Around the Rings – 2025 ShoMe Summer ShoStopper

Some say open horse shows are becoming a thing of the past – a dwindling piece of nostalgia for horse lovers.

Then you have Michigan-based ShoMe Horse Shows, an open, all-breed circuit built around doing things differently, and just for fun. Kurtis and Liz Gear, who own and operate ShoMe Horse Shows, have taken that assumption about open shows and turned it on its head, producing a series so popular, the stalls sell out in minutes.

“All our shows have a different theme and outside-the-box classes,” says Liz, who just finished up the latest show, the ShoMe Summer ShoStopper, at Midland County Fairgrounds in Midland, Michigan, July 18-20, 2025, with judges Brent Harnish, Dawn Kreakie, Kristin Fouty, and Lora Hicks-Thorsby.

The motto of this July event is “A Show Like No Other,” and it’s no exaggeration; their sweepstakes classes, for example, are offered with a twist. “Our Blind Showmanship, Horsemanship, Equitation, and Pairs Pleasure classes (in which two exhibitors show the same horse, swapping midway through the class) continued to be our most popular events with 20+ entries in several of the Walk Trot Canter classes,” says Liz.

Their new special event this year was Frozen T-shirt Race!  “Participants raced to put on a folded and frozen t-shirt!” explains Liz.

Winners were as follows:

8 & Under: Gemma Bontrager & Austin Gear

9-12: Claire Fabus

13 & Up: Ethan Jones

 

 

Thank you to KRC Photography for another amazing gallery of candid photos from the show! Keep scrolling for more, and view arena photos on the website: KRC Photography

 

 

---

Shome ShoStopper High Points

Ranch Horse

Grand: Aliyah Kuizenga

Reserve: Hannah Hoffman

Finalist: Alyssa Woern

 

Non-Stock

Grand: Makaya Zimmerman

Reserve: Ruth Deters

Finalist: Kadence Jennett

 

Select Senior

Grand: Diana Stewart

Reserve: Kerry Bialik

Finalist: Dawson Payton

 

Green Rider 19 & Over

Grand: Sarah Weisenberger

Reserve: Madison Amy

Finalist: Kimberly Ureche

 

Green Rider 11-18

Grand: Ellie Closurdo

Reserve: Payton Anema

Finalist: Emmersyn Potts

 

Green Rider 10 & Under

Grand: Raelynne Kazen

Reserve: Macy Skalla

Finalist: Gemma Bontrager

 

Green Horse

Grand: Brooklyn Miller

Reserve: Sue Frank

Finalist: Ashlee Mullins

 

Junior Horse

Grand: Christina DeSota

Reserve: Jill Koss

Finalist: Jeanne Hugo

 

Stock Horse 30 & Over

Grand: Erin Poll-Tanis

Reserve: Kim Swisher

Finalist: Caitlin Gordon

 

Stock Horse 19-29

Grand: Ethan Jones

Reserve: Olivia Hill

Finalist: Peighton Scott

 

Stock Horse 16-18

Grand: Hailey Smith

Reserve: Jenna Morse

Finalist: Brylynn Balon

 

Stock Horse 13-15

Grand: Audra Mauer

Reserve: Ivy Bontrager

Finalist: Madison Schneider

 

Stock Horse 12 & Under

Grand: Anabelle Bontrager

Reserve: Claire Fabus

Finalist: Ava Acker

 

 

Class results: 

CLASS RESULTS

 

 

Learn more about the show series:  HOME