Kelsey McAr��

Horses are this Maryland competitor’s passion but she also enjoys photography and traveling

Text Corrine S. Borton Photos Larry Williams & Ruehle Photographix

To 25-year-old Kelsey McArthur, of Ellicott City, Maryland, there’s no better feeling than when a horse she’s been working with “clicks” with her.

“It is the greatest feeling in the world,” she said. “To lay out a pattern that I am really proud of, and the horse is really getting it makes me feel very accomplished. If the judges also like it, that is icing on the cake.”

McArthur, now an Amateur competitor, fell in love with horses when she was just a baby. Her mom, Linda McArthur, always loved horses and made it her dream to have horses at the house.

One day, while driving by a fairgrounds near home, Kelsey told her mom that she thought showing looked fun and she’d like to give it a try. She started competing at local open shows and kept advancing, competing at her first American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) show in 2012.

“We always look for horses that haven’t done much but we see potential in them,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to see how far you can take them.”

Horses like Outlaw For Hire, a 2008 sorrel gelding, sired by One Hot Krymsun out of Rebas Zippodeedooda, that she rode to a third place in Level 2 Hunter Under Saddle at the AQHA Youth World Show in 2015.

And then there was Got Alot Of Notice, a 2008 black gelding, sired by My Final Notice out of Somebody New. Together they were Reserve Champions in Youth Equitation and placed fourth in Showmanship at the 2016 National Snaffle Bit Association World Championship Show. They also placed fourth in Youth Showmanship 15-18 at the

2017 Quarter Horse Congress; and were third in Level 2 Horsemanship at the 2017 AQHA Youth World Show. Next came Sleepin In The Park, a 2009 brown gelding by Too Seepy To Zip out of Jazz In The Park. McArthur showed him to three NSBA World Championship titles in Hunter Under Saddle and Equitation and a Reserve in Amateur Color Showmanship in 2020.

At the end of 2020 McArthur teamed with Ridin On Chrome (Patton), a 2019 double registered (AQHA/APHA) bay gelding by When In Chrome out of Shez Dressed Hotter.

“My mom saw a video of him on Facebook as a coming 2-year-old and he was so pretty we had to have him,” McArthur said.

Patton is in training with North Carolina trainer Keith Miller and to date has earned six APHA World Championship

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titles in Open and Amateur competition, eight NSBA Championship titles and 12 futurity championships.

McArthur says he is quite the character.

“He took it upon himself to clear the working board with all the horse information on it at the APHA World Show only leaving his half brother So Much Yes,” she said. “I guess he decided he could carry the barn for the rest of the show.”

There Patton and McArthur won the Non-Pro 4-Year-Old & Older Hunter Under Saddle Sweepstakes, the Amateur Junior Hunter Under Saddle and the Gold Non-Pro 5Year-Old & Under Equitation Breeders Futurity.

Patton also won the 4-Year-Old & Older Hunter Under Saddle Sweepstakes, with Miller in the irons and was Reserve Champion in Intermediate Junior Hunter Under saddle with Natalie Hahn aboard.

A graduate of Delaware State University with a Bachelor of Science degree computer science and a Master of Business Administration, McArthur competed on the school’s Equestrian team for five years and served as media specialist for three. She currently works as EDI Administrator at Kelly Benefits, managing electronic data for an insurance company.

She admits horses are her first passion and credits Chris Gray with a lot of her success.

“He really helped me perfect my riding and gave me the tools I needed to succeed,” she said. “I have had several horses with him and all of them have helped me get higher in the rankings. I was with him for all of my youth career.”

Although horses are her first passion, McArthur says photography is a close second.

“I get pure joy when I take a stunning photo of someone or something that they will cherish for years,” she said.

When she is not at work or a horse show, McArthur loves to travel.

“I love to travel and explore new places! It is my goal to see the world while I still can,” she explained. “ I love hiking so I am always trying to find my next adventure. I hike at least once a month if not more.”

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

LEGAL FEES by Katherine Jarve