Step It Up: Top-Notch Youth Hope For Patterns That Promote Challenge And Creativity

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154 – May/June, 2026

By Megan Sacia Ulrich

Now more than ever, today’s youth riders are fierce, competitive, and talented – so much so that sometimes the top scorers at big shows are split only by fractions of a point. How do they set themselves apart in huge prelims at high level shows? Perhaps a bigger question is how judges differentiate between these highly skilled competitors on their scoresheets.

Rose Amala, Delaney Lee, Allie Rippeon, and Maddie Rippeon, some of the industry’s most decorated youth, joined us to share their perspectives, highlighting an appreciation for unique patterns with challenging elements that allow participants to shine in more unique ways; and they offer some suggestions to shake things up a bit.

For the Love of the Pattern

All four young ladies share a passion for pattern classes. For Delaney, it’s Horsemanship; for Maddie, Western Riding and Showmanship; for Rose, Western Riding and Horsemanship; and for Allie, well, it’s too close to call.

“Pattern classes are definitely my favorite; however, I can’t really choose a favorite because they are all so special in their own ways. I love the complexity of them and how connected you have to be with your horse to achieve the big wins,” Allie says. “The pattern classes are vastly different from each other, and I love that within each one, you have to completely transform your craft to fit the specific rhetoric of the class.”

When analyzing a pattern, these four exhibitors know to look for places to showcase their strengths and those of their horses.
Rose puts it simply: “Knowing our strengths, I look for ways to ‘plus’ those maneuvers. I try to keep every element smooth, accurate, and polished. My goal is always to show my horse in the best way possible.”

Delaney echoes that sentiment, saying, “To set myself apart, I emphasize my horse’s strengths and make sure our execution of the pattern is accurate and precise. I make sure extensions or downward transitions are clear and sharp, and I always live by the motto of ‘Trust your horse, trust yourself, and come with confidence!’”

Exhibitors’ Favorite Maneuvers

Click here to read the complete article
154 – May/June, 2026