The moment Marly Anne McElwee starting jogging The Good Valentine down the center of the arena here at the Tunica Arena and Expo Center to compete in Novice Youth Western Pleasure at the Palomino World Show, she was finally able to exhale.

“I just knew it was going to be good, McElwee said. “She was so focused and she never batted an eye.”

It’s what you might expect from a seasoned Western Pleasure team at the World Show. But The Good Valentine is just a 2-year-old. This was her very first horse show and it was McElwee’s very first time competing at a Palomino World Show.

David James, of Meridian, Oklahoma, is the breeder and owner of The Good Valentine. He owns her sire, Good Bar Rising and her dam, Diversified Investin. He had all the confidence in the world in them both. But even he was surprised when all four judges called them out first.

“I knew I had a good ride and was hoping to be in the top three,” McElwee said. “But honestly, I didn’t really care where I placed because I was so happy with how my horse performed.”

McElwee has been riding at James’ ranch for three years now. Last November James decided to let the Marly start and do all the training on The Good Valentine.

“She is such a hard worker and does such a good job with the horses,” he said. “I knew this filly was nice and told her if she gets her ready, I’d bring them here to compete. She put about eight to 10 rides on her last November. Then she started back on her in March.”

But McElwee said The Good Valentine ended up being one of the easiest horses she’s worked with in a long time.

“There was not a lot of complicated training needed,” she explained. “She really just had to go out and do what she was born to do. She’s a good mover made to be a pleasure horse.

McElwee said The Good Valentine’s strengths are her consistency and good mind.

The Good Valentine is currently for sale. She is scheduled to show in the 2-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure at the Palomino World Show next week and then, if she’s not sold, will show at the Go For The Gold Futurity and at the National Snaffle Bit Association’s World Championship Show.

The Palomino Youth Association concluded its 50^thAnniversary year at the World Show on Saturday by crowning new Golden Horse Champions and High Point Awards.

Youth High Point Palomino Bred: Exquisite Courtney and Reagan Boswell, Dayton, Texas; Reserve Youth High Point Palomino Bred: Emeralds Envy and Kimber Bauer, Winnie, Texas.

Walk Trot 10-18 Golden Horse: Seek The Deck and Elliana Roehrs, Mead, Colorado; Reserve Walk Trot 10-18 Golden Horse: BCQHA Diamond Lass and CJ Kirkland, Buckner, Missouri.

Novice Youth Golden Horse: Never Outa Style and Hanna Hussey, Memphis, Tennessee; Reserve Novice Youth Golden Horse: Hoos The Boss and Kathryn Roehrs, Mead, Colorado.

13 & Under Youth Golden Horse: Zippo Gold Dandy and Mazie Bowen, Walton, Alabama; Reserve 13 & Under Youth Golden Horse: Strait To Paris and Lanie Phelps, Rich Hill, Missouri.

14-18 Youth Golden Horse: Sonrise And Old Lace and Ellie Schley, Souix City, Iowa; Reserve 14-18 Youth Golden Horse: Invite This Blonde and Margaret Worley, Lawrence, Kansas.

The Max Eisenberg Sportsmanship Award was presented to Brady Horn, Pevely, Missouri.

Youth Team Tournament

First Place

• Zippo Gold Dandy – Mazie Bowen
• How D My Valentine – Julius (Nic) Culwell
• Frecklesfrosty Spark – Joy Nabors
• Zipped But Smooth – Mackenzie Kerr
• Has A Tradition Step – Anna Lyne Harris

SecondPlace

• Classic Kinda Kid – Austin Reynolds
• Invite This Blonde – Margaret Worley
• BCQHA Diamond Lass – CJ Kirkland
• Exquisite Courtney – Reagan Boswell
• Timer Hid My Fancy – McAuley Ross

Third Place

• DC Classic Legacy – Colton Mize
• Famous N Fancy – Robert (Bobby) Culwell
• Hekickstarts Myheart – Kathlyn Hauxwell
• You Bet Shez Invited – Katherine Cleveland
• Yellowbellied Pirate – Lillie Koester

Youth Scholarship Recipients receiving $500 each

• Hanna Hussey of Memphis, Tennessee
• Rylee King of Corpus Christi, Texas

Judges for this year’s show include: Tony Burris, Charlene Carter, Terry Thompson and Kathyrn Boggetta.

Competition started on Thursday and the following new World Champions were crowned:

Halter

Youth Color – Cool Casino Gangstah and Carli Jewel Price.

Yellow Rose Futurity: Buttercups Charming and Donna Mullins.

All Age Mares Performance Halter Mares: Zippos MaryJane and Landon Battey.

Palomino Bred Youth Mares – All Ages: Obviously Stylin and Carli Jewel Price.

Youth Aged Mares: Classically Tesigned and Madison Lee.

Youth 3-Year-Old Mares: Buttercups Charming and Donna Mullins, Seaford, Delaware.

Youth 2-Year-Old Mares: TNR Fellas Be Lookin and Clay Banter.

Youth Yearling Mares: Fellas Think Im Cool and Dylan Ellis, Agency, Missouri.

Yellow Rose Futurity All Age Geldings: Olive Is My Mama and Griffin Holiday, Centralia, Missouri.

Performance Halter Geldings: One Dandy Investment and Macey Koehler, Appleton, Wisconsin.

Palomino Bred Youth Geldings All Ages: The Chosen Intention and Kelli Butler Sperry, Oklahoma.

Youth Aged Geldings:Tres Sesente and Donna Mullins, Seaford, Delaware.

Youth 2-Year-Old Geldings: Ikonic Gold and Austin Reynolds.

