26
FEATURE: TRAINERS PROFILE- EMMA & ANDREW WOINARSKI
AQHA TRAINERS PROFILE
Emma & Andrew Woinarski
PHOTO BY: EV LAGOON PHOTOGRAPHY
1. Tell us briefly about yourself. Andrew, myself and our two daughters Harper and Summer live in Wamuran Qld where we operate AEW Show Horses.
2. When did you begin training and what made you want to be a trainer? Although Emma has been riding and showing since she was six we didn’ t begin training horses until 2012, we both have a passion and love for horses and training so after both working other jobs we weren’ t passionate about, we decided to turn horses into a career, as the old saying goes, do something you love and you’ ll never work a day in your life!
3. Which horse discipline is your passion? For Emma it is the trail, I have loved the pattern events since I was a youth and trail is my favourite event, it is challenging and so rewarding when you execute a great pattern.
For Andrew it is the Western Pleasure, forming a bond with a horse and learning their quirks and then being able to adapt to get the best from them is a hard but rewarding process.
4. How long have you been involved in Quarter horses? Emma began riding and showing in western performance when she was six while Andrew had a bit of a later start, starting to ride and show around 2005.
5. What and who has inspired you the most as a trainer / rider? We would have to say our family and our two girls are our biggest source of inspiration. They inspire us to continually grow and improve as people and trainers.
6. Best advice you could give to someone starting out? Venture out to some local shows or even better head to a major show and watch the events you are wanting to try your hand at. Don’ t be afraid to approach some trainers for lessons or advice.
We are so lucky to have a bunch of trainers who are more than happy to answer questions or help you on your journey. And finally, never stop learning!
7. Who are the people who have helped you the most and influenced you? We have been lucky enough to have received help and advice from many of our fellow trainers over the years, we really appreciate all the support, advice, and encouragement they have given us. Their influence has made a huge difference to our training program and keeps us motivated to keep getting better
8. What is your proudest moment showing Quarter Horses so far? Emma – For me it was winning the open hunter under saddle feature at the Tropicana Classic in 2024. I was on a young horse TPL Cigars All Round and he just gave me his all that day, it is still one of the best runs I have ever had in the hunter.
Andrew – For me it was winning the novice horse western pleasure feature at the Tropicana Classic a few years, I rode a beautiful mare called Hope She Can Lope and she just locked in and gave me a great run that day.
We are also so proud to be able to watch our Amateur and youth clients strive to achieve their goals, it is so rewarding to see all the hard work pay off for them when they leave the arena with a smile.
Australian Quarter Horse Association- www. aqha. com. au