NEWS
sophie yih
embracing the philanthropic spirit
By SARAH JAYNE JOHNSON
In July, you can expect to see a well-known face at the Youth/Mid Summer Nationals.
This year, Miss Sophie Yih will compete with five of her horses in training with Jonathan Ramsay at Stachowski Farms, Inc. in Southern California:
~ CF Bella Luna | Half-Arabian Equitation and UPHA Equitation
~ CP Manifesto | Arabian Country Pleasure
~ Supreme Sensation SMP | Arabian Park and English
~ A Thousand Stars | Half-Arabian Country Pleasure
~ Heiritage TRGR | Arabian Equitation and Show Hack
New to the show string is the Yih’s new family member, multi-national champion A Thousand Stars. Purchased from Kirby Arabians during the 2021 Scottsdale show, “Stars” and Sophie were undefeated in their division.
Boasting joy about her new teammate, Sophie shares, “We were honored to welcome A Thousand Stars into our family! After we saw a video of her, we fell in love! We were able to try her out during Scottsdale and knew she HAD to be part of our family! I showed her the very same day that we bought her and learned very quickly that she was one spunky but an amazing girl!”
No stranger to moxie, Sophie is obviously excited to show her horses at Youth Nationals; her love for the rush of adrenaline she gets right before she trots into the arena being one of her favorite elements of the sport.
Beyond the show arena, Sophie has plans to give back to the industry. “I am very grateful to be able to participate in this sport, so giving back to the community is important,” she says. This year’s proceeds from the UPHA Ribbons of Service Program will go towards St. Jude’s Children’s hospital or an organization of the participant’s choice and Sophie is honored and excited to be participating, allowing her to practice her fundraising skills.
Her creativity has recently been on display, when Sophie collected extra toiletry items to donate to those in need while at the Region 1 Championship Horse Show in Del Mar, CA. Before collecting items, she painted nails for a $10-$15 donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. At Nationals, she is planning on selling raffle tickets.
Sophie’s longtime trainer, Jonathan Ramsay, explained how proud he is of her, both in and out of the arena, “I love her dedication and passion she has for, not just her horses and this industry, but her passion for helping others. She continuously gives back to our industry and others. She is inspiring.”
As Sophie continues to compete year-round in both the Arabian horse and Saddlebred industries—including a couple more years of Youth Nationals—she finds charity work equally rewarding, including her favorite organization, Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. “What I love about them is that they don’t euthanize any animals in their shelter unless medically necessary. I’ve always stood by my belief that euthanizing animals just to make space for more animals, is inhumane and cruel.”
It is these altruistic qualities that horses bring out in their riders, and Sophie has tapped into hers, honoring the Arabian industry in and out of the arena.
This year, Miss Sophie Yih will compete with five of her horses in training with Jonathan Ramsay at Stachowski Farms, Inc. in Southern California:
~ CP Manifesto | Arabian Country Pleasure
~ Supreme Sensation SMP | Arabian Park and English
~ A Thousand Stars | Half-Arabian Country Pleasure
~ Heiritage TRGR | Arabian Equitation and Show Hack
Boasting joy about her new teammate, Sophie shares, “We were honored to welcome A Thousand Stars into our family! After we saw a video of her, we fell in love! We were able to try her out during Scottsdale and knew she HAD to be part of our family! I showed her the very same day that we bought her and learned very quickly that she was one spunky but an amazing girl!”
No stranger to moxie, Sophie is obviously excited to show her horses at Youth Nationals; her love for the rush of adrenaline she gets right before she trots into the arena being one of her favorite elements of the sport.
Beyond the show arena, Sophie has plans to give back to the industry. “I am very grateful to be able to participate in this sport, so giving back to the community is important,” she says. This year’s proceeds from the UPHA Ribbons of Service Program will go towards St. Jude’s Children’s hospital or an organization of the participant’s choice and Sophie is honored and excited to be participating, allowing her to practice her fundraising skills.
Her creativity has recently been on display, when Sophie collected extra toiletry items to donate to those in need while at the Region 1 Championship Horse Show in Del Mar, CA. Before collecting items, she painted nails for a $10-$15 donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. At Nationals, she is planning on selling raffle tickets.
Sophie’s longtime trainer, Jonathan Ramsay, explained how proud he is of her, both in and out of the arena, “I love her dedication and passion she has for, not just her horses and this industry, but her passion for helping others. She continuously gives back to our industry and others. She is inspiring.”
As Sophie continues to compete year-round in both the Arabian horse and Saddlebred industries—including a couple more years of Youth Nationals—she finds charity work equally rewarding, including her favorite organization, Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation. “What I love about them is that they don’t euthanize any animals in their shelter unless medically necessary. I’ve always stood by my belief that euthanizing animals just to make space for more animals, is inhumane and cruel.”
It is these altruistic qualities that horses bring out in their riders, and Sophie has tapped into hers, honoring the Arabian industry in and out of the arena.