Ep 35- The BeginnerMediate Phenomenon with Deanna Baker

In this episode of the Kanter Kulture Podcast, Ali Hubbell sits down with Deanna Baker for a real, honest conversation about where the horse industry is headed — and what we need to be talking about if we want stockbreed showing to survive and grow.

We dive headfirst into participation numbers, accessibility, and the growing gap between people who are brand new to horses and those who are already deep in the show pen. Deanna coins a term you won’t forget: the “beginner-mediate.” These are the riders who are learning, improving, and hungry for more — but aren’t quite ready (or financially able) to jump into showing. So the big question becomes… what are we doing with them?

Ali and Deanna unpack why there seems to be a shortage of instructors willing to work with entry-level riders, especially in the Quarter Horse, Paint, and Appaloosa worlds. Is the barrier cost? Culture? Expectations? Or are we unintentionally pushing people out before they ever get the chance to fall in love with showing?

This episode also delivers a few hot takes on how to make stockbreed showing more approachable and affordable — from rethinking education pathways to creating better on-ramps for new exhibitors. And at the core of it all is one shared belief: if you want to be in this industry, you have to be a student of the game. Learning doesn’t stop once you can lope a circle.

If you care about the future of horse showing, growing participation, and building an industry that actually welcomes the next generation — this episode is a must-listen.

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