Karla Friedli

October 21 Award Winner

Karla Friedli

Karla Friedli has taught show mom Paula and her daughter Abigail the ins and outs of showing Quarter Horses. Coming from 4H and open shows, they were looking for a trainer that would help them since they were newbies. Upon finding Karla, Paula says, “We immediately felt welcome at the barn and never felt out of place because of our lack of knowledge. She saw the potential in our daughter and coached her in a way we didn’t know possible.”

Paula explains how she is always impressed by how Karla gives her all in everything she does. “She can read both horse and rider and alters her training and coaching to each of them to reach their utmost potential- which often means going about things in a different way for each individual. As a result, she can get the most success out of each horse and rider combination in a positive manner.”

Speaking of success, Paula shared a story from their first Congress in 2016. Until that point, they had never even been to the Congress as spectators and were now going to compete. But Karla saw Abigail’s determination and hard work ethic and did everything she could to prepare her and her horse. After an injury to Abigail’s horse, they bought a different horse with only two months to prepare for the Congress. After arriving at the Congress, Paula explains that they were star-struck, but these nerves got to Abigail, making practice rides not very productive. But through all of this, Karla knew Abigail had it in her. “With confidence, Karla just kept working with her while the 13 and Under Novice Youth Equitation approached. It seemed that Abigail had her focus, and I left the warm-up pen to let Karla do her work. The result? Champions! And it was Karla’s first Congress Champion. Not to give Abigail any less credit than she deserves, but she could not have succeeded without the coaching, pushing determination, and confidence that Karla provided. It is a memory that will last a lifetime for all involved!”