As equestrians, it’s easy to focus on the common factor that unites us—the equine stars of our industry. After all, horses are the reason we do what we do. Their power, beauty, and grace are what first led us to the sport we love. It’s thrilling to watch a talented young horse rise to fame, and to then follow their careers and perhaps offspring.
But, what about the people behind the great horses— the riders, trainers and breeders responsible for nurturing the success of AQHA’s top equine athletes? They, also, have a story. Though their rise to fame and success may have taken years longer than that of the horses they’ve ridden to glory, each holds a passion for horses and at a pivotal point made a decision to dedicate their life to the industry.
With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, we talked to mothers of famous riders and trainers about what their daughters were like growing up and how they helped shape their desire to remain involved in the industry. In Part 1, we start with Kristen Galyean’s mother, Debbie Glover and Janet Gunn, mother to Caroline (Gunn) Rogers and her older sister, Jessica (Gunn) Gilliam.
Kristen Galyean
Kristen Glover Galyean is a young, talented competitor who has made a name for herself both as an 
amateur exhibitor and the owner and breeder. She currently stands two prominent AQHA stallions, VS Flatline and VS Code Red, both out of her beloved mare, 13-time AQHA World Champion, Vital Signs Are Good. She was also recently inducted into the NCHA Hall of Fame. Kristen’s mother Debbie Glover began in the horse world as a teenager. “I had a buckskin gelding that I’d take to do play days and compete with in barrels. When Kristen was four, Santa brought her first horse—a pinto named, Apache.”
As with most horse crazy kids, it didn’t take long for Debbie to realize that this was more than a pastime for her daughter. She says, “I got a pretty good new horse that she started showing at open shows with me. Once she began doing well, we realized she was very talented. At the time we lived in Oklahoma City and I knew who Jackie Krshka was. Kristen started taking lessons with Jackie at age eleven and that sam
e year, we bought The Mega Step. At her first Congress, she won the 11 & Under Equitation. (Pictured here.) She’d had the horse two months.”
Perhaps all who succeed at the highest levels of their sport possess an inner drive which propels them to greatness. Glover says such drive was evident in her daughter from a young age. “She has always been obsessed with perfection and would watch videos to critique her own riding, especially the Congress videos. There were a few she watched so many times that she literally wore them out.”
Her mother insists that though she and her husband Jim stressed to Kristen that the harder she worked the more successful she would become. They didn’t know with certainty that Kristen would dedicate her life to horses until a very special mare came into her life. “When Kristen was in her first year of college we decided to sell her current mount, Lopin Leaguer, who she’d done very well with. It was during that time between horses that Jim heard about Lucy, better known as Vital Signs Are Good. We bought her at the AQHA World Show and then Lucy changed everything.”
Galyean went on to storied success with “the roan mare.” According to Glover the industry shaped the woman her daughter became. “The competitiveness she’s developed has made her both confident and gracious, but she never let the wins go to her head. Every year at the Congress, she loves talking to young girls about horses.”
Glover says that all of the time spent together at horse shows are cherished memories and that her daughter’s appreciation made it all worth it. The family’s most memorable moment came with Galyean’s first world show win in 2003 when she was crowned AQHA World Champion in Amateur Western Pleasure. “It was a great day when she won her first world championship with Lucy. She wore an outfit with an eagle on the back of the jacket. I will always remember that moment.”
Lucy went on to produce two stallions that Galyean owns and shows — VS Code Red (pictured here) and VS Flatline. Both stand at Highpoint Performance Horses in Pilot Point, Texas.
Looking back over their family’s success in the industry, Glover says, “We have been so blessed by all of the great horses in our life, but it all started with Lucy. Kristen misses her every day.”
