MEET THE JUNIOR Paige Taylor

My name is Paige Taylor. I have been riding since I was 2 years old. When I was 4, Granny Jan [Janice Taylor] got Jack. Jack is an Arabian gelding with bloody shoulder markings. My granny had gotten Jack for a back-up horse, but he ended up being my endurance horse!

My first endurance ride was at Summer Breeze 2005 and was a 25-mile ride. I was 8 years old. The whole time we were out there it was blazing hot but we still had fun. It wasn't only my first ride -- it was my mom's too. My mom didn't ride, though, she just came to support me and to pit crew for us. It was so hot that a couple of my granny's friends slept outside. I will not ever forget my first ride.

Since then we have done 13 limited distance rides and I just got my AERC 250 mile patch!

Jack is 17 years old now and he still looks very good. Jack is wonderful. I love him very, very much! He lives at my granny's house with Slick, Rider and Noways.

I am working on my goals as well. My goals are to get the Daniel Boone Distance Riders 300 mile award! Another goal I'm working on is the Junior Southeast Region LD award. I have been working hard and I still am!

Two times my granny's friends have sponsored me when my granny couldn't go out with me. One time it was Mary Lynn Stockdale, when Granny didn't want to take her new horse out the second day, and the next time, my granny's horse was lame and couldn't go the second day. Vicki Crance went with me that day. Thank you, thank you!

My little brother wants Jack, so I am looking for another horse like Jack so we can both ride. Last but not least, I hope to do 50s very soon! Hope you have happy trails!!

From 'Granny Jan':

It has been nothing but fun, and adventure (with only a few tribulations) to have my granddaughter along to experience the trails with me. If you want to see the trail from a totally new slant, take a junior along with you!

I'll add my thanks to those who willingly take on the sponsorship of our juniors! You are giving them the opportunity for experiences that so few of our young people will ever know.

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