Last October Blakely Abbott jogged into the Celeste Arena at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress and pointed her show partner, Made Just Right’s right shoulder to the rail when magic started to happen.

As the announcer called for the lope in split one of the L1 Youth Western Pleasure 13 & Under, she remembered what her trainer Nick Mayabb told her ….

“Ride every step and keep my eyes on the hat of the person riding in front of me,” she said.

Blakely calls Made Just Right “Flo.” And that day, like all other days, Flo was her “good self.”

She may not have had the years of experience with her show partner that other competitors had but Blakely had the horsepower.

By the time the L1 Youth Western Pleasure 13 & Under rolled around, Blakely and Made Just Right had already placed third in the 12-14 Youth Western Pleasure and fourth in the NYATT Western Pleasure.

“Flo is so natural,” Blakely said. “She has a good step behind and can have her hip pushed to just the right point to where it looks good.”

Blakely and Flo were called back to the finals but the Georgia youth competitor knew she still had work to do. As the finals reversed, she caught a glimpse of Carmen Mayabb.

“Carmen told me to relax and just keep Flo calm and steady,” she recalled. “She also told me to put my spur on Flo’s side every few strides to remind Flo that I’m still riding.”

“Carmen is my main trainer and has gotten me to where I am,” she said. “She works harder than any other trainer I know and deserves more than she gets credit for. She helps get Flo ready for me to show even if it means giving up sleep and time with her own family.”

Carmen on the other hand, was feeling optimistic. So, when Blakely and Made Just Right were named Congress Champions she said that, although it was a dream come true for all of them, she always knew they could be contenders.

“Each time we sent her in she just got better and better,” she said. “I think after doing so well in the two tougher youth classes she had a lot of confidence in herself and her horse going into the 13& Under Novice Youth and it just all worked out for us. Having those two classes first I think really worked in our favor. We got all our nerves worked out and the horse was riding great. And I think Blakely, realizing she had been a tough competitor in those two classes, really pushed her to be aggressive in that last class.”

With all her success in such a short period of time it’s hard to wrap your head around the fact that 2017 was Blakely’s first full year out of Walk-Trot competition.

Carl Yamber of Roberta, Georgia, raised Made Just Right and in 2015 Blakely’s family entered into an ownership partnership with Yamber on the 2013 chestnut mare by Machine Made and out of Miss Trophy Chip.

“Our plan was to enter her in the Congress Masters Western Pleasure,” said Blakely’s mother, Patti. “She ended up Reserve in the Limited Division and ninth in the Open Division.”

Patti started showing at open shows when she was 13 years old. She then progressed into the Quarter Horse industry, where she has won many titles with many different horses. She sold her horse when Blakely was born and didn’t get back into it for 11 years, about the same time Blakely began to show.

The idea was for Patti to show Made Just Right while Blakely was still competing with Boo, the horse she had been showing successfully in Walk-Trot classes since she was 11.

Patti enjoyed tremendous success with Made Just Right in 2016, earning a fourth in the 3-Year-Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure at The Little Futurity; a fifth in that same class at the Tom Powers Futurity and made the finals at the Congress. In March 2017, the Abbott family bought out Yamber and started showing under the guidance of Nick and Carmen Mayabb at NCM Show Horses in Dacula, Georgia. Patti continued to show Made Just Right in Amateur events, winning high-point titles in both GQHA and the Horseman’s Quarter Horse Association of Georgia. They qualified for both the AQHA World Show and Amateur Select World Show, with very limited showing.

Blakely was still showing Boo in Walk-Trot classes, winning numerous Circuit Championships and high point titles including the Walk-Trot All-Around Championship at the 2017 Big A Circuit. But she also started showing Made Just Right in Youth Western Pleasure classes. They won a Circuit Championship in 13 & Under Youth Western Pleasure at the Big A Circuit.

Then, in their very first appearance at the AQHA Youth World Show in 2017 Blakely and Flo placed ninth in the L2 Youth Western Pleasure and finished as Reserve Champion of the 13 & Under category.

“Getting her name called at the Youth World was a huge accomplishment,” said Carmen Mayabb. “We worked hard leading up to that show, and we were truly impressed that, as a first timer, Blakely didn’t let her nerves get the best of her. Her mare showed great for her and Blakely did a great job getting her around the pen.”

Carmen said Blakely is a dream to help. She listens and really wants to learn.

“She has developed a lot of feel for her horse over the last year,” she said. “She has a natural seat and looks great on a horse.   She has learned it’s not always about winning but about improving each time you go in the pen. She’s learned that you must be a pilot and not a passenger. Blakely has a ton of arena appeal and that will always work in her favor.”

She describes Flo as beautiful and great legged.

“She jogs and lopes both ways. She’s very natural and there’s really not a lot you can dislike about the way she goes,” Carmen said. “She shows with a lot of presence and I think that always helps set her apart.”

The team will keep the focus on Western Pleasure this year but there are plans to start Flo in Green Trail and Western Riding later.

“We won’t treat 2018 any differently,” Carmen said. “Blakely is already qualified for the Youth World this year so we will try and hit a few large shows like The Madness and the Big A Circuit and a few others and then on to the Youth World. This year the Youth World is really recognizing the 13 & Under so that will be our main goal.”

Patti will also continue to show Flo and the goal is to also get her qualified for and to show at the World Show.

Carmen and Nick say they love working with the Abbott family. Although Blakely’s father, Randy, does not ride, he is very supportive of Patti and Blakely. His job as vice president of sales for XPO Logistics keeps him busy but he attends as many shows as possible to lend his support.

“Randy, Patti and Blakely have all been wonderful to work with,” Carmen said. “They have really worked hard at giving Flo and Blakely everything they need to be at the top. I would also like to say that Blakely’s grandmother has been a huge supporter and might be Blakely’s biggest fan.”

At home Blakely is a lot like other kids her age. She is a straight A student at Georgia Military College Prep School where she has participated in musical theater, math Olympics, oratorical speaking, literary team, swim team, basketball and piano. She has two sisters, Amanda and Alana and MANY animals, including ducks, dogs, cats, a pony and fish. She has been a member of the GQHA youth program since she first started to show and currently serves as secretary.

Blakely loves to show and has some lofty goals for 2018.

“I’m hoping to go into the L3 Youth Western Pleasure 13 & Under at the (AQHA) Youth World Championship Show and bring home a gold globe,” she said. “And of course, I would LOVE to win the Congress again.”