06/09/2025
Sunday evening reflections on a wonderful show at Maple Ridge Equestrian Centre (MREC) this past week Such a rewarding trainer experience with all my great “kids”.
Working students Jordan Pinkney her horse 67 Malibu and Anja Taylor with Sally Warner‘s horse Tacori were both at their first horse show. It was so much fun to watch the learning curve from the first to the last day and to see how much these two horse rider combinations learned. Simone Reid on her new hunter mount (and very special) Benson Seven and Emily Potter on Marcelo Bravura for her well ridden and very successful sophomore show on her lovely newly acquired horse. These four girls were all absolute stars winning as many ribbons and championships as I can hardly count. The photo tells the story moving up heights, divisions, making all kinds of progress and setting themselves well prepared for their next horse show at Milner Downs in July.
With that success in mind, I strongly feel that it is our responsibility as trainers to support grassroot shows and venues like MREC, even with a small group of clients. These shows are professionally run, with a top class hunter ring, great jumper ring, good warm up ring and jumper ring footing, qualified judging, top notch course design, and great show management .
Yes it’s absolutely lovely to go to TBird but it’s these smaller shows that teach these riders how to get to those bigger venues and get the most out of them that they can for the extra money it cost for them to be there.
Thank you Nayda, Nicky, Phylis, Rita, Emma, and all the rest of the support team. You were all lovely to work with. 
And as always horse show moms RULE thank you Karen and Kirsti for all you do
Shirley and the Pemby crew