One year after losing the horse she planned to ride at the APHA World Championship Show, Emily Allen finally walked through the gate as an exhibitor. Her first appearance at the World Show carries the weight of a journey marked by loss, along with a new partnership that helped her find her way back.
The 19-year-old from Plano, Texas, arrived in Fort Worth for her first World Show carrying far more than the anticipation of a first-time exhibitor. Twelve months earlier, she was preparing for the same stage with a different horse when tragedy changed everything.
Emily had spent months developing Zip My Sox Off, a 2021 sorrel solid gelding by Mr Fancy Executive and out of Intimidate My Sox Off, whom she believed was finally reaching his potential. After finding success in ranch events and improving her horsemanship, Emily turned her eyes on the World Show. Those plans ended just days before the show when a trailer accident claimed the horse’s life.
“I lost him on that Saturday, and I was supposed to show him that Wednesday,” Emily said.
From Grief to Growth
The loss forced Emily to shelve her plans of a World Show debut, but it did not keep her away from the event. Instead, she participated in the Youth Team Tournament and horseIQ Youth Championship Judging contest while grieving the loss of her horse.
Looking back, Emily says one of the strongest memories from that difficult time was the support she received from the horse community.
“When I lost my other horse, I realized how much of an outpouring the horse community has and how many people were really there to support me,” she said. “I had a lot of different people come out of the woodwork that helped me look for horses, and there were a bunch of people who donated to a GoFundMe. I just had a lot of people help me to be able to even get my new horse.”
That support eventually led her to Gunnin For Paradise, a 2021 chestnut solid gelding by Chics Loaded Gun and out of Smart Zan Bonita (QH), known around the barn as “Frankie.”
The journey with Frankie also coincided with Emily’s first year at Texas Tech, where she joined the university’s equestrian team. Riding multiple horses under coach Tabatha Taylor expanded her understanding of showing beyond simply training horses.
“I started learning how to show and not just how to ride,” Emily said. “That really helped because I learned the pattern placement and all that.”
Education Outside the Arena
Emily’s involvement in APHA extends well beyond the show pen. An American Paint Horse Foundation scholarship recipient, Emily is one of the association’s biggest advocates for Youth educational opportunities. She credits programs such as the Youth Team Tournament, judging contests and the horseIQ program with creating opportunities for young people regardless of whether they own a horse or can afford professional training.
“APHA is actually my favorite association by far, especially for the different Youth programs,” Emily said. “There are so many different areas that you can work in. It doesn’t matter if you have horses. It doesn’t matter if you have the money to own a horse. You can just come and enjoy the idea of horses.”
The scholarship process has also encouraged her to continue building leadership skills, something Emily admits was once intimidating.
“I hated public speaking,” she said with a laugh. “The scholarship stuff really inspires you to take extra leadership roles so that you have more to put on your resume.”
Chasing a Dream
Paired with Frankie, Emily will compete in Youth ranch events at the 2026 World Show. Her biggest challenge is not mastering a pattern; it is staying calm.
“My goal is to not overreact and to chill out,” she said. “Winning is nice. I would love to win, but if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
For Emily, this first World Show is about proving something to herself.
“In the next week, I would like to just prove to myself that I’m not at the very bottom anymore,” she said. “I have worked really hard to get to where I am and to just relax and enjoy it.”
Perhaps the perspective she has gained over the past year is best captured in the advice she now gives herself before every ride.
“I have to ride the horse that I have today,” Emily said. “Not the horse that I had a month ago. Just do your best—not the best, but your best.”
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About APHA
The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association. Since it was founded in 1962, APHA has registered more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories. APHA promotes, preserves and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses. Learn more at apha.com.