Every once in a while a horse comes along that changes you. A unicorn. A heart horse. And although the reason might not be obvious to others, when you gaze into their eyes, you can see deep into their heart.

For Mallory Vroegh that horse is Itsa Southern Belle, known affectionately as Ginger because of her spicy red coat. She’s special. She always has been.

Ginger’s dam is Krymsun Belle, a mare Mallory showed to numerous AQHA Youth World and Congress Championships and her sire is Its A Southern Thing.

Mallory says Ginger is the splitting image of her mother.

“She looks at you with those same big, wild eyes, so ready to go do whatever is next,” she admits.

Mallory’s mother, Iowa professional trainer Shannon Walker, started Ginger under saddle early last year. But when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States forcing the cancelation of many horse shows, her plan to launch Ginger’s show career in the Coughlin 2-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure at the Quarter Horse Congress got put on hold. Instead, they would wait until her 3-year-old year.

“On a whim, we decided to take her with us to (the Tom Powers Christmas Challenge  Futurity) Ocala, Florida, to ride around in December,” Mallory explained. “That’s where she caught the attention of Aaron Moses and we decided to send her to Texas.”

Moses said from the start he could tell she had a lot of potential.

“We liked her and asked about her not knowing they would eventually send her for training,” he said.

Less than five months later, Ginger returned to the World Equestrian Center in Ocala for The Sudden Impulse Futurity, where she made her debut by placing fourth in the $100,000 Maiden 3-Year-Old Western Pleasure and earning $9,082 with Moses in the saddle.

“She showed really well for me there and she had just continued to improve at every show,” he said. “She’s really a show horse.”

Mallory also got to show Ginger for the first time there, winning the 3-Year-Old Intermediate Non-Pro Western Pleasure.

The next stop for Itsa Southern Belle was The Madness AQHA Circuit in Ohio where Aaron and Ginger placed third in the 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure and Mallory also placed third in the 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure.

At The Premier in Lexington the next month, Aaron rode Itsa Southern Belle to a fourth place finish in the 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure and Mallory and Ginger placed third in both the Intermediate and Open divisions of the 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure. Mallory followed that up with a big win in the Super Sires 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure, held at the Tom Powers Futurity in Wilmington, Ohio.

Then at this year’s National Snaffle Bit Association World Championship Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Aaron and Ginger placed third in the 3-Year-Old Novice Horse Open Western Pleasure and fourth in the Breeders Championship Futurity 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure. Mallory and Ginger were Reserve Champions of the 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure at the NSBA World Show and third in the Intermediate division.

They also placed sixth in the BCF 3-Year-Old Intermediate Non-Pro Western Pleasure and were seventh in the Open Division. 

Mallory says it’s clear that the decision to send Ginger to Texas with Moses was the right one. It gets her show partner closer as she begins her senior year at Southern Methodist University in Waco, where she is majoring in Economics and is a member of the Equestrian Team.

“It has really been beneficial to have her in Texas where I can spend time with her,” Mallory said. “Aaron and I are preparing for three of the biggest shows of the year right now – the Championship Show in Ocala, Florida; the Quarter Horse Congress and the AQHA World Championship Show –  so spending time with them is always on my mind.”

Mallory and Shannon agree that Itsa Southern Belle has already far exceeded their expectations.

“The icing on the cake for us is that Ginger is really showing signs of being a great all around horse,” Mallory said.  “She is talented over the poles and is changing leads. We are going to finish off the year by starting her all-around career in the 3-Year-Old Versatility class at the (AQHA) World Show.”

As a serious all-around competitor, that’s important to Mallory. Under the guidance of Blake Weis since 2017, she has captured three globes at the AQHA World Show and numerous other trophies, including a Congress High-Point Award. This year she has been competing with Ill B Batting Ona RV (Shirley), a 2016 bay mare by Batt Man and out of Ill Be Dun Won It. She was a highly decorated Western Pleasure contender, winning the Level 1 Western Pleasure 14-18 at the 2020 AQHA World Show, but had not competed in other events.

