Amateur Shelby Ratliff of Lewisville, Texas was a woman on a mission at the 2014 Congress. She came, conquered, and then left the Congress at lightning speed on Thursday afternoon. We were able to track her down for a quick interview at the Congress just before she raced to catch her flight back home due to school commitments.
Just a few days ago, Ratliff, who has ridden with Charlie Cole and Jason Martin of Highpoint Performance Horses since she was seven years old, bought multiple Congress Champion Willy Has Potential. Like any girl who just bought a horse would do, she decided she wanted to show him at the Congress a few days later. Shelby rode him for the first time on Wednesday night and instantly fell in love. What is unbelievable is that in their debut the very next day in the Amateur Hunter Under Saddle, they had three firsts and a third in the class beating 63 other competitors.
“I love his trot and his canter,” Ratliff states, who won an AQHYA World Championship in the hunter under saddle with her horse, A Big Secret in 2008. “He shows perfectly so I thought I would do okay. There were a ton of great horses in that class, so when it came down to it I was so shocked that I had won. I plan on doing amateur events on him like the hunter under saddle and maybe the western riding.”
Just a few days before, Beth Case and Willy won the NSBA Maturity Open Hunter Under Saddle Stakes. “I thought Shelby and Willy would do great,” Beth remarked. “He’s a really easy horse to show and she’s a really good rider. I like every thing about Willy–he trots great; he canters great; he’s great minded; and he shows even better than he warms up.”
The 2009 bay gelding is by the late Good I Will Be and was purchased by Highpoint at the Rita Crundwell Sale in September in 2012. He was then sold to Emily Schexnayder Miller who kept him at Highpoint. The two enjoyed much success together.
In 2013, Willy was the NSBA World Champions in the Junior Hunter Under Saddle, Novice Amateur Hunter Under Saddle, BCF 4-6 Yr Old Open Hunter Under Saddle and Non Pro Limited Hunter Under Saddle Maturity Champion. Willy was also Top 10 in the Junior Hunter Under Saddle at the World Show, Congress Champion Novice Amateur Hunter Under Saddle and Limited Non Pro Maturity, Reserve Congress Champion in the Junior Hunter Under Saddle, and Reserve Congress Champion Maturity Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle Stakes. Miller had decided to offer him for sale due to her growing family.
Shelby says that she would like to thank Highpoint, Charlie Cole, Jason Martin, Beth Case, Myles McLean-Foss and Brad Ost for making all of this happen and for Emily Schexnayder Miller for giving her the opportunity to own Willy. Last but not least, her dad for encouraging her all the way.
Click here to see Willy’s ad in the October issue of GoMag
