2026 HoH TRAINERS CHALLENGE JUDGES
Mirka Crew
Mirka Crew is a seven-time Western Dressage World Champion with over 30 years of experience in horse training, instruction, and competition. Through clarity, communication, and balanced movement, she strengthens the bond between horse and rider—cultivating true self-carriage in horses and confidence in riders.
As the creator of Posture Focused Training®, Mirka developed a distinctive program that addresses both physical and mental challenges across foundational, liberty, bridleless, and performance training. Her areas of specialty include liberty, bridleless work, Western Dressage, with a passion for Working Equitation, all rooted in harmony, lightness, and correct biomechanics. Mirka offers training, clinics, lessons, and private retreats at her facility in Southwest Georgia where she lives with her husband, Brandon, and son Grady. She teaches internationally, guiding riders toward purposeful partnership and lasting success.
Beyond the arena, Mirka is a respected judge and accomplished event manager who has hosted numerous equestrian competitions. A passionate mentor, she challenges her students to move past self-doubt and adopt an unstoppable mindset—believing that the only limits we face are the ones we place on ourselves.
Tim Anderson
Tim Anderson makes his living doing the part of horse training that most people don’t get to see—the part after “green broke,” where the real polish, confidence, and consistency are built. He's spent over 30 years as a professional horseman and brings more than two decades of experience as a certified mounted police instructor into everything he does. His program is built around one goal: developing the whole horse, not just getting maneuvers.
He specializes in cow horses, reining horses, and ranch horses, and is known for taking horses that have the basics and turning them into dependable, mentally steady performers that can handle pressure, patterns, new environments, and real life. He's started over 2,000 horses under saddle and has helped develop multiple world top-10 horses and riders in NRHA, NRCHA, and breed associations.
Tim is also a published author, and writing is an extension of the things he does in the saddle—teaching people how to think, not just what to do. His books and long-form articles break down training in a way that helps riders make better decisions, understand the “why” behind the work, and build a clearer plan instead of chasing quick fixes. His writings give horsemen something they can actually use, whether they’re in the arena, at a show, or standing in the barn trying to figure out what to do next.
At the end of the day, Tim is here for the people who want real progress—not hype, not shortcuts, and not excuses. Whether he's training a horse, building a rider, or putting his thoughts on paper, the goal is the same: use a proven, show-pen-tested system to create a calmer, more capable partner you can trust when it matters.
Lauren Henny
With more than 20 years of professional training experience, Lauren Henny is the owner of L&C Horsemanship in Wilsonville, Alabama. Throughout her career, she has worked with a wide variety of breeds and disciplines, learning from some of the top trainers across the country. Her passion extends far beyond training—Lauren is deeply committed to rescue work, using her expertise to rehabilitate horses and help them find the right forever homes.
Lauren brings an impressive list of accomplishments to the arena. She spent 12 years helping run and compete in the Alabama Obstacle Challenge, earned a Top 15 placement in the prestigious American Horsewomen’s Challenge among the nation’s top female trainers, and has successfully competed in multiple Mustang Makeovers.
She is also a familiar face in our own program. Lauren was the 2020 Safe Horse Project Pro Champion and returned to compete in the 2023 Heart of the Horse Trainers Challenge. Beyond competing, she has been a dedicated supporter as a Diamond Horse Trainer, a clinician for our Youth trainers, and served as a judge for last year’s event.
Lauren brings a unique and valuable perspective to this year’s judging panel, having experienced the competition from multiple roles. Her depth of knowledge, practical experience, and commitment to building strong horse-and-rider partnerships make her an outstanding addition to the 2026 event.
2026 PHILLIP MORGAN MEMORIAL PONY CHALLENGE JUDGES
kATrina WALLACE
Katrina Wallace is the County Extension Agent for the University of Arkansas Extension Systems, standing at the forefront of Agriculture, pioneering research-based information to the citizens of Crittenden County. With over 19 years of Extension experience, she has steered Extension programs through many challenges, resulting in innovative programming, increasing client relationships and funding.
Beginning her career as a 4H agent, Katrina rapidly ascended the ranks due to outside-the-box thinking and a can-do attitude. Her expertise in agriculture has been pivotal in her extension career at both Mississippi State University and the University of Arkansas.
Katrina's passion is horses and livestock, and even though there isn’t a program in Crittenden County that focuses on that, she finds ways to give back and share her love for it. She gives her time in judging livestock, poultry and rabbit shows at local fairs, serves on the state 4H Horse Show Committee, offers clinics at district and state horse shows, and judges local horse shows and gives tips to exhibitors. Katrina has recently resumed offering private clinics in her spare time to help youth and adults improve their horsemanship skills for showing and pleasure.
Lydia Busby
Hi, my name is Lydia Busby! I’m 33 years old, and I’ve been blessed to work with horses most of my life. I grew up in 4-H, AQHA, NBHA, Mississippi Western Horse Show Association, Little Britches Rodeo, and High School Rodeo, competing in showmanship, western pleasure, various speed events, team penning, breakaway roping, judging teams, flag carrying, association board positions, and more.
Though competition has always been a big part of my life, training horses is my favorite. As a student of the horse, I trained under my mentor and friend Cohn Livingston at Doc Livingston Farm and Stables for most of my pre-teen and teen years. Horses of all breeds, disciplines, levels, and dispositions came through the barn. We specialized in getting through to the tough ones that no one else wanted to handle. Through teamwork, mutual respect, patience, trust building, and a TON of groundwork, some of the best 4 legged partners found their rhythm with us. The bond created between a horse and trainer isn’t something bought in a sale ring. Those long hours of work and lessons learned by both myself and the horses I’ve been fortunate to work with will always be sacred to me.
Now, as a mother, I’m enjoying watching my own daughter’s love for horses bloom. I love what Heart of the Horse stands for! I am honored to be a part of it and watch these horses and their trainers create special bonds.