Standing tall in the saddle
PHOTO PROVIDED
Ashle Steffenhagen, 21, of Punta Gorda won three world-championship slots at the American Paint Horse Association World Championships last month. Two wins were while riding Shez Wicked Fancy, owned by her aunt, Gene Ann Gage, and the third was on her own horse, Charismaticreflection.
Ashle Steffenhagen of Punta Gorda has been riding horses since she was 10. For the past 11 years, she has practiced and trained four to six days every week, before and after school. She’s attended the World Paint Horse Championships since 2007, and came close to winning several times.
Finally, all her years of hard work paid off at the American Paint Horse Association World Championship Paint Horse Show, held over 10 days last month in Fort Worth, Texas.
