Merry Norton Sharp, who now calls Frisco, Texas home, is used to being a horse show mom and tending to her daughters, Abbie and Jaime. Sharp, who grew up in Chicago with family ties to the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls, now faces new and exciting challenges in the horse show arena.
Today, Merry lives for her daughters and her horses. Jaime shows Assets Agenda, the 2012 Congress Junior Hunter Under Saddle winner, in youth events. Merry competed in western pleasure three years ago on her first
“real” and still favorite pleasure horse, Let The Aces Ride. Recently, she started showing in the Novice and Select Amateur Western Pleasure with her new mount, Blazing Krymsun. “Piper” was purchased from Lara Yungclas in 2012 and the team made their show debut in December. Now, she
is back with more experience under her belt and ready to expand her
events to include the horsemanship and showmanship.
Blazing Krymsun is an eight year-old chestnut mare by One Hot Krymsun.
She was named Congress Champion in 2010 in Novice Amateur Western
Pleasure and has Top Five placings at the Congress and World Show in
Senior Western Pleasure. Merry, who along with her daughter, Jaime, are under the guidance of David Miller, Scott Jones and Reid Thomas of Showstring located in Boerne, Texas.
“Piper is an extremely willing horse,” Merry says. “She always works hard for me. If she is not sure what I am asking her, she will keep attempting until she figures it out. She is sweet on the ground, and our bond formed quickly. Before Showstring, she was at a different barn with two of my other horses. Her stall was the farthest of the three from the entrance, and I would stop at each horse’s stall to pet them as I came in. As soon as Piper heard my voice talking to one of the others, she would nicker to me.”
To say that Merry has had a fascinating life, would be an understatement. She grew up in downtown Chicago
where her father, Bert Edwin Norton was one of the founders of the
International Monetary Market (IMM) of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). Her mother, Carol “Mickey’ Norton is known as the first woman trader on the CME’s International Monetary Market trading floor, and is considered a pioneer for women in the male-dominated trading business.
was 16, and eventually became a floor trader myself for a few years.
The job had great hours, and we were done by 1:15 pm in the early
days–still time for the beach for a teen.”
When Merry was a young adult, her parents became a Limited Partner of the Chicago White Sox while her mother also became a Limited Partner of the Chicago
Bulls. “I went to most of the games for years, including the playoffs. When the Bulls won their first NBA Championship in 1991 against the Lakers, my sister, brother and I made it into the locker room for the post game celebration. I poured champagne on Scottie Pippen’s head. It was a great opportunity. I got to know a lot of famous athletes as a person, not just an icon.”
Merry is able to stay grounded despite the fun she has had in the past. “It’s a tough business, but
has afforded me these wonderful pleasures,” Merry states. “I have had
quite a life. I have traveled; met some fantastic people; had a
wonderful family of my own; and now I get to wear fancy clothes and ride
horses.”
As for daughters Jaime and Abbie, “They are big sports fans also. They finally made it to their first spring training this year. One of the first things we did when we moved to the Dallas area was go to a Rangers game. We have since seen the Mavericks and the Stars. No one has offered to take us to see the Cowboys yet!”
Living a life associated with professional sports is exciting, but Merry also loves showing. “I love the energy at horse shows…from the moment I first rode into the arena I was hooked,” Merry told GoHorseShow. “The personal challenge, the teamwork with your horse, even the frustrations of taking one wrong step, or thinking your ride was terrific and not placing well. Sharing the daily ups and downs with my daughter, Jaime, is a big plus. Showstring has a reputation for success, and I am excited to be working with this group.”
Merry adds, “My goals right now are to make each ride a little better
than the last, and to strengthen the connection Piper and I have.
Winning our first circuit championship would be good too!”
