Success Built On A Strong Family Tradition: Jeffrey Pait Show Horses
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66 – November/December, 2024
By Brittany Vermeer
The Pait men have a rich family tradition as horsemen. As the sons of Eldon Pait, Jamie, E.H., and Jeffrey have each carved out their own unique place in the horse industry while becoming AQHA World and Congress Champion trainers along the way.
This equestrian dynasty first began on the family farm in Bladenboro, North Carolina.
“My dad, Eldon, had no background in horses. He had to ride mules,” Jeffrey says. “Later on in life, he worked to buy his own horses. Then, he got more involved in the industry and became an AQHA judge. Of course, my brothers and I grew up in this industry, and it’s all we’ve ever known.”
The Pait family lived on the edge of town and had a farm out in the country where they kept their horses. The Quarter Horse was a family favorite.
Jeffrey started competing at open shows when he was just six years old. “We showed in Leadline, and I was the one doing the leading because I was the oldest,” he says. “We got involved in 4-H and eventually graduated to the Quarter Horse shows.”
While all three brothers would later become horse trainers, they each chose different paths. Jamie and E.H. focused on Western Pleasure while Jeffrey chose the foundational discipline of Halter.
“I’d always shown Halter horses, but I also rode Western Pleasure and dabbled in some Reining,” he says. “I made five AQHA Champions early on. That was back when you had to lead them and ride them.”
As the industry became more specialized in the 1980s, Jeffrey took stock of the horses in his barn and decided to go all in on one discipline.
“In 1988, I had some really nice Halter horses. I was still riding at that time, but I hung up my chaps and went more in that direction,” he says. “I’ve always enjoyed Halter and appreciated correct conformation. Everything goes back to form to function, no matter what discipline you’re doing.”
A Love of Conformation
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66 – November/December, 2024