Youth Yearling Geldings: Tennacious and Donna Mullins, Seaford, Delaware.

Leadline

Leadline: SCR PlentyOf Trouble and Makayla Ashley

Showmanship

Youth Walk Trot Showmanship 10-18: BCQH Diamond Lass and CJ Kirkland, Buckner, Missouri.

Youth Showmanship – 14-18: Invite Me Im Good and Garrett Streit.

Palomino Bred Youth Showmanship 18 & Under: Emeralds Envy and Kimber Bauer, Winnie, Texas.

Youth Showmanship 13 & Under: Strait To Paris and Lanie Phelps, Rich Hill, Missouri.

Novice Youth Showmanship 18 & Under: Hoos The Boss and Kathryn Roehrs, Mead, Colorado.

Western Pleasure

Walk Trot Western Pleasure 5-9: The Slow Ride and Camryn James.

Walk Trot Western Pleasure 10-18: Seek The Deck and Elliana Roehrs, Mead, Colorado.

Youth Western Pleasure 14-18: Invite Me Im Good and Garrett Streit.

Youth Western Pleasure 13 & Under: Strait To Paris and Lanie Phelps, Rich Hill, Missouri.

Novice Youth Western Pleasure 18 & Under: The Good Valentine and Marly Anne McElwee.

Trail

Youth Walk Trot Trail 10-18: Seek The Deck and Elliana Roehrs, Mead, Colorado.

Youth Trail 14-18: Invite This Blonde and Margaret Worley, Lawrence, Kansas.

Palomino Bred Youth Trail 18 & Under: Exquisite Courtney and Reagan Boswell, Dayton, Texas.

Youth Trail 13 & Under: Hez Invested In Gold and Caroline Cleveland, Denton, Texas.

Novice Youth Trail 18 & Under: Hoos The Boss and Kathryn Roehrs, Mead, Colorado.

Horsemanship

Walk Trot Horsemanship 10-18: Seek The Deck and Elliana Roehrs, Mead, Colorado.

Youth Western Horsemanship 14-18: Timer Hid My Fancy and McAuley Ross, Madison, Mississippi.

Youth Palomino Bred Horsemanship 18 & Under: Reinvest In Ruidoso and Jane Nicole Tijerina, Paris, Texas.

Youth Horsemanship 13 & Under: Strait To Paris and Lanie Phelps, Rich Hill, Missouri.

Novice Youth Horsemanship 18 & Under: Sunny Investment and Natalie Ruha.

Western Riding

Youth Western Riding 18 & Under: Hekickstarts Myheart and Kathlyn Hauxwell, McCook, Nebraska.

Reining

Youth Reining 18 & Under: Has A Tradition Step and Anna Layne Harris, Sheridan, Arkansas.

Ranch

Youth Ranch Horse 18 & Under: JD Gold and Daeleigh Faith Patridge, Fort Worth, Texas.

Youth Ranch Rail Pleasure 18 & Under: Zippos Gold Dandy and Mazie Bowen, Wilton, Alabama.

Youth Ranch Riding 18 & Under: RVR Natural Cat and Daeleigh Faith Patridge, Fort Worth, Texas.

Novice Youth Ranch Riding 18 & Under: Players Hot Cd and Emilee Rodriguez, Baytoen, Texas.

Hunter In Hand

Youth Hunter In Hand 18 & Under: Never Outa Style and Hannah Hussey.

Hunter Under Saddle

Youth Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle 10-18: BCQH Diamond Lass and CJ Kirkland, Buckner, Missouri.

Youth Hunter Under Saddle 14-18: Sonrise And Old Lace and Ellie Schley, Souix City, Iowa.

Youth Palomino Bred Hunter Under Saddle 18 & Under: Straittequilanight and Garrett Streit.

Youth Hunter Under Saddle 13 & Under: Zippos Gold Dandy and Mazie Bowen, Wilton, Alabama.

Novice Youth Hunter Under Saddle 18 & Under: Hoos The Boss and Kathryn Roehrs, Mead, Colorado.

Equitation

Youth Walk Trot Equitation 10-18: Seek The Deck and Elliana Roehrs, Mead, Colorado.

Youth Equitation 14-18: Queens Love Me and Marly Anne McElwee, Lexington, Oklahoma.

Youth Palomino Bred Equitation 18 & Under: Emeralds Envy and Kimber Bauer, Winnie, Texas.

Youth Equitation 13 & Under: Come On Susey and Dana Thomas.

Novice Youth Equitation 18 & Under: Queens Love Me and Marly Anne McElwee, Lexington, Oklahoma.

Road Hack

Youth Road Hack 14-18: Sonrise And Old Lace and Ellie Schley, Souix City, Iowa.

Youth Road Hack 13 & Under: Zippos Gold Dandy and Mazie Bowen, Wilton, Alabama.

Flag Race

Youth Flag Race 14-18: Sun Frost Corona and Daeleigh Faith Patridge, Fort Worth, Texas.

Barrel Racing 

Youth Barrels 13 & Under: How D My Valentine and Robert Culwell.

Youth Barrels 14-18: Frecklesfrosty Spark and Joy Nabors, Startville, Mississippi.

Palomino Bred Youth Barrels: Exquisite Courtney and Reagan Boswell, Dayton, Texas.

Poles

Youth Poles 13& Under: Famous N Fancy and Robert Culwell.

Youth Poles 14-18: Sonrise N Old Lace and Ellie Schley.

Stakes

Youth Stakes 13 & Under: How D My Valentine and Robert Culwell.

Youth Stakes 14-18: Pistolpackin Playboy and Clay Banter, Warren, Indiana.

Photos by Jeff Kirkbride, Corrine S. Borton and Courtney Ament