A ShowHorse.Co Exclusive | written by MIA MENDOLA
Laura Schenck of Star Performance horses offers training, lessons, showing and sales. Her clients have earned championships in the CAQHEA region, qualified multiple clients for World Shows every year (including the 2013 AQHA Bayer Select World Show) and clients that placed top 10 at the AQHA Novice Championships. Her experience and passion for helping her clients and Youth around her has lead to her business success.
Laura began her career at University of Findlay. Laura competed on the show team all 4 years, winning multiple championships. In 1998, she moved to California and created her business, but continued other jobs to gain more experience. While managing Star Performance Horses, Laura worked with Ron and Bobby Emmons starting colts and riding reining horses. Laura found her niche when she took a job at White Diamond Ranch, breeders of the great Invitation Only.
Star Performance Horses specializes in All-Around Western Pleasure events and futurities. Laura has a mix of clients, from Youth and Novice Amateur to Select and open riders, in both the Paint and Quarter Horse circuits. Her clients stay engaged because of the barn’s family atmosphere that continues outside the show pen. Laura explains, “Yes we want to be serious, and yes we want to win, but if your not having fun what’s the point?” Star Performance Horses knows how to stay fun and relaxed with large group lessons followed by potluck dinners and a movie projected in the arena, group dinners and fun barn set-ups at horse shows. “If you’re not enjoying your trip to the win, you wont stick with it.”
Not only does Laura help out in the growth of her Youth clients, but also Youth riders all around her. “Showing gives them a sense of importance and responsibility and it gives them goals. It keeps them out of trouble and motivated,” says Laura. She has really enjoyed seeing her Youth clients transform from children to teenagers, and becoming more motivated because of horseback riding and showing. This passion of watching clients grow has helped Laura influence Youth riders in 4-H and potential collegiate riders. She wants to pass on her great experience as part of the equestrian team at the University of Findlay to other youth riders that come in contact with her. With new schools joining the NCAA equestrian program and hopes to start helping Youth join her program and get them on track to earn a NCAA riding scholarship. Laura also helps 4-H Youth by offering them free clinics where she can teach them showing techniques, and give them the option for lessons in her program to grow to even higher levels of riding.
What’s next for Star Performance Horses? Laura will be moving her barn to Walnut Creek to a new equestrian center, Castle Ridge Equestrian Center, formally known as Leap of Faith. With covered arena space, space for boarders and a convenient location, it is a step to expand to an even greater training business. To showcase the new facility, Laura will be offering a trail clinic for all levels at her new location on April 20th. With the growth of her business, Star Performance Horses is sure to continue to even greater successes.
Look for Laura at these upcoming shows:
CAQHEA, Elk Grove: April 26th-28th
NCQHA/OQHA, Central Point, OR: May 9th-12th
CAQHEA, Elk Grove: May 26th-28th
ShowHorse.Co
Mia Mendola
Editorial Writer