Katrina Pike:
Katrina Pike is from Hollidaysburg, PA and grew up on her grandfather’s farm where she started riding early in life. “My earliest riding memory is when I was three years old and talked my family into adopting my first pony. It was clear early on that horses would be a huge part of my life.” Katrina participated in the 4-H horse program and there discovered her love of working with young or inexperienced horses. During her 4-H experiences she accomplished three top ten, a top five, and two state championships. Since her 4-H days Katrina has worked with several trainers along the way who helped develop her current methodology for training horses. “My primary discipline has always been Western Pleasure, but I have worked Hunt Seat and over jumps. I have shown at both the All American Youth Show, and the Quarter Horse Congress, and have returned to the Youth Show with trainees whom placed in the top ten.” Despite her accomplishments thus far, Katrina was looking for something to help round out her horsemanship experience and give her a perspective on how to develop a solid program for training from start to finish. “A family friend and client of Suzanne’s suggested I look into the Next Level Internship program, and that I attend the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo to see Suzanne in action. Following the expo and some research into Next Level Horsemanship I knew I needed to do what I could to be a part of their team and learn as much as I could. I was very impressed with Suzanne’s willingness to adapt her program to fit individual horse’s needs; as well as the idea of creating a partnership between the rider and the horse that is ever growing and evolving. The Next Level Horsemanship Internship program offered the perfect opportunity to learn from such an accomplished trainer, increase my own skill by working with different disciplines and grow even further as a horsewoman.” We welcome Katrina Pike to the Internship Program this year and look forward to helping her succeed as young trainer in the future.
Marie Madaras:
“Teamwork, determination, and loyalty have always been my greatest values throughout life, whether it was simply helping a friend at 4 am, pushing teammates through workouts, or helping my team win the world championship in ultimate frisbee,” says Marie. Marie Madaras graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2012, and initially dreamed of training marine mammals for the US Navy. Actually, she spent a season as a ski bum in Vail, CO, where the mountains stole her heart. The winters there she spent snowboarding and exploring the back country, while in the summers she worked on different ranches and it was there that she realized she had a passion for horses. In the past 4 years Marie has moved every 6 months in order to see and experience many different things. Recently she moved to Port Matilda, PA to participate in a Next Level Horsemanship Internship after she saw the possibilities for learning so much more there. “Although I have worked/ridden horses on and off for most my life, it was not until recently that I developed a great respect and intrigue of the human-horse relationship. Riding has become more of a partnership than I could have ever imagined. From the little training I have been fortunate enough to do I have found that working with horses is more of a team sport than any other sport I’ve played. I have been fortunate enough to start my education training horses in Colorado over the past year in which I have grown both as a horseman and a person, but I am thrilled to finally be following my dream of training and working with horses full time.” Marie cannot wait to learn anything and everything about all sorts of disciplines, the business of running a training operation, and to really develop her connection with the horses. “I am not sure where the field may take me, but I hope to one day be able to help with equine therapy for veterans and be back in the mountains.” Marie will be participating as part of a team of Next Level Horsemanship interns this summer and we welcome her team spirit to the Program. We’re excited to be a part of her continuing endeavor for learning more about horsemanship!
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