During the Congress this past October, Nancy Sue Ryan was involved in a riding accident, resulting in a displacement and fracture of her proximal tibia. Ryan had surgery and was in a rehab facility for several weeks.
“I haven’t been able to put any weight on my leg yet or walk,” Ryan said. “I go back for a check-up on December 19th. The healing process is going well. My knee is fine. We are working on my foot and that’s doing better.”
The warm-up pens at major shows like the All-American Quarter Horse Congress are usually busy and have many horses. Ryan mentioned how the incident was an accident and that these things happen.
“It was just a total accident on everyone’s part,” Ryan said. “It would probably be nice for everyone to go the same direction. Half of us are going one way, and the other half are going the other way. I saw the horse coming, and I said watch out, but at that time, it was too late. I just got hit, that’s all there was to it.”
Despite the accident, Ryan had a great Congress. She owns the three-year-old brown stallion, Good Better Best aka Mag, who is by Good I Will Be and out of Luke Whoo. This talented stallion came home with the title of Congress Champion Three-Year-Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle and Reserve Congress Champion Three-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle. Ryan intended to show her stallion in the open, but due to her injury, her daughter, Courtney Brockmueller, ended up in the irons for both the non-pro and open class.
“Of course, I wanted to have the opportunity to show him in the open, but Courtney did great,” Ryan said. “Everyone that filled in did a great job for me. I was fortunate that Ohio and AQHA allowed us to substitute riders. I knew she could do it and pull it off.”
The Congress was only the second time for the stallion to be shown. Mag missed his two-year-old year due to an injury and had only been in training four months before the show.
“He got hurt in a stall accident and had his whole two-year-old year off. He was ridden about eight days in February of this year, and then I took him to breed a couple of mares until June. He has about a dozen babies coming next year. He didn’t get started or ridden at all until the first of July. He had been shown one time before the Congress just to get his ROM. Courtney said he showed his greenness in the center of the arena. He was more nervous when everyone was standing still. He had never really experienced that.”
Mag is known around the farm as a gentle giant and loves all the attention he can get. Ryan especially enjoys his mindset and how easy going he is. They hope to continue his show career but haven’t made a final decision yet.
“His barn name is Mag. His sire, Good I Will Be, uses themes for barn names each year for their offspring. The year he was born the theme was trees, so it’s Magnolia, but we call him Mag. Once you’re around him, he will endear himself to you. He is a very kind stallion. He is gentle and not nippy. He’s just quiet. You don’t realize he is a stallion until he needs to be.”
Mag has impressive bloodlines on both the top and bottom of his pedigree.
“In her lifetime, his grandmother sent six horses to the Congress,” Ryan said. “Three were champions, two were reserve, and one was top five. The dam’s side is incredible. Everyone, of course, knows his sire, Good I Will Be.”
When asked about her favorite part of his movement, Ryan immediately described his canter.
“He could do it all day. Mag is a blast to ride. His ears are always up and he locks his neck in position. Everything about him is natural. He has a soft mouth and he’s just a good horse.”
Ryan is excited about the upcoming show year and the prospects she has lined up. She is hoping for a fast recovery and ready to get back in the saddle.
“I have two nice coming two-year-olds,” Ryan said. “I’m looking forward to training them. I just have to be able to ride first. We are hoping to make the Sun Country Circuit.”
Good Better Best will be available for breeding this 2018 season. Ryan recently finished up the details and is offering a special promotion.
Mag is standing at EE Ranches in Whitesboro, Texas. His stud fee is currently $1,500 with special considerations given to World/Congress Champion mares and producers. If booked and fees paid for before February 1, 2018, the stud fee will be $1,150.
We wish Nancy Sue Ryan the best of luck during the rest of her recovery and are excited to see the first round of Good Better Best babies this spring.
CLICK HERE to view his ad in the December issue of GoMag
About the Author: GoHorseShow writer, Courtney Hall is a graduate student at Missouri State University. She is obtaining a Master’s Degree in Agriculture with research in Agricultural Communications. She started showing the APHA & AQHA all around circuit as a youth and continues today as an amateur.
