Grand champion at 8

Alexis Allen won more than a reserve grand champion ribbon and trophy. At the conclusion of her English style horse shows, the Sparta eight year old won herself a new horse — thanks to her parents, Norman and Glenda. “After she won the reserve grand champion she came up and hugged me and said, ‘I love Hazel. Can I have him, Daddy,’” Norman Allen said. “And, with a tear in my eye, I said yes.” Hazel, a show horse descended from the Hunter family line, is the second horse the young equestrian has owned. Raz, an Arabian chesnut was deemed unsuitable for showing. “So she started showing Hazel,” Norman said. “Her trainer, Amy Weatherlee, believes she can make nationals. Some kids have it, and some kids don’t and she believes Lexi has it.” When not riding English or showing Western, Alexis spends her time playing piano or fishing with her brother, Matthew. “Matthew has about 75 horseback riding lessons under his belt right now himself,” Norman said. “But Lexi has over a hundred.” Both young riders train at Spring Valley Farms near the border of Newton and Fredon. “In the last year our house has been filled with horse stuff,” Norman said. “In Lexi’s room there aren’t dolls. There are all horses.”