“Mom started working on the all-around with her at the beginning of the year and I finally got the chance to start riding her in July,” Mallory said. “Let me tell you, she has taken to doing the western all-around events so well.”

Their second show together was at the NSBA World Show in August and the team captured a bronze trophy in Amateur Horsemanship and they placed in the top 10 in Amateur Western Pleasure and 11th in Amateur Showmanship.

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of her and how fast she is picking everything up,” Mallory said. “She is so precious I just want to hug her neck no matter what the placing when we leave the pen.”

After that, Shirley was sent to Texas so Blake could continue her training and she could be close enough for Mallory to ride often. They will show at the Championship Show in Ocala and then on to the  AQHA World Show.

“For us to compete at the Amateur level it takes all of our efforts to step up into a new playing field,” Mallory said. “We are going to put the hours in and see what (the Championship Show) in Ocala and the (AQHA) World show can bring.”

And this year, a gelding finally “wandered” into Mallory’s life. Sired by RL Best Of Sudden and out of Good Vital Vixen, Dr Phil Good is already an accomplished Trail contender, having been Reserve World Champion in the Junior Level 3 Trail at the 2020 AQHA World Show with Michael Hoyt aboard and the 2021 NSBA  4 & 5-Year-Old Open Trail World Champion with Andrea Kail.

“Ryan and Andrea Kail agreed to keep us in their great program and let me be a small part of his success,” Mallory said. “I have won numerous Amateur Trail classes with him and I’m really looking forward to the Congress and the (AQHA) World Show.”

Mallory has already built quite the show record but in many ways her career is just getting started. Her mom recently married Brent Walker, after six years of dating. They have decided that together they would like to build a breeding program that would develop top show prospects for years to come. They started with mares they know well, like Krymsun Belle, Presidential Affair, No Doubt My Maria, Ill B Batting Ona RV and Justlopenontherange.

“Brent loves to try to decide which studs should we cross with which mares,” Mallory said. “There are endless dinner discussions about this.”

Breedings have already been purchased for 2022 to Machine Made, Hay Good Lookin and Its A Southern Thing.

“We have two babies coming next year – one by Machine Made and another by The Lopin Machine,” Mallory explained. “We have a weanling by I Am The Party and a 2-year-old by RL Best Of Sudden. The phrase ‘Im used to it, I’m a horse trainers’ kid’ is not false.  If my mom continues to do her favorite thing which is sell I guess at least I might have a back-up.”

And Brent and his daughter, Lily Walker, were the perfect additions to Shannon and Mallory’s lives

“My mom couldn’t have met a better guy who truly supports us in what we do,” Mallory said. “I knew that he was the right guy when he showed up to my first Youth World Show wearing a T-shirt that read ‘Team Mallory.’”

Mallory says Brent has also made quite a few friends in the horse industry.

“In fact, he just wanders off from the stalls now and we really aren’t sure what he’s up to,” she explained.  “I also appreciate the fact that he brought Lily into my life. I wouldn’t have had the chance to have a sibling without our families coming together.  I know that our crazy horse life can be daunting but she has tolerated all the crazy hours, different towns, leaving for Florida over Christmas, and other escapades we can throw at her.  Lily has started her college career at Belmont University. I know she’ll do great and no doubt I’ll be going to Nashville to visit.”

Mallory is extremely grateful for all the support she gets from her mom, Brent and Lily. But she says, there are others, behind the scenes, that support her just as much.

“My papa Larry and grandma, Karen, are the best,” she said. “Karen Heffernan has been grandma to me since before I could walk.  I mean she’s saved me from drowning and several pony accidents and has never given up on me.  Every time my mom and I say we have a crazy idea she says OK let’s do this!  That’s when papa Larry Adams comes in and we send him to drive us there or pick up that crazy idea.  None of us could do this without the people who get us there and make us feel special and I know I don’t thank everyone enough.”

She’s also grateful for her SMU family.

“Our equestrian team was Reserve National Champions last year and we have high hopes for another great season this year,” Mallory said. “We gained Brad Kearns as a western coach and our team is just truly something great to be a part of.  I’m looking forward to graduating and finding my own way, which I’m hoping is within our industry that I really appreciate.”