Favorite Quote: “If you don’t have trust in your horse they won’t trust you.”
Honoree Bailee Knechtel is an 11-year old girl who has been around horses her whole life. Nominated by her mother, Lauren LaVine, and trained by the trainers at LaVine Equestrian, Bailee is a versatile young equestrian who rides both Western and English and does light jumping, liberty work, and trail rides as well. According to Lauren, Bailee “is a fantastic advocate for the horse.”
Not only does Bailee feed, groom, muck stalls, and exercise horses daily, she also teaches lessons on her Welsh pony, Puzzle, passing along her knowledge of all things horses and ponies to her young students. Puzzle (aka Shily) is just one member of Bailee’s herd and is ridden to deliver farm fresh eggs to the neighbors (Bailee also has a small egg business). Le’Finn, a bay Warmblood pony, is mostly ridden English and in Hunters. Shooting thru the Stars (barn name, Star), a smokey black Andalusian mare, is being trained by Bailee to be a liberty horse.
Liberty work with Star is especially meaningful to Bailee, as this mare had not been handled well and was quite fearful when Bailee first got her. For a while, Bailee was the only one Star would let halter her. Star lost a foal about eight months into a pregnancy, and Bailee considers this her biggest challenge in her young life. However, taking Star from a broodmare to a liberty horse shows the trustful bond these two have created. It is only fitting Bailee’s favorite quote is : “If you don’t have trust in your horse they won’t trust you.”
Bailee’s recent success include:
2023 Champion year end Mini /Pony Western & English Showmanship, Trail in hand Mini /Pony, & Mini/ Pony halter, 2023 Overall in hand Mini Pony champion for ETI Route 101, 2023 Jr Rising Star Award for ETI Route 101.
Receiving the Rising Star award last year at the banquet is Bailee’s proudest accomplishment thus far. The recipient of this award must be a young rider who demonstrates great sportsmanship and “goes above and beyond for horses and other exhibitors at the shows.” It was a great honor for Bailee to be nominated and voted to win by her equine community.
A short-term goal of Bailee’s is to jump and show in Hunters; her long-term goal is to compete as an Olympic equestrian.
Age:
11
Discipline:
Western, English, light jumping, liberty work, trail
Hometown:
Agua Dulce, CA
Trainer:
LaVine Equestrian
School:
Homeschooled
