Payton Frueh takes top honors at Illinois State Fair

Payton Frueh of Ohio, Illinois, competed in the 2025 Illinois State Fair Jr. Horse Show Versatility Contest held on Friday, July 25, in Springfield.

Frueh and her gelding, Cooper, won four of the five events – English Equitation, Pattern Riding, Western Horsemanship, and Ranch Riding – and took home the Championship in Jr. Versatility for the 2025 Illinois State Fair.

This annual event takes place each year after the Jr. Horse Show at the State Fair. This year, ages of the participants were split, and the Jr. division included 13- to 16-year-olds and the Sr. division included participants 17- to 21-year-olds.

The versatility contest aims to showcase a horse’s ability to perform well across a range of disciplines or tasks, rather than specializing in just one. These classes are gaining popularity and offer a way for riders to demonstrate a broader skillset in their horses.

To be eligible for the versatility contest, an exhibitor must have been between the ages of 13 to 21 years of age and placed first or second in any Western Horsemanship, English Equitation, Pattern Riding, Ranch Riding or the Barrel Race class at the 2025 show. Frueh qualified in English Equitation, Horsemanship and Ranch Riding with one horse and Pattern riding with another horse. She chose to show her gelding, Cooper (JJR BigTime TexasChip), for this year’s contest.

Disciplines shown during the contest were English Equitation, Pattern Riding, Western Horsemanship, Ranch Riding and Barrels. During the contest, the horse and rider were not allowed to leave the arena between events, but were allowed two riders to help switch clothes and tack. The tack trucks and helpers entered the arena between each event, where they were allowed five minutes to change show clothes and horse tack for the next event.