For two local high school students, the National Western Stock Show isn’t just an annual tradition for rodeo events, cowboy boots, and enough fried food to last until spring. For them, this year’s Stock Show is the culmination of years of dedication, grit, and training to the highest levels of performance horseback riding.

Quinn Owen, a senior at Jefferson Academy Secondary, first fell in love with horses at age two on the Stock Show’s pony carousel.

 “I begged my parents to take me back every year,” Quinn said. “One year, we saw Westernaires there, and when I was old enough, my parents signed me up.”

Malia Wagner-Lopez, a senior at Westminster High School, had a similar introduction to horseback riding at the annual Stock Show.

“My mom bought tickets in the first row and showed me what Westernaires was,” Malia said. “She told me she signed me up for that, and I was very excited. I might not have loved it at first, but over the years, I’ve really grown to love it. I’ve joined special teams and pushed my way up. I’m happy how consistent I’ve been.”

Westernaires is a nonprofit organization located in Golden near the Jeffco Fairgrounds comprised of over 1,000 young riders with ages ranging from 9 to 19. Since 1949, Westernaires has proudly trained young people to use their talents and skills in Western tradition and fostered self-respect, responsibility, teamwork, and leadership through horsemanship and family participation.

Beginning riders start as Tenderfeet learning basic horsemanship, and those who stick with Westernaires have the opportunity to work their way up through the ranks to the group’s elite performance teams, traveling and performing on some of the country’s biggest stages.

Today, both Quinn and Malia are members of the Varsity Big Red Team, Westernaires’ highest echelon group of precision riders. It’s a distinction earned by only a select handful, requiring months of rigorous classwork along with training countless hours in the saddle.

Westernaires is a year-round commitment, with weekly Saturday practices and extra sessions leading up to the Stock Show. Riders spend hours diagramming drills, grooming and caring for their horses, and preparing for performances like the iconic Grand Entry Lighted Remix, a precision drill performed in a completely darkened arena with costumes that light up to music.

Quinn debuted her seven-year-old Quarter Horse, Mako, at this year’s Stock Show.

“It’s definitely a big deal and nerve-wracking,” she said. “But I’ve been working with him hard for the last couple of months. I think he’ll do a wonderful job.”

For families that don’t own horses, Westernaires still offers every opportunity to train and perform with an accessible rental program. Malia said that even for a Westminster family that didn’t have the resources to stable their own animals, she found a welcoming home in Westernaires.

“Even for families with less income, it’s such an affordable thing,” Malia said. “Being a rental rider makes you develop your skills. You pick up on different horses’ personalities, and it really helps you be a better rider.”

Beyond horsemanship, Westernaires has shaped both students in lasting ways. Both riders said they have grown as individuals and made lasting friendships through the program.

“A Westernaire friend is a lifetime friend,” Malia said. “It’s taught me how to manage my time and be more open and confident. It really broadens your horizons. If I was never in this, I would never have realized there’s so much history behind everything. It’s not just riding a horse; it connects you to tradition.”

“Westernaires is truly the greatest adventure I’ve ever been a part of,” Quinn said. “If people want to try it, they should definitely go for it.”

As the National Western Stock Show concludes this month, Westy’s Westernaires will have entered the arena roughly 25 times each. Both riders represent themselves, their families, and their community with pride as they perform with one of the West’s most storied groups.

To learn more about Westernaires and offerings for families in Westminster, visit www.westernaires.org.