We are excited to announce that Susan Juroe of Longmont, Colorado has purchased AQHA World, NSBA World and Congress Champion, Lope With Grace (Ellie) from Halle Saywell Baldwin of Boerne, Texas.
“She is so big and striking!” says her new owner, Susan Juroe about Ellie. “Being 5’ 9” myself, we were on the lookout for a big pleasure horse since that is one of my favorite classes. It was a lot to ask First N Line (Kenny) who is a four-time Congress Champion in the western pleasure, trail, horsemanship and western riding to also keep doing the western pleasure.”
Under the supervision of Aaron Moses Show Horses and Gillespie Show Horses, this gorgeous bay three-year-old mare will stay with Moses indefinitely and then will eventually move to Gillespie’s to start her all-around career.
Baldwin bred her outstanding show mare, Gifted Invitation, with Lazy Loper and the result appears to be a perfect cross in size, looks and movement. Ellie’s dam has amassed over $71,826.81 in NSBA earnings and placed in the Top 5 at the AQHA World Show in the Two-Year-Old, Amateur and Junior Western Pleasure.
Following in her talented mother’s footsteps, last year, Ellie won two of the most prestigious classes in the industry – the Coughlin Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure Class at the Congress as well as the AQHA World Show in the Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure with Moses. “Ellie was so big, pretty and strong when she was younger, she demanded your attention,” Baldwin recalls. “She also knows when it’s showtime and loves her job. I am so excited for Susan to continue her show career, and I will be her biggest cheerleader. She couldn’t have gone to a better home.”
This year, Ellie has been racking up wins left and right from the NSBA Rider’s Cup in Arizona, the Tom Powers, Nebraska and Monday, won the NSBA World Championship in a salty Three-Year-Old Open Non-Pro Western Pleasure Class with Halle.
GoHorseShow spoke with Halle after her big win in Tulsa. “She just tries so hard and has the biggest heart,” Baldwin shares, who got choked up from the realization that Ellie was no longer hers. “I’d like to thank everyone for their support including Aaron who has such an incredible work ethic and is so patient. He does whatever he can to make it work.”
Since Juroe shows on both the AQHA and APHA circuit, the Gillespie’s and Moses thought this mare would be an excellent match for Susan after Ellie was able to get double registered (AQHA/APHA).
Tim Gillespie says, “We have been working with Aaron Moses a lot to develop some futurity horses and while we were at his place, I fell in love with Ellie the more I watched her. She is so modern and great minded. I thought this could be the right fit for Susan.”
Gillespie adds, “Aaron told me that Susan (pictured left) would have to ride her to see if it was a good fit. So on a 104-degree day in Texas, we rode her…and they clicked.”
According to Tim, the other exciting element is that Susan’s passion has been showing and breeding APHA, so with Ellie having her APHA papers, she is very excited for her to go to the 2018 APHA World Show. Shannon Gillespie was the quiet force behind the selection of Ellie. Every horse that the Gillespies and Aaron Moses evaluated kept coming back to Ellie.
“She had been a favorite of mine since I first saw her last summer as a two-year-old. When I tried her out, I loved her immediately. She is a stunning western pleasure horse, but she also has a huge all-around career in her future,” Gillespie says. “She is so talented and willing; I was able to change leads, lope over poles and even play with some hunter under saddle without her blinking an eye. Her mind is just as great as her physical talent, which is important for Susan and for adding events in the future.”
Until then, Ellie will be staying with Moses Show Horses for the foreseeable future as she finishes up her three-year-old year and winter circuits and prepares to show her at the Select World in 2019. Best of luck to this amazing new team in the future!
Photos © Courtsey Promotions, GoHorseShow, Terri Cage Photography
