2018 Dixie Nationals, Jackson, MS

We are home! Boy was it a good, COLD, tiresome, weekend in Jackson, Mississippi! Shelby, and the rest of Shaw Performance Horses, competed at the 2018 Dixie Nationals in Jackson all weekend. This was Shelby and Hershey's 2nd year in a row to go. They competed in the Youth Walk/Trot division.

Shelby and Hershey were in the following YA WT classes and their placings:
Showmanship: 2,2,2,1= 2nd
Youth Halter Mares: 6,3,4,5
Trail: OVERALL 1ST
Hunter Under Saddle: OVERALL 1ST
Equitation: OVERALL 1ST
MPHC Western Pleasure: 2,1,2,1= 1st
Western Pleasure: 2,1,1,1= 1st
Horsemanship: 1,2,1,1= 1st

Showmanship practice:
it's THAT COLD that the horses need their blankets on!

 Time for Trail!!

Bree LOVES Shelby. She was giving her sweet cuddles and loves the smell of Shelby's hair. haha

 DAY 2 started w/ English classes and ended w/ Western Pleasure and Horsemanship

Time to go warm-up for pleasure and horsemanship...and LITERALLY WARM UP!

 Even Champions have to earn their keep on this team. Shelby is never one to sit around and not be helping or cleaning the aisle or stalls or grooming someone's horse. She understands the value of THE ENTIRE showing experience and she's a tough little pistol! She will do as much as she physically can w/o anyone's help. Hershey always has a spotless stall and there's not a hair out of place on that mare. She's a great best friend and Hershey loves her dearly.

 And that's a wrap! This duo did FANTASTIC and worked SOOOO HARD!!
Shelby and Hershey won the YA WT High Point! This was also her 2nd year to be the YA WT Trail Champion!

Last year at Dixie Nationals 2017 when she had just won Trail

It's unreal to think we've had Hershey 2 years this Valentines Day, drove to Cypress, TX to "Look at" this mare w/ Alan and Linda and came home w/ her not knowing how this would go and now, look at all they've accomplished since then! They are best friends and both of them would do anything for each other. They have their spats, as any team/friendship does, but they have such a special and unique bond that they just click!
 Last year at Dixie Nationals they were the Champion in Youth Walk/Trot Trail, 3rd in 6 classes and Top 5 in all the rest classes, now they are the YA WT Hight Point, MULTIPLE champions for Congress, Pinto World, Top 10 at Paint World, Ft. Worth Stock Show champion & Top 5,  MPHC, etc.. the list goes on and on...Here we were "just going to do lessons once a week, no big shows, none of that.." and it amazes me that we get to care for and guide this wonderful child of God and His beautiful creature He created for Shelby! We can't wait to see what God has in store for this pair. We just pray He continues to give us the guidance and strength to encourage them and cheer them on as they succeed and blossom on this journey together.