EC Youth Profile – Aidan Rizk

Click here to read the complete article
430 – September/October, 2024

By Sarah Welk Baynum

Aidan Rizk and his horse, Catch Twenty Two, have been no strangers to the winner’s circle this year.

In fact, the two have been seemingly unstoppable in the show ring at times.

But as Aidan stared down the beginning of the end of his final year showing in Youth, he not only took on a new horse, but thrived while doing it. “He’s worked very, very hard this year, and he had some big goals with this being his last year doing Youth,” said his trainer, Clint Ainsworth.

What’s impressive about Aidan’s show record this past year is not just his achievement with a new horse, but also his progress in a new, more intense level of competition.

“I actually met Aidan during a clinic I held in Minnesota that he was riding in,” explains Ainsworth. “He basically had done regional level Quarter Horse shows, local open shows, and 4-H at that point. Aidan knew he wanted to do more, but he and his parents didn’t know what that meant or how to get there. So we developed a plan. I have other out-of-town clients, but most are established and have been showing at this level for a long time. It’s quite a different story when you’re new to this level.”

Since Ainsworth’s stable is in Georgia, and Rizks live in Minnesota, this was a big commitment for the family.

Click here to read the complete article
430 – September/October, 2024