Introducing the 2026 Academy of Achievement Inductees and the National Youth Congress Delegates

Compiled by USPC Staff

The USPC Academy of Achievement (AA) shines a spotlight on Pony Club alumni who are doing incredible things in the world beyond the barn. Nominated by members, leaders, and fellow alumni, these honorees show what’s possible when Pony Club values—leadership, dedication, and love of learning—turn into real-life success.

In 2026, two inspiring alumni—Carleigh Fedorka, PhD, and Jen Verharen—were chosen by a national committee to join the USPC Academy of Achievement. As part of the honor, they headed to the 2026 USPC Convention to take part in the USPC National Youth Congress, sponsored by the Western & English Sales Association (WESA) and Dreamers & Schemers. The National Youth Congress (NYC) is an intensive leadership experience designed for members ages 18 to 23. Throughout the week, the AA inductees’ accomplishments were celebrated at special events, including a Friday night reception and the Saturday Night Banquet alongside the National Youth Congress delegates.

But the most meaningful moments happened in the conversations between Academy inductees and delegates. Through small group discussions, one-on-one mentoring, and honest leadership talks, the inductees shared their journeys, the challenges they’ve faced, and the lessons Pony Club helped them learn along the way. In return, delegates brought fresh ideas and big dreams—working together to develop proposals for the USPC Board of Governors designed to help shape the future of Pony Club.

Every year, this connection between past and present leaders reminds us of something powerful: today’s Pony Club members are tomorrow’s changemakers. And the path from the barn aisle to a life of impact might be closer than they think.

Carleigh Fedorka, PhD

Carleigh Elizabeth Fedorka, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Equine Reproduction in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University (CSU), where she leads a rapidly expanding research program at the interface of reproductive physiology, immunology, and disease diagnostics. She earned her PhD in Veterinary Sciences from the University of Kentucky, where she subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in reproductive immunology before joining CSU in 2023.

Carleigh’s journey began long before the PhD—in small show barns, lesson programs, and on the backs of the horses who taught her everything, from feel and timing to grit and compassion. During her time in Pony Club, she earned her C-2 Horse Management and C-2 Eventing certifications and was an alum of Lost Hounds Pony Club in the Midsouth Region, and she served as Joint District Commissioner of Serendipity Pony Club in 2018.

A competitive rider throughout her youth and into adulthood, she has spent decades in the irons—Eventing, retraining off-track Thoroughbreds, and managing broodmares and foals across some of Central Kentucky’s most respected farms. Her experiences riding and caring for performance horses, broodmares, and youngsters continue to shape her scientific perspective: every project she leads is grounded in practical horsemanship and real-world impact.

Today, Carleigh leads a dynamic research program at CSU focused on reproductive immunology, placental health, persistent breeding-induced endometritis, and the complex role of hormones and seminal plasma in fertility. She has authored more than 40 scientific publications, secured significant extramural funding, and is known for transforming rigorous science into insights that matter to horse owners, breeders, and students.

But at heart, she is still the kid who loved horses. She continues to ride, train, and immerse herself in the equine world—balancing academic life with early-morning gallops as she pursues the upper levels (aka, FEI-level) of the sport of Eventing. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their Labrador, Molly; fly fishing; and cheering for her beloved Buffalo Bills.

Jennifer Verharen

Jen Verharen’s passion for Pony Club started early. After feeding chickens for a year to earn her first pony, she joined Vashon Island Olympus Pony Club (now Olympus Pony Club) in the Northwest Region at age six and has been involved in USPC in some capacity ever since. She began teaching riding lessons in her early teens and achieved her A Eventing certification while still in high school. She also went to Canada for the Prince Phillip Games and participated in the Visiting Instructor Program from her sophomore year to her senior year.

Jen spent her early professional life training horses, teaching, competing in Dressage, and serving as a USPC National Examiner and Pony Club mom. She is a United States Dressage Federation (USDF) Certified Instructor, a USDF “L” Education Program graduate with distinction, and a USDF bronze and silver medalist.

In addition to being an avid equestrian, Jen has been a lifelong student of the human psyche. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Psychology, has done graduate work in clinical psychology, and is a certified health coach, transformational life coach, and a mediator. Horses remain an integral part of Jen’s life and a source of inspiration in her work as a professional business and performance coach. Through her business, Cadence Coaching, she provides performance and business coaching for equestrians, as well as leadership and executive coaching for managers, executives, and entrepreneurs. She has been a keynote speaker for the American Riding Instructors Association, United States Eventing Association Area VII, and USDF Annual Conventions, and served as a chaperone for The Dressage Foundation’s Young Rider International Dream Program in Aachen and Wellington.

Jen is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives through coaching, writing, and speaking. When she’s not home on Vashon Island in the Pacific Northwest or wintering in Aiken, S.C., she travels to teach clinics and facilitate retreats in the U.S., Portugal, and Thailand.

View past Academy of Achievement Inductees and read bios of past inductees.

2026 USPC National Youth Congress

The 2026 USPC National Youth Congress delegates included:

• Brandy Benedix, Pickering Hunt Pony Club, Eastern Pennsylvania Region
• Haylee Bohn, Horse and Hound Pony Club, Midwest Region
• Samantha Cecil, St. Margaret’s Pony Club, Maryland Region
• Alexandria Clenney, Taramia Pony Club Riding Center, South Region
• Layla Frantz, Pickering Hunt Pony Club, Eastern Pennsylvania Region
• Suzanna Gebhart, Bath Pony Club, Tri-State Region
• Isabelle Huskinson, Portneuf Valley Pony Club, Intermountain Region
• McKenzie Jones, Mercer Meadows Pony Club, New Jersey Region
• Natalie Koch, Bath Pony Club, Tri-State Region
• Sydney Langley, Greenville Foothills Pony Club, Carolina Region
• Alexis Miller, Kachemak Pony Club, Alaska Region
• Julia Thain, Misty Morning Farm Pony Club Riding Center, Lake Shore Region
• Charlotte Tincher, Remington Farm Riding Academy Pony Club Riding Center, Northwest Region
• Mia Valdez, Mountain Skyline Pony Club, Old Dominion Region
• Madison Walter, Hunter’s Run Pony Club, Tri-State Region
• Lillian Weidner, Casanova-Warrenton Pony Club, Virginia Region
• Arlena Worm, Sunny Side Pony Club, Midsouth Region