Setting the Bar for her First QH Congress: Sharon Conway and CR Hershey Bar
Sharon Conway and CR Hershey Bar (by VS Code Red and out of Shes A Hershey Bar) have graced our pages many times, each win even more special as “Milton” is a horse Sharon raised.
Friday at Arizona Fall Championship, the duo won the circuit in Select Showmanship! It’s a class Sharon admits is a lot of work, and one she must work out for to stay on her best game.
Hear what she has to say about Milton as she prepares to head to her very first Congress, and what the coaches at McDowall Quarter Horses Inc contribute to complete their teamwork:
Q: What have you learned since we last visited about your success with Milton?
A: I would say I’ve just kind of learned just to be a better show partner. We show in a lot of different events, and we just go out there and try our best in that event. And sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve learned not to stress too much if it doesn’t, just fix it and keep going forward. So I’ve kind of relaxed about being perfect in each class. Even in my head if I think, okay, that’s not so great, I know I have to do better in my next pattern, or just pieces of the next pattern. Versus in the past, I would have been just like, oh, I’m gonna school. Now I think, okay, that wasn’t great. So your next Your next obstacle better be better. So make up your points.
Q: What are your strengths or what did you feel that went well for you here in Showmanship?
A: Well, showmanship’s hard. I worried keeping my horse fresh, which is hard here, just because it’s so hot. But I really am starting to try to think about me more also, and not just think about the horse. So I think that I did good, just kind of focusing on me. I’m also getting ready to go to the Congress for the first time. I’ve sent horses before, but I’ve never gone because it’s so close to the world show.
Q: Is there anything that Kelly says to you? I know I asked you when we interviewed you in the past, and you said what a great coach he is. Are there any words he says that are always in your head when you’re doing the event like doing the showmanship?
A: “Look up,” but it’s not always in my head! I want to thank both Kelly and Olivia Beragen, who helps me, too, as the coach for showmanship. I would say I do try to stand up more now and just concentrate on me versus just my horse.
It’s a really hard event; the running is tough. I have to work out all the time so that I can run, and I have horses at home, so they all know showmanship. So they practice running when they come in and out of the pens. I have a full sibling to Milton at home, and she gets to practice with me all the time. I just make sure I practice running in the dirt, sometimes in boots, but mostly in tennis shoes. I wish we could show in tennis shoes, jeans, and a tank top!
