Where Are They Today – Kayla Whitmire
Kayla Whitmire had heard it before – she should become a model. The leggy, flawless brunette had always been notably tall for her age, but she also always blew the words off – that is, until the year Tim Gillespie told her she needed to go chase that dream.
Since Tim was a former model, she took his words seriously while she was attending the APHA World Show one summer, accompanied by her mom, Debra Whitmire, and her nana, Judy Ahrens. Horse shows, you see, were their “girl time,” whether they were watching or competing themselves, so little did they suspect the shows would also connect Kayla to a whole new world.
Fast forwarding to today finds Kayla in Milan, Italy, for her first international shoot, coming on the heels of a thriving career. Catch up to Kayla to see how her horse-girl determination got her into the business, and how horses still influence her today:
Where Are They Today – Kayla Whitmire
By Delores Kuhlwein
Kayla and her mom, Debbie, with Zipped In Style
Both Debra Whitmire and her mom, Judy Ahrens, were into showing horses for a long time, and when Debra’s daughter, Kayla, was old enough, she stepped into the stirrups, too.
“Some of my first memories involve being at horse shows,” explains Kayla. “It was our girl’s thing, and it was special sharing it with my mom and my nana. It was such a grounding experience, and being around horses feels so safe and familiar.”
Her fondest recollections include riding bikes and scooters around the show grounds, photos taken of her mom doing her makeup, and sharing the horse, Zipped In Style, an APHA chestnut overo gelding by Zippos Pleasure and out of Skipn In Style, who excelled in western pleasure, horsemanship, and showmanship.
Kayla with Zipped In Style, Kerri Brookins Photography
One of the trio’s favorite venues was the APHA World Championship Show, and one summer while they were attending, Tim Gillespie told Kayla she needed to pursue becoming a model.
“People had told me before, but I’d never thought to model until I was in my early teens. I’d always been notably tall for my age, and I’d always been into fashion, sketching designs and putting on runway shows,” Kayla explains. “When I’d visit my grandparents, they always had a new litter of kittens, and I’d dress them up.”
Somehow, when Tim encouraged Kayla that year when she was just 14, it challenged her, especially since he was a former model. Tim sent her to Kim Dawson Agency in Dallas, where he used to be signed, and she met with them. Unfortunately, they told her no.
But at that point, she was determined to model. “Once I want something, I’m set on it,” she reveals. The family met with a few others, and she ended up signed with a newer agency in Dallas, modeling through them for approximately four years.
Starting Out with Confidence
She adds that the first few years, she was able to have a very developmental experience, learning her angles, learning how to pose, and how to walk in heels. “I would say starting younger helped me and made me confident as well. I was still in high school in South Texas, focusing on sports, and I didn’t want to sacrifice that, and I wasn’t ready for more,” Kayla says. “I started really small and was able to grow up, which was nice.”
Kayla explains that modeling taught her to be self-assured at an important age, when young teens are struggling to grow up and find themselves. “You have to learn to love yourself,” she says. “You can’t let what other people say get to you, because if you do, it will tear you apart. The industry has been a great experience – not to say cruelty doesn’t exist, but like any other job, you have to learn to have tough skin.”
That confidence shows in photos, she says, and she laughs that when she looks at her very first photo shoot images, she looked like a deer in headlights. “I had no idea what to do or how to pose, and I wondered, ‘What did I get myself into?’” But that time at the big fashion scene in Dallas gave her the ability to learn how to pose, learning what works for her, and what doesn’t.
The Gifts of a Lifetime
Kayla relocated to California in 2023, and she’s now in her ninth year of modeling. “It’s kind of insane how much this career has provided for me – it has allowed it has allowed me to travel places, let alone for work – how many people can say they get to do that? The first place I spent a lot of time was in New York, for the better part of two years. I had the most fun there and found some of my best friends I would have otherwise never met.”
In addition, the independence she’s gained since she started traveling at age 19 has been a gift. “The first time I traveled, I was flying to New York, and now I’m leaving for Milan. You just learn to get yourself through stuff like that, and you always figure it out.”
For others wishing to embark on a modeling career, she says patience is the most important factor. “Things don’t happen overnight, and that can pretty much apply to everything in life. When I was in New York, I wondered why it wasn’t happening for me, and looking back, I realized I wasn’t ready.”
The Horse Connection
Kayla says that her horse experience has come in handy for modeling.
Almost every adult who showed as a youth says horses impacted their future immensely, and for Kayla, it’s no different. “It’s actually kind of crazy how many times knowing how to interact with horses has come in handy with modeling,” she explains. “I literally just did a shoot where I had to ride, and they love it because not many people expect it. Having a horse here in so expensive, so the client is always super happy when they learn I’m a horse girl.”
She adds that not only has that love and skill come in handy multiple times, but it has helped her bond with other horse lovers she meets. “I met a girl from the Ukraine, and we shared that love, and again, I would have never otherwise had the chance to meet her if it were not for modeling.”
Her show horse, “Zipper,” is still alive today at age 27, happily retired with her grandparents in Texas, and one day’ she’s like to have horses in her life again. “In the future I would love to have my own cute little barn – nothing extreme, and just for fun,” Kayla says. “It’s so therapeutic for me to be around them. Horse therapy is a real thing.”
In the meantime, fans will see Kayla jet-setting to locations yet unknown in her career. Keep scrolling for more photos from her portfolio!
