Kim Ablon Whitney created Below the Cutoff to give readers a closer look at the horse show life.
Kim is the author of several novels set on the show circuit, including Summer Circuit and the sequel Winter Circuit, The Perfect Distance, and Blue Ribbons. She has written for many equestrian magazines including The Chronicle of the Horse and Practical Horseman.
She is a lifelong rider who competed as a junior in the big eq and placed at several finals. She also showed as an amateur in the jumpers on her self-trained OTTB.
A USEF 'R' Judge in Hunters/Eq/Jumpers, she has judged at the Winter Equestrian Festival, Lake Placid, Washington, the Capital Challenge, and Vermont.
Maggie Junkin is a 15 year-old hunter rider. She began riding at the age of four and her first horse show was the leadline class at Devon. She has competed all over the country, including Pony Finals, Devon, Harrisburg, and WIHS. She loves showing in different venues and has competed in Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 7 and hopes to complete that list someday. She continues to show large pony hunters and also shows her horse Tommy Bahama in the Children’s Hunter Horse Division.
Maggie trains with John Mastriano of Tustin Farm in NJ. She lives with her family, six rescue dogs and three cats in Jenkintown, Pa.
A Junior Changemaker and avid fundraiser, Maggie is committed to animal rescue. In fifth grade Maggie started “Mags For Wags” an initiative to help homeless pets across the U.S. Their mission is to fundraise for shelters and rescues to help homeless pets in need. Her favorite rescue to support is Danny and Ron’s Rescue.
