Sabrina Janis – Horse-Obsessed and Driven

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68 – October, 2016

By Erica Greathouse

When having a conversation with Sabrina Janis, an extremely well-spoken and poised young lady from Groton, Massachusetts, it’s easy to forget that this selfprofessed, horse-obsessed, book fanatic, avid writer, and therapeutic riding volunteer is just 17 years-old. Janis speaks with wisdom far beyond her years, and her passion for everything she does can be felt in her voice.

Janis’ start in the horse industry was somewhat unconventional. She didn’t start out showing in lead-line like many of her peers, even though a passion for horses runs in her family. Her first sport was figure skating, and it was her first love. “I started figure skating when I was three, and I really credit skating for setting me up for success in the horse industry. You have to be very focused and dedicated to be a good skater, and it really gave me the foundation and tools I needed to excel in horse showing,” she says.

When Janis commits to something, she pours her whole heart into it. When she was introduced to horseback riding, she was quickly confronted with a very difficult decision. “Once I was introduced to horse showing, when I was ten, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue more seriously than just a hobby.” Although Janis credits figure skating with preparing her for her show career, she has never regretted her decision to put her heart and soul into the pursuit of excellence in the show arena. Her mother, who has always been a huge supporter, had already spent time during her skating years designing her outfits, so the transition to horse show clothes was an easy step. To this day, she still influences the designs of her show clothes, along with help from Janis’ trainers and Paula Diuri of Paula’s Place, who brings the ideas to life.

Janis’ show career started under the guidance of Barron and Peggy Knaus on the APHA circuit where she learned the fundamentals of showing and focused on learning the intricate details of each class. As she furthered her show career, she started showing on the AQHA circuit with Jim and Lisa Farrell, and they taught her to love Trail, which is her favorite event to this day. Currently, Janis trains with David Miller and Scott Jones of Showstring in Boerne, Texas. “They’re extremely talented, trustworthy, knowledgeable, and incredible teachers. I love the whole barn atmosphere,” she says.

Click here to read the complete article
68 – October, 2016