Imagine if the Big Bang Theory character Sheldon were a horse. That’s what Kentucky trainer Josh Faulkner says Mr Freeze is like.

“He’s just goofy and always keeps you guessing,” Faulkner said.

But the 2015 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) bay gelding by Batt Man and out of Only A Summer Breeze that Faulkner suggested for his clients, the Leavell family, is also a very reliable show horse with tons of self-carriage, Faulkner said, which makes him just the right fit.

Shane and Darla Leavell have been involved in the show horse industry for decades now and have competed with numerous successful show horses like Rocked N Red, Bet N On A Dream, I Like Itin The Light and An Impulsive Thing. In 2018 they hired Josh Faulkner as head trainer at their Leavell Farms in Simpsonville, Kentucky.

In addition to marketing their horses and getting 2-year-olds they raised started under saddle, Faulkner also coaches Shane and Darla’s two young sons,  Alexander, 13, and Liam, 11.

In October at the Quarter Horse Congress, Faulkner was on the hunt for a new horse that Alexander could show in Youth Western Pleasure classes but that was talented enough for Faulkner to show in open events.

That’s when Mr Freeze, bred by Lee and Brenda Looney, got on his radar. Texas trainer Andy Cochran’s son, Aiden, had been showing him with great success. Together they were Reserve Champions in 13 & Under Youth Western Pleasure at the AQHA Youth World Show Reserve Champions in Youth Western Pleasure at the National Snaffle Bit Association’s World Championship Show and Reserve Congress Champion in Youth Western Pleasure 12-14.

“Kelby Hutchinson mentioned to me that Mr Freeze was going to be for sale,” Faulkner said. “I went over and talked to Andy, rode Sheldon and then called Shane and Darla to tell them I thought we should vet him before it became public knowledge that he was for sale.”

Faulkner said he thought Mr Freeze would work for the Leavells because he is not extremely complicated to ride and he always seemed honest in the show pen.

“Aiden and Alexander are similar in age so I knew he could be shown by a youth competitor,” he explained.

Faulkner got of to a great start with Mr Freeze in March by winning a Circuit Championship in Senior Western Pleasure at the Celebration Circuit in Harriman, Tennessee. They won circuit championships in Senior Western Pleasure in their next two outings and are now qualified for the AQHA World Show. Alexander also placed 12th in Western  Pleasure at the AQHA Level 1 East Championship Show out of 48 entries.

“Mr Freeze was already a successful show horse so he fit into my program easily,” Faulkner said. “If he likes you he will give you 110%. He tries pretty hard no matter what. He’s a strong loper with a great topline.”

Next up for Mr Freeze is the Back To Berrien Futurity in Michigan where Faulkner will show him in the Limited Open Western Pleasure Maturity while Shane competes in Non-Pro Maturity and Alexander will ride in Youth Western Pleasure. After that, it’s off to shows in Tennessee and then the NSBA World Show and the Quarter Horse Congress.

“The Leavells are really good people,” Faulkner said. “They are extremely fair and understanding.”

He is especially excited about Alexander’s future with Mr Freeze.

“He starting to turn into a really great sponge and trying hard to fix things he hasn’t quite mastered yet,” he explained. “He is an excellent listener.”

Shane is also excited to get back into the show pen on Mr Freeze and is enjoying learning all about him.

“He’s a great horse,” he said. “He’s great minded and super talented. We are just working out our legs and cadence. I feel like we are better every time out.”

He also finds it beneficial to share a horse with Alexander when trying to explain things to his son.

“It’s helpful to know what he’s feeling as he goes around,” he explained.

Mr Freeze is not the only horse the Leavells are campaigning this year.

Darla is showing Rocked N Red, a 2009 sorrel gelding by HH Redrock and out of An Invitation ToCruz, in Level 2 and Level 3 Amateur Western Pleasure and in Level 1 Amateur Horsemanship. Liam is showing him in Level 1 and 13 & Under Youth Western Pleasure.

About Leavell Farm

Darla and her husband, Shane met as children growing up in northern Indiana. Both were involved with horses. Darla started riding lessons at a local boarding barn, where they did Saddle Seat on Arabians and National Show Horses. Shane showed Quarter Horses under the guidance of Rick Novak. They took a break to attend college and get their careers started. Twenty-two years ago, after completing college, Shane and Darla married and moved to Louisville to pursue their careers. Darla is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Ball State University, in Indiana, in 2001 and a Master of Science degree in Nursing from Murray (Kentucky) State University in 2005.

“I provided anesthesia for a large academic medical center/ trauma hospital for almost a decade, then served America’s heroes at our local Veterans Affairs Hospital,” Darla said. “Now I work closer to our farm at a regional medical center. I love my job.”

Shane graduated from Oklahoma Horseshoeing School in 1992 and Purdue University in 2000 with a degree in Agricultural Economics.

When they married, Shane was a farrier but slowly phased that business out to become a partner in R.L. Craig Company, Inc., a company that provides HVAC and ventilation equipment into the commercial, industrial and agricultural sector. In 2013, Darla and Shane’s childhood passion for horses led them to Simpsonville, Kentucky, where they started building Leavell Farms on 32 acres. Little by little the facility has expanded to include a 21 stall barn, a 80-by-150-foot indoor arena, a 125-by-225-foot outdoor arena, a five-horse euro-walker and four paddocks with run-in sheds.

The Leavells built an impressive breeding program with marepower like AQHA all-time leading producer Vitalism (the dam of Vital Signs Are Good), A Fancy Impulse, Moonlight Made Over and Zips Splash Of Gold, as its foundation. They bred Dancin In The Moonlite, Reserve Coughlin Limited Open 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure Champion; The Roan Show, top three in Longe Line at the Tom Powers Futurity; and Pageant Material, top 10 in the  Congress Western Longe Line.

The addition of Faulkner has allowed the Leavell family to focus on their own show careers.

“Josh has been here almost five years,” Shane Leavell said. “He is like family. We get along well and he has become excellent at prepping the horses to ride well for our family.”

And family is important to Shane and Darla. In addition to their involvement with the horses and time spent on the farm, they enjoy boating and all sorts of watersports and Shane is the basketball coach for the schools middle school team.

Even their own goals in the show pen center around their family. Darla is sharing Rocked N Red with Liam while Shane and Alexander are riding Mr Freeze.

“I want to be competitive as a Level 2 exhibitor nationally and make Sheldon go around to the best of his ability,” Shane said. “But more importantly, I want Alexander and I to become better riders.”