Going the Distance with Diversity

June 4, 2025 | Filed under: Current Articles,Featured | Posted by: Delores Kuhlwein

All win photos by Shane Rux Photography, courtesy of AQHA.

Over fence classes and ranch classes may seem like they’re miles apart as disciplines go. For Youth exhibitor Emilee Yost of Nebraska, competing in both seemingly opposite events such as working hunter and ranch trail is just another day in the saddle – a day she’s earned by working her way up.

By Delores Kuhlwein

All around riders show their versatility all the time by switching from English to western gear and back. But it’s a big leap to ride hunters one day and ranch horses the next, that is, unless you’re youth exhibitor Emilee Yost.

The Nebraska youth proved her ability to be adaptable and demonstrate diversity by showing first in April 2025 at the AQHA East L1 Championships with her over-fence horses, Kruzin On A Star, aka “Julio,” and Ill Rock You steady, also known as “Levi.”

Then in May, the Emilee and her mom, Jill Yost, traveled to Las Vegas in May 2025 to show at the South Point Equestrian Center for the AQHA West L1 Championships, this time with ranch horse Brennas Diamond, “Diamond,” and all around horse For Your Protection, “Stedman.”

Over fence photos by Shane Rux Photography.

How Emilee became a versatile rider, earning championships miles apart in completely different disciplines had much more to do with talent, hard work, and the love of the horse than following an easy path.

For the Yosts, Emilee was “a late lamb,” born well after her older siblings – a surprise for her decidedly non-horsey family. But it was the love of the horse that drove her, and her talent was soon clear.

Though her parents didn’t know horses, by life experience and raising her siblings, they knew the importance of Emilee “earning” her rides.

“We wanted her to learn to ride and learn how to be a horseman first,” explains Jill, and they brought Emilee up through the ranks to learn, competing at smaller shows with horses that required skill and patience.

Then in 2024, around the time of the Kansas Quarter Horse Association Prairie Classic, explains Emilee, she decided to switch over to AQHA competition.

At this point, Emilee had proven not only that she was sticking with her sport, but she had become the essence of a horseman, able to ride a variety of events and horses, while still demonstrating humility and understanding in and out of the saddle.

Emilee explains more about changing disciplines: “It can be hard sometimes, butI think in general it just makes me a better rider because I have to switch back and forth, and because I get to ride different types of horses. But they all basically have the same commands – like I have to use my legs a lot!”

East Meets West

The culmination of her journey from AQHA East L1 to AQHA West L1 made others sit up and take notice of her diversity as a rider.

She won gold twice in the over fence discipline at World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio, while still learning her horse. “With Julio, I won the Rookie Youth Working Hunter, and I won the L1 Youth Hunter Hack, and we earned a third in the L1 Youth Working Hunter Under Saddle,” she explains. “That was only our second show together!”

She also finished Top 4 in the irons of Levi in Rookie Youth Hunter Hack, which also earned them first place in the NSBA in the event, and the team earned Top 4 in Rookie Youth Working Hunter, and all accomplishments were under the guidance of her hunter trainer, Paula Pray.

Then in Las Vegas, she and Diamond topped a field of 30 to win a Championship in the Rookie Youth Ranch Trail, following it up with a Reserve in the L1 Youth Ranch Trail. In addition, Emilee and For Your Protection earned a Bronze in L1 Youth 13 & Under Hunt Seat Equitation, a Top 5 in L1 Youth 13 & Under Showmanship, and a Top 6 in L1 Youth 13 & Under Hunter Under Saddle, under the guidance of Bobbi Jo Stanton and Jeff Allen.

If she had to pick, she says ranch riding and equitation over fences are probably her favorite events, and she enjoys the departure of the ranch because “it’s more relaxing than all around,” she explains. “It can be more loose and not so uptight. You can just have fun in the class for sure. The pattern gives me something to think about in the class.”

Coming off a successful Redbud Spectacular in Oklahoma City, Emilee will return with her full string for the upcoming AQHYA World Championship Show. She’ll indeed be busy, but she’ll be right where she belongs – in more than one kind of saddle.