Tyrone Area High School freshman Paisley Fix is making dirt waves in the equestrian world, winning national accolades in the western riding disciplines of reining and ranch riding.

Since she began competing about four years ago, Fix has traveled all over Pennsylvania, as well as Ohio, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida, and Texas to compete.  She recently won a Reserve World Title in the National Reining Horse Association 13-and-under division.

Fix earned 132 points for the season, just nine points short of landing at the top of the national rankings. For her effort, she will be presented with the Montana Silversmiths Trophy Buckle, a custom jacket, and the NRHA Morrison Bronze Statue Award.

Fix competes in two styles of riding: Reining and Ranch Riding.

Reining is a style of riding that requires the rider to be very disciplined due to the high level of repetition that the horse has to perform. A reining rider must guide their horse in intricate patterns, including multiple 360-degree spins, slides, circles, rollbacks, and backing up. Click the video link above to watch Fix compete in reigning.

Although many people mistakenly think that the horse does all of the work, a lot depends on the skill of the rider. Both horse and rider need to work as a team to win.

In ranch riding, the riders and horses are judged on maneuvers similar to those executed by ranchers as they work daily tasks. These include navigating obstacles correctly and executing transitions in a pattern.

One of Fix’s most memorable ranch riding moments happened in June 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas, when Fix and her horse Jayda earned a Reserve World Champion Title in the Novice Youth 14-18 Ranch Riding Class.

“When I was in the lineup each time a placing was called, I looked back at my trainers, each time we all smiled bigger and bigger until finally my name was called,” Fix said.

Fix first began riding horses when she was seven years old and began competing at age 11.

“I like riding horses because it’s calming, fun, and makes me feel connected to something real,” Fix said.

Ironically, the first time Fix was close to a horse, she was afraid of it and started to cry. But after her grandparents calmed her down and convinced her to sit on it, her lifelong fascination with horses began.

For the next few years, she begged her parents for lessons. They finally agreed when she was 11 years old, and she began at Harmony Horsemanship Center in Sinking Valley.

“Harmony was truly a great place to start my career. Everyone around me was so supportive and kind,” Fix said. “To this day, I still go back to help out with camps to teach other kids what I have learned over the years.”

Fix took her first reining lessons at Suzanne Myers Performance Horses in Port Madilta, which began her interest in competition.

Her first competition horse, Snap, and her current horse, Jayda, were both trained at Hill Performances Horses in Sharpsville, PA.

Fix not only shows her horse, but she is also involved in a catch ride program, where a rider is assigned a horse to show.  This allows riders who do not own their own horses to compete.

Fix has become a standout rider on her Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) team at Grier School, earning first place in reining at regionals two years in a row and riding her way to nationals in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Paisey is a fabulous competitor. She never lets pressure bother her, and she has ice water in her veins,” said Fix’s coach Chris McElyea, who is also the Penn State and Grier School Western Equestrian Coach.

IEA is a program where middle and high school riders compete on teams using draw format horses, so they don’t need to own their own.

Fix also recently joined the TMC Equestrian Team, part of the Youth Equestrian Development Association, which helps youth riders develop their skills and compete in a supportive, educational environment much like IEA.

“IEA and YEDA have grown me so much as a rider and a person. The number of people and horses I have met through these programs has truly helped me to excel,” Fix said.

Paisley’s parents, Stacy and Donald Fix of Warriors Mark, have supported her throughout her riding career.

“We are so proud of Paisley. Buckles and blue ribbons aside, I am most proud of the sheer grit and extraordinary effort Paisley has shown to grow in horsemanship day in and day out while still maintaining a rigorous academic and extracurricular sports schedule in school,” Stacy Fix said. “I don’t think most adults could handle the schedule this kid carries, and she does so with enthusiasm and good energy while still being a great student, teammate, and friend.”

Paisley is very grateful for everything her parents have done to support her.

“Without my parents by my side, I would not have accomplished as much as I have. Thank you, Mom and Dad, and everyone else who has been part of my journey,” Fix said.