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Horsing Around
Cameron Kay takes top honors in worldwide equitation competitions.
Cameron Kay on Reed at the 2014 presentation of top Equitation Riders at the American Royal Horse Show in Kansas
Cameron Kay hugs Music after completing the 2015 Triple
City, with trainers Todd Miles, Sarah Lawson and Lillian Shively, her parents Laura and Scott Kay and brother Jeremy.
Crown in Oklahoma City.
Judy Greenwald I Special to the Jewish News
C
ameron Kay is a young lady who's
riding high — literally. The confi-
dent, personable 18-year-old West
Bloomfield resident is an expert in equitation
(the art and practice of horsemanship and
horse riding), and has been awarded abun-
dant honors for her efforts in competition for
most of her life.
Most recently, Kay, as part of the 11-mem-
ber U.S. Saddle Seat Young Riders Travel
Team, competed in mid-September in the
2015 South Africa Saddle Seat Invitational.
Her entire family (minus one cousin) trav-
eled with her for the 21/2-week excursion,
which included two days of competition.
During this contest, her riding and showing
skills garnered her both individual and team
gold medals.
Kay's love of all things equine began at an
early age and comes through a family con-
nection.
"My mom rode horses before I was born:'
Kay said, "and she did participate in some
competitions with her horse, Rainman. At
4 months old, she sat me on him and let me
`ride', and that's when it all started:'
Grandfather Alan Barry of Commerce
Township affirmed the family's affinity with
these beautiful animals.
"We've always loved horses:' he said. "We
donated Cameron's mother's very first horse,
Tara, to work with physically handicapped
kids. The family travels when they can to
Cameron's competitions, and we feel excite-
26 November 12 .2015
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ment and pride from her award-winning
performances:'
Kay, who became a bat mitzvah at Temple
Israel and graduated from Walled Lake
Northern High School, began riding lessons
at age 4 at Hidden Dreams Farm in Wixom.
She trained there until age 7, and then moved
to Crystal Farms in Marshall, where she
works with trainer Mary Carlton on Morgans,
one of two breeds on which she performs.
The Morgan gelding she's been riding and
showing since 2010 is nicknamed Music. His
formal name is CNS Stylish Debut GCH and,
she noted with a smile, his favorite treats are
orange juice and Clif bars.
Kay boasts an impressive list of awards
and honors from her years of competi-
tion, which take her all over the United
States. In 2013, on Music, she won Reserve
Champion at the UPHA (United Professional
Horsemen's Association) Morgan Senior
Challenge Cup Finals; Champion, AMHA
(American Morgan Horse Association)
Saddle Seat Gold Medal Finals; and World
Champion, Morgan Saddle Seat Equitation.
"That's the Triple Crown in Morgan com-
petition:' Kay explained. "After this season,
I've decided to retire Music, who's 16. He'll go
back to the farm and become a lesson horse
— one that riders use just for training:'
MOVE TO SADDLEBREDS
Following her achievements with Morgans,
she, her mother, Laura, and trainer Carlton
wondered what was next.
"We thought, why not work with
American Saddlebreds, who also do saddle
seat:' Kay said. "I found a training facility
in southern Indiana, Delovely Farm, which
specializes in saddle seat equitation. They
found Reed, a gelding whose formal name
is CH CH-EQ Reedann's Heir to Glory, and
I've been working since 2014 with trainers
Lillian Shively, Sarah Lawson and Todd
Miles.
"I had no expectations from Reed, who
likes to eat carrots and peppermints," she
said. "I just wanted to have fun. He had no
experience doing pattern work, which is
part of equitation. He had only shown as a
performance horse, doing gaits such as walk,
trot and canter. But that year, we won several
competitions and national championships in
only our first year together.
"It was a difficult being away from school,
but I learned and experienced so much in
the process:'
This year is Kay's last year as a junior
exhibitor and last year doing saddle seat
equitation. So far, she has won another
World Championship title on her beloved
Morgan, Music, as well as the UPHA Morgan
Senior Challenge Cup Finals. This completes
her triple crown goal for the Morgan breed.
She has also recently won the prestigious
Good Hands Final National Championship
on her Saddlebred, Reed, as well as a Reserve
World Championship.
According to Barry, this month, Kay will
participate in a final contest, and hopes to
win the Triple Crown in the Saddlebred
arena. No one yet, he noted, has won these
coveted titles in both the Morgan and
Saddlebred classes.
Kay noted that traveling to the many
shows in which she competes can be
exhausting; but she affirmed one of the best
things about participating in the competi-
tions is the friendships she's made.
"There's also the fun," she said, "and I love
the rush of adrenaline when you first ride
your horse through the gate. You can feel the
horse light up as soon as you enter the ring:'
Outside the ring, she has also worked in
the barn taking care of horses, cleaning tack
and stalls, setting up shows and mentoring
and instructing others.
She proudly showed off her countless
colorful ribbons representing her years of
competition, displayed among plaques, horse
accoutrements and artwork, all adorning the
walls of her room.
And what's next for this accomplished
young lady?
After finishing up this year's equestrian
events, Kay is off in January to the University
of Arizona, where she plans to study business
and marketing.
"Horses have been my life, and I'll always
be around them:' she said. "But now I'm
ready to see what else is out there in the
world — and to figure out my future:' *