Region 10 Novice Youth Winner Mae Santore
Mae Santore, age 11, is a home-schooled sixth grader from Orlando, Fla. Her family operates Devonwood Farm, a boarding facility with about 40 horses on the property. They own about 20 horses, most of which are lesson horses, but a few that they show. Mae successfully showed at the AQHA Regional Experience in Perry, Ga., this year.

Mae Santore Photo by Jeff Kirkbridge

Tell us about your horse.
The Hollywood Flash is his registered name, but we just call him "Hollywood." He's a 12-year-old, 15.2-hand palomino gelding who's pretty stocky and well muscled. He's easy to work with in training most of the time, and though he likes his space in his stall, once he's out, he's very friendly. I show him in hunters, hunter hack, equitation over fences, hunter under saddle, hunt seat equitation, showmanship, trail, horsemanship, reining and working cow horse. He's a little better in the English events than the western, and probably at his best in the over-fences classes.

What has been your most memorable moment in the saddle?
Winning two world championships at the Palomino (PHBA) World Show in Tulsa, Okla., this year with Hollywood. We won the novice youth hunter under saddle championship and the 13-and-under youth ranch horse class, which is sort of a combination of a trail class and a reining class. We also won a reserve world championship in 13-and-under youth road hack, which is a hunt seat class that asks for an extended trot and canter, and a hand gallop.

Do you ride with a trainer?
I started riding at age three with my mom, but when we got Hollywood a year and a half ago, I started training with Price Morgan. He's based in Daytona, Fla., about an hour away, but comes to our stable about once a week to give lessons, and meets us at the horse shows. His team of people is really nice and helpful, and Price has taught me all about showing at AQHA shows. He's very fun, and I always learn a lot from him.

Tell us about your Regional Experience win.
We showed in many classes, including hunter under saddle, hunt seat equitation, hunter hack, hunter over fences, horsemanship, showmanship, trail, and even barrel racing and pole bending. We ended up winning the novice youth high point title, and a saddle as an award. This was the first time I've won a saddle, and I'm really excited about it! They awarded belt buckles to individual class winners, and these were my first buckle awards, too. We had so much fun!