After a rocky beginning to their show career, Marilyn Masterson and Nothin But Jazz are on the road to reaching their full potential. “Jazz”, a 2004 brown mare by Invitation Only and out of Sheiks Bodys Hot (by Zippos Sheik), was injured as a three year-old and had to take a few years off to heal. Two years ago, Marilyn and her husband Ken, decided to bring Jazz back up and start riding her again. She appeared to have recovered from her injuries, and after getting her back in shape, Marilyn started showing her again. Last year, this team was third at the Congress in the Non Pro Maturity and fourth in the Amateur Western Pleasure.
While Marilyn and Jazz started developing a name for themselves last year by placing in the Top five at the Congress, they are now looking like the team to beat. This past week, this duo won the first ever Hylton Non-Pro Maturity Limited Horse Western Pleasure class at the Little Futurity held in Raleigh, North Carolina. They received two firsts and a second which resulted in them winning the class over 18 other entries. They took home a purse of $10,240.
Marilyn’s biggest cheerleader, her husband, Ken, was very pleased with their performance. “I was so proud of them,” Ken said. “Jazz is always so consistent, loves to show, and enjoys her job. She is also a beautiful horse with great ring presence, and it also doesn’t hurt that she is a great mover.”
Marilyn credits her trainers, Shannon Curl and Brian Rastall, for helping she and Jazz reach their full potential. Marilyn and Jazz plan on showing at all the major futurities this year as well as the AQHA World Show in the Amateur Western Pleasure. Curl will also show Jazz in some of the maturity classes at the major shows across the country.
Marilyn said that she is very proud of her mare, and that she couldn’t have asked for her to do any better at the Little Futurity. “She was just wonderful, and she always tries to please and do her job,” she said. “Jazz is also very special because we raised her and she was out of my first ever show horse. It always makes it more special when you are able to do well on offspring that you have raised.”
GoHorseShow congratulates the Masterson’s on all their success and hope to see Marilyn and Jazz in the winner’s circle again in the very near future.
Masterson Farms is one of the most picturesque farms in the country. Ken and Marilyn stand RL Best of Sudden, Zippos Sheik and Last Detail at the farm in located in Somerville, Tennessee (near Memphis).
To find out more about their farm and their stallions, please visit their website at www.mastersonfarms.com.
