Can You Have a DIY Horse and Compete Successfully at the Majors?

By: Brittany Bevis

It’s likely not a very popular question, but it’s certainly a valid one when considering the trainer-client demographics that make up the majority of the population at major breed circuits across the country. Can you be a DIY (do-it-yourself) competitor and still find success at the top level of competition?

Given that the summer show season is getting into full swing and the fall World Championship shows are on the horizon, we sought out a DIY competitor to learn more about the benefits, challenges, and preconceived notions that surround those who choose to compete without the guidance of a horse trainer.

AQHA exhibitor, 19-year-old Madison Maciejewski, and her 2012, roan gelding, Going Broke In Style, aka “Crimson,” are showing in their first year of amateur competition in 2018. They compete in classes like Horsemanship, Western Riding, Trail, under the guidance of… well, themselves. But it isn’t that simple, as Madison explains.

“No one in my family (mom, dad, or older sister) is a professional horseman or trainer for anyone outside of our own family,” Madison says. “My 23-year-old sister, Makayla, is an exceptional horsewoman, herself. She has broken out many of the horses we have shown and had success with in the past, along with fully training a few of them, one being Crimson.”

“We’ve had trainers briefly in the past, mainly when we were first getting into showing on the AQHA circuit in 2008. We’re lucky enough to have our own small farm with a barn that we built. Around 2010, we added onto the barn and built an indoor arena. Soon after, we decided to move our show horses home, so that we could ride them every day, instead of making the long trip to the trainers every weekend.”

After keeping the show horses at home that first summer, Madison’s father suggested that the girls try showing on their own for a season, just to see if they could still enjoy the same success. “From that show season forward, we’ve not had any of the horses that we currently show in training.”

One of those horses is 6-year-old Crimson, by VS Code Red and out of Madison’s old show mare, One Hot Lopin Asset, by One Hot Invitation. The main classes that he and Madison focus on are Level 1 Amateur Trail, Level 1 and Level 3 Amateur Western Riding, and Level 3 Amateur Horsemanship, with an occasional Rookie Amateur Western Pleasure thrown in the mix for fun. At the recent AQHA L1 Championships, Madison and Crimson won their favorite class, Western Riding, placed sixth in Horsemanship, sixth in Trail, and 15th in Western Pleasure.

“What made the Level 1 East Championship win so special to me is the fact that Crimson and I won in Western Riding. Western Riding is not an easy event to train a horse to do or even to learn how to show, as a rider. My sister taught Crimson how to change leads without any professional help. Although Crimson was natural at changing leads, early on in training, getting him to the level where he is now is a huge accomplishment that my whole family is very proud of.”

Although Madison and her family don’t rely on a trainer for the preparation of their show horses, they do recognize that doesn’t mean not seeking out knowledge from professionals, who have a great deal of wisdom to offer. “We are lucky to have made a few very knowledgeable friends, who are trainers, who are willing to give us tips when we’re trying new events. For example, my sister and I taught Crimson the basics of Trail, but we’ve had instrumental help from Jess Bergantzel, which has really helped get us to a place that we would likely not be in, without his assistance.”

“There are challenges with doing it all ourselves, but luckily, we have great connections and people, who are willing to work with us, when we have questions. My sister also attended college at the University of Findlay, so she has had the opportunity to do internships with really great professional horsemen and women, which helped her learn and pick up training tips to implement into what we do.”

In addition to Crimson, the Maciejewski family owns four other horses. Madison’s mother and sister share Flat Out Cheating, a 3-year-old VS Flatline gelding nicknamed “Calvin.” Another member of the herd is a 3-year-old Western Pleasure filly named Hot Four Teacher, aka “Mia.” “Cadillac” and “Sophi” are the two retirees at home, Makayla’s retired Hunter Under Saddle gelding and the very first horse the family ever purchased, respectively.

The Maciejewski family doesn’t typically breed horses. However, Crimson was bred on their farm, and he’s their first. “The reason we decided to breed Crimson is because of an injury my old show mare sustained. My time showing her was successful, but very short, and my parents thought it would be a good experience for my sister and I to be able to raise and care for a foal.”

Ultimately, that’s part of the reason why the family has decided to compete without the assistance of a trainer. They wanted to spend more time with their horses. “It was hard to spend time away from them and only get to ride every weekend. We also felt capable of making our own success, regardless of how hard it would be.”

“My family has experienced some preconceived notions because of the fact that we do it ourselves. When we first went out on our own, a few people didn’t think we were capable of maintaining our horses. I believe this was due to the common misconception that, in this industry, you need a well-known professional behind you in order to do well. While there is some truth to that, hard work and determination can get you very far! Although it has been a long road, we have reached many goals and attained many achievements.”

While it isn’t for everyone, Madison does have some helpful advice for those considering going it alone. “If somebody would like to be a do-it-yourselfer, my first tip is to try it out! If you’re able, bring your horse home or close to home so you can ride every day. You don’t even have to try it out for a whole season. You can start by trying a week or even a small weekend show. If you find that you like having the assistance that comes with having a trainer, there’s no shame in going back. I feel lucky to have had some past trainers, who gave us the knowledge and courage to be capable of doing it all on our own!”

Be on the lookout for Madison and Crimson at all the AQHA majors this fall, showing that just because you’re trainer-less, doesn’t mean you’re any less.