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ART BODEGA Magazine

feature Spring 2023

KAT fuqua,

..a humble 15 year old from Atlanta with a quiet demeanor, competes her 10th year at Wellington International’s Winter Equestrian Festival. During 2013 at age 6, Kat was hand picked by a top pony judge and trainer to teach her how to jump. Shereen & Jeff Fuqua, former Title Sponsor of USEF Collecting Gaits Farm National Dressage Championships and Olympic Trials, put their daughter on Buttercup, a miniature horse at her 1st birthday.

For 10 years Kat travels weekly during season to attend regular school Holy Innocence in Atlanta and then compete with the best hunter/jumper trainers. Since age 7 Kat excels in the horse sport competing in over 300 shows. Setting records for multiple wins Kat is recognized as best in class. But not just in the Hunter discipline, Kat excels in Pony Hunters, JR Hunters, Jumpers, Equitation & Dressage.

This year she is qualified for the FEI Dressage Young Rider European Tour & competes in 1.40-45m Jumpers. Kat has more titles than one can count, earning over 40 Grand Champion & Champion Hunter Titles,  2 Hall of Fame titles, top placings in Equitation, Champion in JR Dressage among others.

Kat has been on a 20 year plan to compete at the Olympics, having met so many Olympians through her parents at their farm. She wants to be the best in at least 2 equestrian sports in hopes she can attract top couture fashion houses by her work ethic and accomplishments.  Kat loves fashion. It gives her a balance from just horses. Kat shares her aspirations and goals while enjoying the fashion shoot on Worth Avenue.

What are your dreams & aspirations as a person, not necessarily in horses?

My goal is to achieve and attain the things that I set my mind to. I want to excel in both academics and get into college. I want to go to the Olympics. Being in Wellington for the season, I make connections for business for the future.

What our some of your business activities you have done since you were 6 yrs old?

I designed a bow with Pony Tail Bows.  It is blue because my first trainer who was a judge Mindy Darst said to always wear blue. Before she passed away of cancer, she gave me a t-shirt that says “Refuse to Lose”.

As one of the first very young riders to have sponsors, what did that teach you?

Pony Tail Bows was my first sponsor and it really taught me how to communicate with people and how to build a relationships. Then Filli Fabbri believed in me and sponsored me with my first tall boots. I was still in the pony ring at age 9. It showed me that hard work makes people notice you.  For 7 years Fabbri still supplies me with the fine Italian boots, and included me in their corporate brochure in Italy a couple of years ago.

Talk about your experience being in a movie?

(Played herself as pony champion in The Movie: Billy & Blaze, a children’s set of books from the 1930s.  Still in post production.)

Being in the movie was my first time ever doing anything with film. It was really exciting and I learned a lot about acting and where you should look at the camera and timing for lines and things like that. It was really educational. I met a lot of people that also ride horses.  It was fun. I was 11.

What about your experience with magazines?

I have done a lot of photo shoots. I do like the photo shoots especially when they are with my horses and I get to wear non horse clothes. I like to dress up. My horses are my favorite thing. I also do a column with Elite Equestrian going on 3 years called Kat’s Korner bi monthly. It teaches me a lot and helps me in school because I have to write it and make it sound nice. It is really good for my English & Yearbook classes.

Where do you think that all of these extracurricular activities outside of school and horses will take you in your future?

I think it gives the vision of me to be communicative and be a responsible person.  Also, since I miss so much school competing, I think this helps to get into college, all the extra curricular activities I do.

What do you learn the most in the horse world that can help you as a business person?

You got to go with the flow a lot.  You have to deal with unexpected things and change all the time, and let it just roll of your back.  And not freak out about it.

You got to shoot in Manhattan with Patrice Casanova, a famous french fashion photographer.  What was that like?

That was my first modeling experience when I was 9 years old. I was intimidated at first.  But Patrice is a really nice person.  He gave me confidence modeling. It was a lot of fun and the pictures came out amazing. He taught me about poses and to look good for the camera.

Did you recently meet a famous actor? And what advice did he give you?

Robert Patrick.  I met him in the hotel lobby in Lexington, KY.  I was shy to talk to him.  He told me which direction he would film my face from because that’s how my eye follows the camera.  The left side.  It was cool to meet him. He was not scary to talk to or arrogant or anything.  You would not even know he was so famous. And he grew up in Atlanta. He is very encouraging about staying focused and working hard.  I think it’s nice he follows me on instagram!!

We know that your mother encourages you to be a role model from the beginning of your pony days? What does that mean for you?

I like to influence people to believe in themselves, even when it gets hard.

Has it been hard for you?

At times, yes.  I struggle a little bit in school and with riding.  You go through rough phases but you just got to keep pushing through.I