Carli Stewart Armenta – Embracing New Challenges

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242 – August/September, 2017

By Susan Winslow

Horses have always played a major role in Carli Stewart Armenta’s life. From an early start in 4-H with her pony, Carli has steadily improved her competition skills by taking advantage of every opportunity afforded to her, eventually earning her way to success on the World stage. When asked to recall the titles that she’s most proud of, she replies, “My most meaningful title was probably being named the 2011 NSBA Intermediate Non-Pro Rider of the Year. My old mare, Sheza Homewrecker, won almost everything we entered her in that year. I was also third at the AQHA World Show the same year. It was my highest placing there to date. The following year I was fourth at the World in the Amateur division and made the Open Senior Western Pleasure finals, where I placed seventh. That was pretty cool.”

Growing up in Placerville, California, located northwest of San Francisco on the edge of the El Dorado mountain range, Carli followed in the footsteps of her mom, Jody Moseley, who was also an avid competitor. While Jody kept her Western Pleasure horse, Pass The Chicken, with Debbie and Bob Kail in Clemente, California, for training and competing, Carli took lessons with the Kails. Jody Moseley also taught her daughter the equine basics with her pony, followed by an aged gymkhana horse that her mom picked up for free. “The mare was 19 and only picked up one lead, but I loved her,” remembers Carli with a smile.

Soon after retiring her 4-H horse, Carli got her first all-around competition mount, St. Vegas, while riding with the Kails. She competed with St. Vegas until his retirement, recalling, “After we retired Vegas, I went for a couple of years without a horse, so my mom sent me down to Lise von Uhlit’s place to ride all day with her kids. Some of my fondest childhood memories are from that ranch.”

Click here to read the complete article
242 – August/September, 2017