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Meet the Fall 2020 interns

APHA has long hosted interns annually to help them learn about the association and to gain real-world career experience. The Fall 2020 interns are the first to work in the association’s new headquarters located in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards and to experience the reunited Youth, Amateur and Open World Championship Show. These three ladies are excited to be a part of APHA’s bright future and the road ahead.

Alexandria McDaniel

Originally from Tiffin, Ohio, Lexi has lived in Kentucky while attending college; she graduated from Midway University in May 2020 with a degree in equine studies and a concentration in equine rehabilitation and a minor in business administration. She was involved with her school’s Intercollegiate Horse Show Association team, which is where she developed her love for the equine industry. While participating with IHSA, Lexi realized she loved the management side of the horse industry.

“I am very interested in learning about show/event management, and I loved helping manage IHSA shows in college,” Lexi said. “I thought this would be a great way to pursue that career path.”

Lexi hopes to learn more about the business side of APHA and the breed itself during her internship. While she doesn’t own a horse currently, Lexi hopes to one day own a Paint. Outside of the show pen, Lexi enjoys trail riding and spending time with animals, including her two cats who made the trip with her to Texas.

Jillian Sinclair

Hailing from Melbourne, Florida, Jillian attended the University of Central Florida where she is working on her master’s degree in public relations and digital marketing. Jillian grew up going to horse shows with her family, but didn’t show much herself. Jillian started riding again in college and became the captain of UCF’s IHSA team.

Jillian has since shown a number of Paints, including world champion Reflected Illusion—whom Jillian calls her most dependable show partner—as well as Fifty, who helped her earn three Pinto reserve world championships, and Heza Pepperjack, Jillian’s most recent show partner with whom she earned No. 6 on the 2019 Top 20 Novice Amateur list along with other state and national awards.

APHA has provided a place for Jillian and her family to express their love of Paint Horses, and she’s grateful for the opportunity to learn even more about the association with this internship. She plans to pursue a career that allows her to combine her passion for public relations and marketing with her love for Paint Horses. 

Lawran Reed

Lawran is from Bremerton, Washington; she attended Southern New Hampshire University and graduated in May 2020 with a degree in graphic and media arts and a minor in marketing. Lawran didn’t come from a horse family but was able to convince her parents to buy her a horse at age 14.

Horse crazy, Lawran was involved with various equine programs in high school, including serving as secretary and president of her 4-H club. Thanks to the skills learned from her first horse, Lawran has stepped up to APHA competition and is working with her 3-year-old MRP Classified Invite.

“She is such a gem and has been a great horse from the beginning,” Lawran said about “Charlee.”

When Lawran isn’t riding, she enjoys photography and graphic design. She’s looking forward to expanding her skills through the APHA internship.

 

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[Reprinting all or part of this news release is permitted, so long as credit is given to the Paint Horse Journal and a link provided back to apha.com.]

 

About APHA

The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association, registering more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded in 1962. APHA promotes, preserves and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses.

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