This Member's Tale story was sent in by Kathryn Lewis about her daughter, Karoline Lewis. 

My daughter, Karoline Lewis has ridden horses since she was two years old. She has competed since she was four years old in local and Class A shows, in Hunter and Dressage.  She showed at Youth Nationals in those divisions as well and has done very well! But there was always something in her that wanted to ride western, particularly reining. She would drag us to go watch it every chance she could get. Two years ago her Dad met Jessica Bein and arranged for her to get a reining lesson near the end of U.S. Nationals in Tulsa.  It only fueled the fire. She continued to watch it, and tell us how much she wanted to [try reining], all the while still riding her sister's horse in dressage and hunter and becoming a better and better rider.  In November 2014 on Facebook I saw a horse for sale and was drawn to watch his YouTube video and look him up for more information. I loved him, but I knew he would not be in our price range. I found out that this horse was quite an accomplished reining horse. On a whim, I contacted the owner of the horse [that] I was a bit smitten with and over the period of about a month it was determined that his price may not be as important as a good home. We still were very unsure and feared taking a leap on a horse we had not seen in person. Finally on Monday, December 22, 2014, we did it! We agreed on the horse that lived in Scottsdale. We contacted a local shipping crew, [since] we live in Missouri, and the man said he had a trailer [headed] to Missouri the next day. We scrambled to get everything in order so [the horse] could get on the trailer and possibly be to us by Christmas. Nervously and patiently, everything fell into place, like we had planned it months before! At 6 a.m. on Christmas morning a trailer stopped in the dark at the end of our driveway. He couldn't fit up our drive and unloaded a grey Quarter horse!  Using a flash light my husband and I finally said we didn't think this [was] our horse. Bewildered, the driver said this is the one that I was told was to go here.  We [told him] ours was supposed to come with some red supplies. Oh he said, I bet the one with the red blanket is yours! He then took a beautiful Half-Arabian palomino with a red blanket and lots of red supplies out. [The horse], Hollywood Playboy had arrived in Missouri. A few hours later we surprised our daughter with his arrival. She cried. She began riding him almost immediately. We had no idea how to ride, train or show a reining horse! My niece had a friend that was an experienced reining rider and he started helping Karoline and she took Playboy to their first show in March. There are very few reiners in our area so often she was the only competitor. I encouraged her to try western riding and trail because I wasn't sure that Playboy would still be able to compete the way she wanted him too. She was adamant about reining and absorbing everything she could. She qualified for Youth Nationals and I asked Jessica Bein if she would coach her there. In Karoline's last class/run for the Half-Arabian Reining JTR and JOTR, (she had received a Top Ten in reining seat equitation) Jessica came to the stands and [asked us if we knew what was going on?] Well not really, we were still learning the scoring [system]. She said Karoline and Playboy were tied for Champion in one class and Reserve Champion in the other. I couldn't believe it! They would have a run off -her and the tied competitor. Karoline and Playboy went first, I could tell they were both getting tired. Playboy backed before he started his [spins which gave them a] score of zero. I was still amazed [that in ] her first year, she had gone so far and surpassed anything I thought they could do! Then the other horse went and backed as well. All three judges had to review and confirm and yes it did back as well. Now what?  The stewards got the rule books out - everyone was conferring and the suspense was killing us!  Final decision.....  For the first time in Youth Nationals history they tied!  The new reining kid from Missouri and the old Champion from Scottsdale earned a National Championship and a Reserve. Hollywood Playboy has now earned his Legion of Supreme Honor and is teaching this Missouri dressage/hunter girl the reining ropes. Thru the kindness and consideration of several people along the way, this teenage girl's dreams [came] true. Next stop [is] the Scottsdale show.  She now dreams of showing there and has conceded that when it's time to retire Playboy from reining, he can do trail. Hollywood Playboy+/ has touched the lives of many. It seems like everywhere we go, people know him or have had contact with him. We are certainly blessed that taking a risk turned into a girl's dream! The horse had the heart and the girl had the dreams, all we had to do was give them a chance.   

If you or another AHA member has a story that you would like to share in the AHA Insider, please email Mikayla Boge at Mikayla.Boge@arabianhorses.org with the subject line: Member's Tale Story. 

1. It will elevate the sport's exposure on a global platform to new Arabian horse enthusiasts to a level yet unseen.
2. It will create the most extensive marketing platform ever offered to Arabian racing breeding farms, training farms, bloodstock agents, state and country affiliates, and racing partnerships through a new AJC eblast service that not only reaches the global Arabian racing community, but also the global non-racing community in just once click. Never before has a more extensive and targeted promotional medium been available to Arabian racing around the world.