Equestrian - Elivia Papcun

My name is Elivia Papcun.

I am an equestrian
and I have a passion for horses.

I went to my first horse show
when I was eight

with my first horse
that I had ever had,

Chicken. We didn't really know
what we were doing.

I even went in with my hat
on backwards.

Somehow I still got second place
in a pretty big class.

And from that moment
on, I was just hooked.

Chicken has grown up with me
for the past eight years.

It feels like
I've had her forever.

She is the best horse.

She tries so hard every time.

She loves to show.

And I could never be
where I am today without her.

In 2021, My new show horse

Bebe, suffered a leg injury

and I had to pull Chicken
out of the pasture to compete.

I was determined
and she was determined

and I took her to 2021
Youth World.

She was a 15 year old mare

that had not had much
training in two years,

and we somehow were top ten
in the nation for that class.

Winning
the 2022 Iowa State Fair.

Cowgirl Queen contest
was very special and dear to me.

My grandma and mom both competed
in that competition

and also in June of 2022,
I had a very bad horse accident.

The doctors had told me

that it was going to be at least

six months before I could
even think about riding again.

But I won the Cowgirl
Queen contest two months later

because I was so persistent
and so determined

to get out of the hospital, get
started with physical therapy.

I was a little bit scared,
but I was just so happy

to be there with chicken
because we had been together

for eight years and we've been
through so much together.

So my current show partner,
Bebe,

is a young horse that I am

moving even further up
in competing with.

We travel around the country
doing shows together

and she is still young

and has a few things to learn.

But she is very talented,
very athletic and great minded.

And I have no doubt
that she will take me to the

top in the future.

It's very rewarding
when you've worked really hard

and you bring home a national
title or a world title.

My next step from here

is to ride on a D1

NCAA equestrian team,

and I am working really hard

to achieve that goal.

One way that I help
prepare myself for college

and getting to learn
what it's like to be

a college
equestrian is riding on a team.

I ride through an organization
called Youth Equestrian

Development Association, or YEDA
and I absolutely love YEDA.

I love my team.

Throughout my sport

and my life, I have had
to overcome many challenges,

not just with horses, but

with injuries and tough times.

I love horses.

I love what I do.

And I really believe that
if you love it, you're doing

it right.

God has given me an

amazing life and so many amazing
opportunities,

not only with my horses,
but in all areas of my life.

And I'm so thankful for that.

I cannot wait to see

what the future will bring
for my equestrian career,

and I am so excited

to continue my passion.