continue to work with animals and horses.
But for now it is Summer and Caroline is busy! She will be heading to her first AHA Youth in July in Oklahoma City with Team KRE and then as she states, “I am focused on going to the USDF Bronze level.”
Caroline looks forward to joining the RCAHA Club this year as Vice President because she can continue to instill fundamental riding skills in her students while creating opportunities to transition them to the wonderful world of competitive riding at Green Acres and beyond.
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