Butler County 4-H members place at state horse show
Hours and hours spent in the riding arena with her horse could be tiring for Brianna Gillis, who began training with her horse, Simon, in 2019.
All that riding paid off, however, when Gillis and Simon, known under the ring name Tycoone Harry, traveled Sept. 23 to Grange Fair Park in Centre County for the state 4-H Horse Show. Gillis, 16, won first place in the state for hunt seat equitation on the flat for ages 15 to 18, and ninth place in classic hunter under saddle horses for ages 14 to 18.
Gillis said she has been riding since she was 10 years old, but this was her first year competing at states, so the final results surprised her.
“My horse and I had always done pretty good, but I didn’t expect to win first,” Gillis said.
In Pennsylvania, the state competition is the highest level a rider can reach in horse competitions through 4-H, making Gillis the top competitor in hunt seat equitation on the flat this year.
Amy Metrick, Butler County 4-H educator, said multiple local 4-H members made the top 10 at states in several categories, and they all got there by competing in a statewide circuit.
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