
Seeing a need for his expertise during the APHA World Show Open Pleasure Driving, Brian Isbell Garcia stepped up without being asked. By Delores Kuhlwein It’s easy for all the goodwill that happens at horse shows to get lost in the fray. However, a recent post by show mom Michelle Thode about her daughter, Christina, […]
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In an industry where longevity often defines success, Laura and Wade Spell have quietly and steadily built something far more meaningful than a resume. At Spell Show Horses in St. Louis, Missouri, the focus has never been solely on winning but on developing horses and horsemen in tandem. Over the past two decades, that philosophy has produced a long line of young prospects that do more than succeed in the show pen. They thrive in partnership with their Non-Pro riders.
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Every horse show parking lot, barn, tack room, or adjacent bar has one. The exhibitor who knows exactly why they lost.
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They say when you swing your leg over the horse of a lifetime you know it immediately, and that was undoubtedly the case for Isabella D’Onofrio and Whata Moonlite Ride. Bella had lost her all-around horse suddenly, and the odds of filling those shoes seemed slim.
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They’re now instantly recognizable: the feminine, sorrel mare with chrome ridden skillfully and lovingly by the beautiful trainer, Angie Cannizzaro, dressed in pink. The softness emulating from both creatures – gentle movement from Mya, Lookn Like Trouble, and quietness from her guide – create a remarkable picture of the ultimate pleasure horse. The industry sat […]
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There is a popular horse dad t-shirt that says, “Horse Dad: Scan for Payment.” It’s truly funny and sometimes it seems like dad just keeps opening his wallet, but the reality is that our horse show dads influence us and our love for all things equine. Sometimes they taught us to love the horse, […]
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By judge Bonnie Miller: This hat brings back a flood of memories! The year was 2002 and my longtime colleague and friend, Butch Carse, was managing the Tampa State Fairgrounds. Butch organized a USET / NRHA Reining event and hired me and Jack Dreschler to officiate the prestigious classes as the NRHA judges. Early in […]
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When it comes to Showmanship, the discipline has come a long way from its humble 4-H beginnings–when it was used to teach youth how to present an animal in-hand–to the complex dance we see between horse and exhibitor today. In fact, what was once thought of as a basic class has become one of the most technical of the all-around disciplines, with five maneuvers utilized in almost every pattern: the set-up, the walk, the trot, the back, and the turn.
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Homicide Hunter, the Fastest Trotter in the World, Transforms for the Hunt Seat at 2026 Pinto World Editor’s note: This story was first published in February 2026, and now that the 2026 Pinto World Show is in full swing, “Homi” has earned more than one world show buckle! Follow MMXX Standardbreds on Facebook to stay updated […]
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