If you ask Shawn Johnson how she became involved in showing horses, she will chuckle and tell you that she never really had a choice in the matter. Shawn’s parents, Francis and Delores Schanen had horses long before Shawn was born. As soon as they married Shawn’s parents bought property in Grafton, Wisconsin where they […]
Talk to people who know amateur competitor Taylor Kungle and you will hear a lot about how competitive she is. They will tell you she owns several nice show horses and she really enjoys trying new events. But what a lot of people don’t know about Taylor is that what really motivates her – her […]
The National Snaffle Bit Association has announced the appointment of Stephanie Lynn as executive director effective Jan. 1. Dianne Eppers, who has been employed by NSBA since 2005 and served as Executive Director for over a decade, will move to the position of senior advisor. “Since its inception, NSBA has been a part of my […]
It’s been said that a goal without a plan is just a wish. Iowa professional trainer Denton DeBuhr must have heard that along his way because it’s the first two things he wants to discuss with his clients. “I like to let the horse tell me what they are ready for,” he explained. “I try […]
AQHA stallion Winnies Willy was humanely euthanized today due to ongoing issues with laminitis, according to stallion manager Debbi Trubee. The 2004 by stallion by Willy Be Invited and out of the great producing mare Winnie The Tiger. He was purchased as a 2-year-old by Deborah Cook and shown by Trubee to a Superior in […]
A tiny miniature pony Blakely Abbott received as a Christmas gift from her grandfather when she was just 4 years old sparked the Georgia youth competitor’s passion for showing horses, even though there were a few detours along the way. Bakely first expressed an interest in showing horses in 2013 but ultimately opted to pursue […]
To 46-year-old Donnie Recchiuti, of Heath, Ohio, watching horses that he started, trained and exhibited still in the show arena competing and winning at the industry’s biggest events, is all the reward he needs. “I always feel a sense of achievement because it’s a testament to the foundation they were given and the hands they […]
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 […]
Horse crazy starts at a young age for most little girls and it was no different for Edmond, Oklahoma native Shelly Presley. The only difference was she found her passion drawing the animal she loved so dearly. “I grew up showing horses in 4-H with my sisters as a child,” she said. “I pretty much […]
In the horse industry, there are very few trainer-client relationships that have been able to stand the test of time quite as well as the one Missouri trainer Jon Barry enjoys with Dana Hunt Smith’s family. Over the course of 30-plus years, there have been plenty of challenges. There has been tragedy. There has been […]
Situated squarely between Memphis and Nashville just off Tennessee’s “Heart of the Music Highway” in Jackson is a 101-acre horse farm, where Lee and Dr. Brenda Looney are making all their dreams come true. With a solid base of the highest quality broodmares they could assemble – including Quarter Horse Congress and National Snaffle Bit […]
When you have a horse with as big a personality as The Rocknroll Cowboy (Bennett), you can’t help but enjoy the shows. After selling his previous show horse, 38-year-old Adam Parks, of Washington, D.C., took his time finding a replacement. There were countless hours spent watching videos on Facebook and YouTube, and visits to farms […]
