Nya Kearns Wins SEVENTH Career Congress Championship in Equitation

By: Brittany Bevis

To be only 16 years old, Nya Kearns has quite a track record here at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. Earlier in the week, she rode her 13-year-old gelding, BMQ Stop For Traffic, aka “Merlin,” to win 15-18 Equitation. Then, just a few days ago, they won the NYATT Equitation as well!

Add that to the five other titles she’s won in Equitation since 2012, and Nya is up to her seventh career Congress Championships earned in Equitation. In 2012, Nya won the Novice 13 and Under and 11 and Under Equitation. In 2013, she won 11 and Under Equitation again. Then, last year, she won 12-14 and NYATT Equitation.

We chatted with Miss Nya to find out what has led to her dominance in this particular discipline. “It’s my favorite class,” she says. “I love my horse, and he makes it so fun. It’s fun and different. There are a lot of maneuvers, and that makes it challenging. I like to think that I like a challenge.”

This year, Nya’s goal has been to perfect her horse’s flying lead change, a skill she felt was best displayed in this pattern. “We’ve been working on our lead change a lot. I think that was probably the best part. He stayed really nice after we changed, and he didn’t try to accelerate or run away from me. Also, he broke down nice. The stop is something we typically struggle with, and he’s gotten a lot better at that.”

When Nya is at home, her daily riding regimen includes transition work and riding with no stirrups. “I work a lot on transitions and going forward. I do a lot of no stirrups work. We do two down, one up, and one up, two down when posting to mix it up and make things different.”

Also here at the show, Nya led Earn An Invitation to an eighth place finish in 15-18 Showmanship. Today, she will show Red Code Review in 15-18 Hunter Under Saddle.

She would like to thank her parents, Sandy Vaughn, and the Tordoff family for always being there to cheer her on and provide much needed support.

The Reserve Champion in 15-18 Equitation was Megan Waldron with Call Me A Hottie. Third was Olivia Tordoff with Too Blazin Cool. Fourth was Kamiah McGrath with They Call Me Jake. Fifth was Kelsey Mcarthur with Got A lot Of Notice.

The Reserve Champion in NYATT Equitation was Grace Himes with Essentially Good. Third was Madison Parduhn with So Blazin Im Amazin. Fourth was Isabella Himes with Assets Miss Reba. Fifth was Lauren Carnahan with Too Lazy To Zip.