The Gunn Sisters
Janet Gunn whose daughters Jessica (Gunn) Gilliam and Caroline (Gunn) Rogers competed successfully at the highest levels of the AQHYA says that a love for horses was not necessarily in their lineage. “Our life has always been about farming and cattle. Steve and I met and fell in love showing cattle at the Indiana State Fair. Our older two children showed Angus cattle, and it was disconcerting at the time that Jessica’s heart went in a different direction, toward her love of horses which was soon followed by her little sister, Caroline who is five years younger. We had no idea what this all meant at the time and didn’t realize the impact it would have on both of them and their future.”
That future involved many wins, high points, honor rolls and world titles along with a lifetime of treasured memories. Gunn says it didn’t take long to realize the girls were more serious about horses than cattle. “Jessica asked for a pony at age five. We caved when she was seven.”
As any horse show mom can attest, what begins with a pony often leads to a horse and a step in the door of the horse industry. “At age ten when Jessica was ready for 4-H, we purchased a little ten year-old AQHA gelding, Calypso Kid or PeeWee. He was the perfect first horse, subsequently shown by Caroline and is still living here on the farm at age 33. From there began the journey of the girls’ show careers and we never looked back.”
Early in their show career, Gunn says their farrier offered a bit of sage advice, “Dan Froedge has shod our horses for the last twenty-plus years. Many years ago he told me, ‘Some people like to show horses to build character. I’d just as soon win along with it. Costs the same to feed a good horse as a plug.’” Perhaps his wisdom was influential in the stellar string of horses the girls have shown through their 
careers, from Sleepy Cloverdale, to Dont Skip Ms Hotrod, Chips Time Machine, and Design By Leaguer, along with many others.
Gunn believes that much of her daughters’ success within the industry grew from their strong grounding in Christian values along with giving the girls full responsibility for their horses. “The horses, like many hobbies taken to heart, are too much work and too expensive if everyone is not having fun. The tasks associated with caring for and showing horses fell primarily to Jessica and Caroline. I often say my role was to drive and pay. As parents, we tried to provide opportunities for each of the girls to grow their leadership, talent and life skills within the framework of the industry provided by IQHYA, AQHYA and AQHA.”
According to Gunn, building character and instilling the girls with values and attributes that would 
last a lifetime were important aspects of showing. Many of those early qualities that blossomed in them through showing are still apparent today.
“Jessica has always been able to stick to a challenge as long as it took to solve it. As a child, she was very shy so showing horses allowed her to develop social skills she now uses on a daily basis. Caroline was always more social, able to talk to anyone about anything. She always had ice in her veins when it came to competing. Both girls have always had lots of common sense in making and executing a plan, whether it be at the horse show, in academics, or now in their professional lives.”
When asked what the industry has taught both Jessica and Caroline, Janet Gunn shared a list of weekly goals that she says carried over from the show pen to life.
- Phillipians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
- Appreciate.
- Finish what you begin.
- The only acceptable response is “Yes ma’am” or “I’ll try’”.
- Every detail matters.
- Smile no matter the outcome. Tears are saved for later in the trailer.
- Be the clear winner. (This resulted from a series of losing the tiebreakers at major events. As opposed to whining that life ‘was not fair’, we encouraged Jessica and Caroline to step up to a higher degree of excellence.)
- Someone is always watching. Be a good example.
It’s probably safe to assume that every horse show mom would agree that though wins and titles are wonderful and the dream that keeps them on the road and supporting their children, it’s the time spent together as a family that truly mark their years in the horse industry.
Gunn echoes this sentiment saying, “Over the years of being on the road with the girls, I would be asked how I could give up my life to drive them around the country? My response was that had the girls been involved in traditional team sports, they would have gotten on the bus with their coaches and team to head to events. I had the blessing of 30-50,000 miles a year together in the truck. How better to create a captive audience with our children? The memories we have built are priceless.”
Stay tuned Sunday for Part 2 of our homage to the Horse Show Mother which will feature Deanna Searles’ mother, Barbara Liska and Dakota Diamond Griffith’s mother, Leigh Ann Griffith.
Photos © Impulse Photography, Bar H Photography, Jeff Kirkbride, Harold Campton, the Gunn family, GoHorseShow.com
