K��y Lee Smi�

Pennsylvania trainer making her mark in a wide variety of disciplines from Halter to Ranch classes

Text Corrine S. Borton Photos Ali Hubbel, AE Photography & Cody Parmenter

When Kristy Lee Smith was just a child she asked her mom, Kim Vanderwende, if she could wear the American Quarter Horse Association World Championship buckle she won in 1996.

Her mothers response? “No. You have to win your own.”

It took a long time in Smith’s eyes to achieve that same level of success but 15 years later she finally did when she earned a Reserve AQHA World Championship title in Amateur 3-Year-Old Mares with Classic Barbie.

“I had lots of chances with lots of capable horses but I always came up a couple places short,” Smith said.

Training horses for a living can be a tough journey.

“It can be a very demanding job at times people can have high unrealistic expectations,” Smith said. “It’s long hours with low wages after deducting the costs of high overhead that come with operating a horse business.”

But for her whole life, Smith has been on the path that has led her to where she is today — operating a successful training operation in the industry she so loves.

Smith was born in Morristown, New Jersey and grew up in nearby Frenchtown, attending Delaware Valley High School in Milford, New Jersey, where she played basketball, and then earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism & Media Studies from Rutgers University.

“I was basically born into the Quarter Horse industry,” she explained. “My parents were already heavily involved when I was born. I attended my first show at less than a month old in Sussex, New Jersey and this year, 38 years later, I am judging that show.”

Although she never “officially” worked or apprenticed under any professional trainers, Smith competed for 23 years as a Youth and Amateur with a variety of great professionals.

In 2015, Smith turned in her Amateur card and officially opened Kristy’s Quarter Horses in North East, Maryland. She started out with mainly Halter horses, all-around contenders and a few Ranch horses.

“I had a few people that really believed in me who encouraged me to start my own business,” Smith said. “I figured I was still young enough to give it a try and thought what’s the worse that can happen? If this doesn’t work out in a few years I will just have to switch gears and get a regular job. Fortunately for me, I’ve had a really steady business with lots of nice horses right from the start.”

Success came quickly. One horse in her new program, Magnificent Touch, owned by Lori Leary, earned the 2015

AQHA High Point Open, Amateur & Amateur Select Halter Mare titles. Another, She Is So Cool, owned by Sharon Fisk, was the 2015 Reserve Quarter Horse Congress Champion Amateur Halter Mare and was a multiple regional champion, earning Open and Amateur AQHA Superior awards.

In March 2016 Smith moved her operation to Wingait Farm in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, and her life took a major turn. That is where she met Kevin Smith, who would become her husband two years later.

“We met completely by chance when he was remodeling a garage on the farm I was renting,” she explained. “I told him on our first date I wasn’t interested in being married and I definitely didn’t want kids. After a week of dating I knew I was going to marry him and a couple years later we welcomed our son, Kace.”

A big part of Smith’s program involves coaching Amateur, Amateur Select and a few Youth contenders. She has learned that trying to find the right horses is the key to success.

“I try, to the best of my ability, to team up the right horse with abilities and goals of my clients,” she explained. “I also try to be honest to a fault on whether a training horse that comes to me is going to work for what that particular customer is looking to do.”

Although her operation is relatively young Smith has already enjoyed tremendous success with horses like:

• Acoolest Cowboy, owned by Kim Vanderwende, 2017 AQHA Reserve World Champion Amateur Select Performance Halter Stallion, 2016 Reserve Congress Champion.

• Tees Coolest, owned by Debbie Kuffer, 2016-2018, seven-time

AQHA World and Reserve World Champion ( Level 2&3) Amateur, Select and Open Performance Halter Gelding.

• Shes Showin Off, owned by Delbert Hostetler, 2017 two-time

AQHA Reserve World Champion Performance Halter Mare Open and Amateur Select, 2017-2018 Congress Champion and Reserve Champion, 2018 AQHA High Point

Halter Mare Open, Amateur and Amateur Select.

• Wimpys Lucky Charm, owned by Debbie Kuffer, 2017

AQHA World Show Top 10 Junior Ranch Riding and Quarter Horse Congress Top 10 Ranch Riding and multiple Regional Champion and AQHA Superior Ranch Riding.

