T
hirteen-year-old Abby Spino always had a special love for
animals. “I’ve always loved all kinds of animals, so when
someone suggested that my parents enroll me in horseback
riding lessons when I was little, they did,” she says. They
found Stoney Ridge Stables, owned and operated by the
Lauffer family, and Abby started lessons with Becky Lauffer
when she was 4 years old.
The Greensburg native is the daughter of Rock and Linda Spino and
is a seventh grader at Greensburg Salem Middle School. In addition
to horseriding, she enjoys playing volleyball and her favorite subject
in school is science, given her aspirations of becoming a zoologist one
day.
“I am currently riding a pony named One Hot Cappuccino, but
we just call him Cappy,” notes Abby, who’s been leasing a horse from
Lauffer for three years now.
Currently, Abby shows horses, competing in 4-H shows at the Westmoreland County Fairgounds
and the PA State Horse Show in Harrisburg. Occasionally, she and her barn mates travel to open
shows in the surrounding area, such as the Somerset County Saddle Club. In May, Abby will attend
the All American Youth Horse Show in Columbus, Ohio.
“I compete because I like to ride and challenge myself. I also love being around the other horses
and I’ve made a lot of friends in 4-H,” she says. “Competing has also helped build my confidence.”
At this year’s PA State Horse Show, Abby and her barn mates swept the competition. She
competed in English Grooming and Showmanship, ages 8 through 11. “Cappy and I both had never
competed in this event at States before, so I was a little nervous,” she admits. Abby also competed
in Beginner Trail. She and Cappy trained for a month-and-a-half strictly for these two events after
qualifying at the District level.
They placed third in Beginner Trail in a class of 29 competitors, and fourth in English Grooming
and Showmanship, ages 8 through 11, in a class of 26 competitors.
“Horse shows are a lot of work!” says Abby. “You have to get up very early in the morning to get
yourself and your horse ready to show. For some classes you have to learn patterns so you have to
memorize them and practice them. You have to spend all day at the show competing or waiting for
your class so you can compete. Then, when you’re done, you have to go back to the barn to take care
of your horse—get him unloaded off the trailer, rinse him off if it’s been a hot day, make sure his stall
is clean with fresh water and hay, hooves are clean and put him to bed. Finally, you get to go home
and pass out! But when the day is over, you are hopefully one of the fortunate ones who come home
with some ribbons to show for all of your hard work—and that makes it worth it.”
Abby takes private lessons at Stoney Ridge Stables. Her primary trainers are Lauffer and
Alexandria Falk. However, Hannah Stanley has been a mentor and a huge help to her, as well as
trainer Alesia Burns. “You need a lot of training to show horses,” she explains, noting that she spends
four to five days a week at the barn working with Cappy, riding and handling him.
Simply caring for Cappy outside of shows is a big part of Abby’s job. “Caring for a horse involves
grooming, cleaning the stall daily, watering and feeding twice a day, picking the hooves, bathing
before a show and—my favorite—giving him tons of love and attention so you can create a good
bond,” she says.
Abby has won many seasonal placings the past four years that she’s been in 4-H, and has been
fortunate to have qualified for States all four years. “I’m very proud of that,” she says. “A lot of kids
never get there at all.” In 2014, Abby’s first year, she was State Champion in Equitation and Reserve
Champion in Trail riding Chippin N Zippin (Oscar) in Max Assist. The year 2016 was her first
one competing independently, a very important year for her. She placed fifth in Beginner English
Equitation and finished in the top 12 in Beginner English Pleasure riding Fudgebar (Fudgie). Abby
has been Westmoreland County End of Year Class High Point Winner in 2014, 2015, 2016 and
Champion of two classes and Reserve Champion of the other two classes for 2017. She’s also been a
2x District Champion in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Her parents are very proud, of course, stating that Abby “ never ceases to amaze us and has—by
far—exceeded our expectations.”
“Showing horses is important to me because I enjoy spending time with my friends and my barn
family. I love being with my horse. It creates a special bond that’s hard to describe,” says Abby. “It has
helped me focus, build self-esteem and confidence and helps me calm down. I love the bond I’ve
made with all the horses I’ve ridden and the friends I’ve made at competitions. They’ve all been very
special to me. I’m very proud of what I have accomplished. It’s not every kid who gets to spend every
day with their best friend—who’s a horse!” ■
Stoney Ridge Stables
Placings at This Year’s State
Competition
Hannah Stanley riding Dee Lighted
Version (Nick)
Reserve Champion Sr. Trail and Western
Grooming and Showmanship 15-18
4th Western Pleasure 15-18
5th Western Horsemanship 15-18
Dustin Vinsek riding Obviously A Tornado
(Tori)
4th Pole bending 15-18
5th Keyhole 15-18
7th Barrels 15-18
Sierra Vinsek riding SRS Hammer Down
(Hammer)
3rd Barrels 15-18
Gabrielle Williams riding Dynamic Good
Time (Lilly)
State Champion Western Grooming and
Showmanship 8-11
Emma Rae Boland riding Chippin N
Zippin (Oscar)
State Champion Beginner Trail and
Beginner Western Pleasure
3rd Beginner Horsemanship
5th Western Grooming and Showmanship
Victoria Davis riding Gepetto
5th Pony Pleasure
10th Pony Trail
Charlie Osborn riding Chippin N Zippin
(Oscar)
State Champion Max Assist Trail
Reserve Champion Max Assist Equitation
Abby Spino riding One Hot Cappuccino
(Cappy)
3rd Beginner Trail
4th English Grooming and Showmanship
8-11
Total: 19 titles for 8 kids!
GREENSBURG SALEM
❘
S PRI NG 2018 11