Heidi Young

Heidi Young, hails all the way from Boise, Idaho, and has traveled far to bring her unique skill set and expertise in Drill Team to this event. Heidi has ridden, coached, and judged both loping and gaited drill teams for many years throughout the country.

Heidi’s coaching style emphasizes the logic and spatial awareness of riding in formation that helps teams function and perform better. She also teaches the importance of understanding team dynamics and recognizes that being a team member requires skills from each rider beyond their individual riding skills. Team cohesiveness is a strategy worth understanding and then employing. It’s the invisible weapon of many successful teams.

A good coach learns what the judges in their discipline look for, and Heidi’s coaching experience launched her judging career. She travels around the US and Canada to judge at state and national competitions. She also offers drill clinics throughout the country and shares that logic of formation riding so teams can perform more precisely and safely, helping the teams up their effectiveness, unison and overall performance.

Heidi ran drill competitions until Covid made that challenging for teams. To fill that niche and continue to support her sport, she started an online venue for teams to compete and continue their craft. Gem Virtual Drill Events exists for any sized team in any location. Now, with 6 online events each year that utilize a dozen different judges, drill teams can get constructive feedback and win prizes and recognition for all their awesome work in the dirt.

Formation riding is a complex, challenging, and rewarding sport. Heidi respects every rider for putting it out there in the area.