• Simply Statutory, owned by Delbert Hostetler, 2022 NSBA World Champion Ranch Conformation and 2021 NSBA Performance

Halter Mare Bronze winner.

• Wallys Gun Affair, owned by Debbie Kuffer, 2019 AQHA World Show fourth, Level 2 Junior Ranch Riding, 11th, Level 3; 2019 Quarter Horse Congress top 10 Junior Ranch Riding, top five 4&5-YearOld Ranch Riding Futurity; s

AQHA Honor Roll Junior Ranch Riding fourth place; Regional (6) Champion Open Ranch Riding, AQHA Superior Open Ranch Riding.

Many of her clients have achieved considerable success as well, including:

• Total Intention, owned by Sharon Fisk, 2019 AQHA Amateur Select World Bronze Champion 3-Year-Old Geldings and multiple regional championships AQHA Open and Amateur Halter classes.

• Still Chasin You, owned by Kim Vanderwende, 2021 NSBA World Show Top 5 NonPro Ranch Conformation, Quarter Horse Congress Top 15 Ranch Riding.

• Playn Ruff, owned by Michelle Welsh, 2022 two-time Quarter Horse Congress Top 10 Ranch Riding; Top 10 Level 1 Championships Amateur Select Ranch Riding; and two-time PHBA Reserve World Champion Ranch Conformation.

• Voodoo U Think U Are, owned by Rebecca Splan, 2022 Quarter Horse Congress two-time Top 10 Working Western Rail; twotime PHBA Reserve World Champion Amateur Select Ranch Rail and Amateur Ranch Riding.

• Steady Mercedes, owned by Laura Rapa, 2023 Top 5 Level 1 Championship Amateur Ranch Riding.

• A Certain Cowgirl, owned by Michelle Felver, 2023 Top 10 Level 1 Championship Amateur Performance Halter; 2022 AQHA Region 5 Reserve Champion Western Pleasure.

• Gangsters Candybar, owned by Sharon Cyr, 2018-2022 multiple AQHA Region 5 Ranch Riding championships and 2021 Top 15 Quarter Horse Congress Ranch Riding.

• Redo My Voodoo, owned by Kim Vanderwende, 2022 AQHA Champion, Top 15 Quarter Horse Congress Ranch Riding; AQHA Region 5 Reserve Champion.

• Trashy Buns, owned by Rebecca Splan, 2021 AQHA Reserve World Champion Amateur Western Dressage; Top 15 AQHA World Show Level 1 Amateur Ranch Riding.

In May 2020 Smith moved her operation to Willow Brook Farms in Northampton, Pennsylvania and this past May she and Kevin purchased the 20-acre 4K Farm in nearby Lenhartsville where they have a 15-stall show barn, attached 100-by-180 indoor arena, turnout pastures and an outdoor riding arena as well.

“We have a very unique raised ranch home that also has an in-law suite for my mom in the future,” Smith said. “It’s been really great living on the farm. Kace and our dogs, Racy and Trip, especially are enjoying all the room to roam.”

Over the last few years, Smith’s business has focused primarily on Ranch events but she does still train and prepare horses for Halter and Amateur riders in a variety of all-around events.

I really enjoy watching my clients learn and grow,” Smith said. “I’ve been really blessed with some great clients who have stayed with me for long periods of time and have invested in some really nice horses. I also started giving clinics a few years ago. I enjoy helping people who are getting involved in the industry.”

When she is not training at home or at a show, Smith enjoys decorating their house and making the property look pretty. She and her husband like to frequent nice restaurants on date nights and go on mini-vacations to the beach. They are also looking forward to these next few years with Kace taking him to lots of fun places.

Smith says the best advice she ever got came from her grandfather who told her to “always keep the sunny side up.”

“Keeping a positive attitude is a key to success,” Smith said. “I love the feeling of accomplishment at the end of a long work day in the barn. Sometimes at night when the horses are all shining in their clean stalls munching on their hay, I will just sit down in the barn and think ‘this is why I do this.’”

You can contact Kristy Lee Smith by calling (908) 3998980 or via her website at www.kristysquarterhorses.com.

Open Profiles are part of InStride Edition’s editorial content. If you know someone who would make a good subject for an open profile email Corrine Borton, at: CorrineBorton@InStrideEdition.com.