Local Girl Winning National Horse-Riding Championships

Payson girl winning national horse-riding events

When Enaya Carroll was 5 years old, her older brother Adriel wanted to go horseback riding. Enaya went along.

That fateful day led the now 12-yearold Payson girl to a love of competitive riding and a skill that has her winning national competitions.

In 2020, she became the youngest person ever to win the U.S. Arabian Sport Horse Nationals competition, taking home a $3,000 prize. In 2021, she returned to the competition — and won again.

This was especially impressive considering the competition has no youth category. Enaya competed against adult professional riders.

She’s also won or placed in the top 10 at other national competitions, including the United States Hunter Jumper Association National Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“I am so proud of her. I have seen her lose with grace and I have also seen her win with grace,” said Enaya’s mother Tahira Carroll. “I’ve also seen a shy little girl blossom into a very articulate young lady, and I think all of that is the confidence she got from horses.”

A seventh-grader and straight-A student at Valley View Middle School, Enaya started taking horse-riding lessons while living in Provo. Five years ago, the family purchased its first Arabian horse.

Living in the city meant having to board their horse elsewhere, which was expensive and inconvenient. Her parents Tahira and Fernando Carroll had talked about moving onto a farm someday where they could raise their two children. Four years ago, they found a farm property in Payson and decided to do it.

“It was a good life for the kids, I thought. It’s been a really good decision,” Tahira said.

The Carrolls now own five horses that all live at their property, which the family refers to as Fate Barn.

Enaya trains with Kate Healey at Valley View Equestrian in Payson and with Isaac Taylor at Taylor Ranch Arabians, also in Payson.

Her favorite sport to compete in is show jumping, where she and her horse have to clear obstacles up to 3 feet high. She also competes in dressage, where horse and rider are judged as they complete a required series of movements. Both show jumping and dressage are Olympic sports.

Enaya also competes in Mounted Native Costume, a sport where the rider and horse dress in an Arabian costume. The horses must move in specific ways while always under complete control of their rider.

“You have to make them look like they’re floating, like they’re running in a desert,” Enaya said.

All three of these sports are considered English forms of riding, which, as a Utah resident, sets Enaya apart. Most riders in Utah are involved in Western-style riding such as that featured in rodeos.

While Enaya has competed in Western riding, even making the top 10 in 4-H state competition, she prefers the English styles and the different challenges they offer. For example, each show jumping competition features a unique course that must be navigated.

“I like trying new things a lot. I like pushing myself a lot,” Enaya said.

“We joke that she’s very intense,” Tahira said, adding that both Enaya and her horse visibly get into the “zone”

Shown from left to right are Enaya Carroll and her parents, Fernando and Tahira Carroll, of Payson.

just before competing. “There’s this moment before the show where they get very focused, and it’s kind of fun to watch.”

It’s also unique that Enaya competes and excels in multiple sports; usually, riders concentrate on only one sport.

Enaya rides her horse Thor, a purebred Arabian, in her show jumping competitions. A natural jumper, Thor has also earned national awards for his skills. She also rides Thor in dressage competition.

With money won through competition, Enaya purchased an Arabian horse named Prince that she uses for Mounted Native Costume riding.

She has also recently purchased Sylvie, a Warmblood horse. This breed of horse is known for jumping and used by riders competing in the Olympics.

It’s an appropriate purchase as Enaya already has her eyes on competing on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, California.

When asked why she’s found such success, Enaya attributed it to her relationship with the horse. “For me, personally, I think I’m pretty good at understanding them and I try to always put the horse first,” she said.

Tahira said at competitions, Enaya and Thor are referred to as Team Thor. “I think that explains it all. They’re a team,” Tahira said.

The adventures of Team Thor can be viewed on Instagram (@fatebarn).

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