Joetta Meredith Bell, of Weatherford, Texas, was just 9 years old when she won the Congress Small Fry Horsemanship in 1990 on Lady Legacy. Back then it was the only Small Fry event offered at the Congress. On Sunday, 29 years later, Joetta watched from the stands as her 9-year-old daughter, Trinity, won the Small Fry Western Pleasure riding A Certain Faith.

“Faith is a very forgiving horse,” said Joetta. “Not only is she forgiving and kind, but she knows and loves her job. She is truly a once in a lifetime horse. Trinity is so very blessed to be able to ride a horse with such a genuine heart and so much talent.”

Faith is a 2006 sorrel mare by Certain Potential and out of Zip Be Easy and Joetta says she is the perfect partner for her daughter.

“Trinity loves that she can trust that Faith will always do exactly what she’s told,” she said. “She loves doing patterns on her because she can practice the pattern so many times and the mare never will cheat her. Faith loves little girls and loves to be cared for.”

Joetta said watching the class brought back so many memories.

“There are so many similarities between Trinity and my win at the Congress,” said Joetta. “Faith and Lady Legacy were both sorrel mares with bald faces and white legs and we both won at the age of 9. The first memory I had when Trinity won was the feeling of surprise because there are so many good competitors.”

A total of 50 competed in Small Fry Western Pleasure and Reserve Champion was Im Gonna Be Lazy and Finnegan Joseph Seabolt.

“The second memory I had was ‘wow’ that mare (A Certain Faith) reminds me so much of Lady,” Joetta said. “Faith is the ultimate Small Fry horse because she loves her job and is the same every day.”

Both of Joetta’s daughters, Trinity and Jayden, have ridden A Certain Faith and both have had their fair share of success.

“Even though the outfits and tack have changed, one thing remains the same the love of the great horse and a little child able to guide through their class,” Joetta said. “Watching little kids grow into the riders they dream to be is such a blessing to watch.”

Small Fry competition wrapped up on Sunday at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress with other awards presented in Trail, Equitation, Hunter Under Saddle, Showmanship and Horsemanship.

Trail

Rebecca ‘Shayne’ Gilliam, Greensburg, Indiana, and her show partner, Chocolately Special K, a 2011 brown mare by One Hot Krymsun out of Zips Chocolate Swirl, marked a 234 to win a Congress Championship in Small Fry Trail on Saturday. Shayne is the daughter of professional trainer Jason Gilliam and his wife Jessica.

A total of 44 competed in the class and Brylee Bunting and Ms Mae Flash were Reserve Champions with a score of 228.

“The pattern looked sort of hard when I first looked at it, but KK and I work really good together,” Shayne said. “The hardest part was the serpentine because it was pretty tight.”

At only 9 years old, Shayne is really excited about the future of her youth career with KK.

“She is a really sweet mare and a great teammate,” Shayne said. “She was in our barn before I started showing her, so she was already familiar to me.”

She is especially talented at Trail.“She makes a great Trail horse because she is really long-strided and very patient,” Shayne said. “She loves me and waits for me to tell her what to do next. Trail is my favorite event and I think it is hers too.”

This is Shayne’s third year to compete at the Congress.

 “My favorite thing about it is that all my friends from everywhere are here,” she explained. “It is a very competitive show and I’m really excited to have won the Trail. I have never won at the Congress before so this means so much to me. It’s all I have ever dreamed of.”

Equitation

Best friends Eleanor Ott, Sand Creek, Michigan, and Liv Jillian Winter, West Branch, Michigan, captured both the Championship and Reserve Championship Congress titles in Equitation with 42 entries. Eleanor teamed with The Only Leadin Lady, a 2010 black mare, to take the top spot while Liv rode A Diggin Hot Time, a 2006 sorrel gelding, to the Reserve title.

The youngsters met at a show in Michigan when Eleanor’s trainer, Beckey Schooler, and Liv’s trainer, Adam Winter, introduced them. Since that day, they have been best friends. They love showing together and have dreamed about being top two at the Congress.

Liv has a little experience showing at the Congress. She competed here last year.

“I was excited for the pattern because I really liked it and Wilson is a good boy,” she said. “English Equitation is one of my favorite classes because I like going fast.”

Eleanor, on the other hand, was making her first appearance at the Congress and she said she was a bit nervous at the start of the show.

“I was a little scared of the pattern at first,” she said. “I normally go into the class to do my best and have fun. Patterns aren’t really hard for me because I know my horse is very nice and listens to my feet.”

Showmanship

Alexandra Rippeon, Mt Airy, Missouri, has only been showing Famous N Foolish (Calvin), a 2008 sorrel gelding by Hes Suddenly Famous out of Prestons Angel Girl for about a year now but that was enough time together for them to polish their Showmanship skills. Together they bested 63 other competitors to win a Congress Championship title in the event on Saturday.

“My first run was good but could have been better,” she said of her performance. “The second run was one of my favorite runs. Calvin is very fun to show and just so nice and sweet.”

Alexandra said this is Calvin’s second Congress Showmanship title and because he’s so good at the event he has helped her learn.

“He’s just amazing,’ she said. “He sets up for me, he backs for me, he spins for me; he’s just so good. Winning the Showmanship means a lot to me because I have never gotten an award like this and this is a really big show for me.”

Alexandra loves the way Calvin responds to her cues so perfectly in just the short amount of time that she has owned him and knows that the key to a good show partner is a strong connection.

“My favorite part about showing is the pattern classes,” she said. “Calvin and I make a very good team and he is really good at all of them.”

Alexandra has competed at the Congress four times now and says it’s her favorite show.

“I just love showing here and exploring the fairgrounds,” she explained. “There is so much to do.”

Hunter Under Saddle

Quincy Clagg, of North Carolina, teamed with SH Counting Stars (Robin), a 2004 bay gelding by Blazing Hot out of Sheza Good Gamble to capture her very first Congress Championship title by winning the win the Small Fry Hunter Under Saddle class with 43 entries. Jemma Weisel was Reserve riding Al The Single Ladies.

“I was not nervous in either of my rides and I was so excited to win,” Quincy said. “I have not been showing all that long, but I have watched my family show for years.” 

Quincy started showing two years ago and teamed with Robin just this year. 

 “Robin is a very sweet horse and really nice,” she said. “The Hunter Under Saddle is our favorite event to show because he is just so good at it and fun to ride.”

But they also captured a Reserve Championship in Small Fry Showmanship, a fourth in Small Fry Horsemanship and an eighth in Small Fry Equitation.

 “My favorite part about the Congress is shopping and eating all the different kinds of food,” Quincy said. 

Horsemanship

Small Fry Horsemanship drew a total of 54 entries and when the judging was complete Elden J. Fredenburg, Straughn, Indiana walked away with a Congress Championship title. Last year, Elden and his show partner, MWS Flashed N Chock (Sweetpea), a 2002 grey mare, by Seven S Flshyzipper and out of Miss Chockie Glow, won the Small Fry Trail but he said he was very happy to win Horsemanship this year. The team has been together for three years now and they also compete in Showmanship, Equitation and Western Pleasure.

Contributors: Mackenzie Patterson, Callie Jo Ware and Corrine Brown

Photos: Shane Rux, Corrine S. Borton, Callie Jo Ware and Corrine Brown