She was born and raised in Fort Myers Fl and still lives there. She has been riding and showing basically since she was born. She won her first walk/trot class at 3 years old and hasn't looked back since. She grew up showing western pleasure, huntseat and halter horses in AQHA, PBHA and APHA local circuits and 4H. She trained and rode those type of event horses & ponies until she was 8 or 9 then moved on to a 2yr old palomino off the track her Dad brought home. That horse become one of the nicest huntseat horse in the state of Florida winning so much when they pulled up others wouldn’t even enter anymore against them. Then one day she decided she wanted to rodeo so all of her pleasure and huntseat horses where turned into barrel, poles, goat and rope horses. She did Jr and High School Rodeo making it to the Finals and her senior year she won the Jr World in breakaway roping. Then it was off to college where she spent 2 years at Mcneese and 2 years at the University of Tennessee. By then she was homesick and decided to come home. She began giving lessons and making youth horses that where safe and winners.
Her most memorable wins were the year she won the Jr World Breakaway on an Appaloosa and winning the 2D in Perry, GA on her Jet of Honor horse, Purdy, 2 years in a row. She has always wished she had 10 more in the barn like him. She has a few brothers and sisters coming up. She says, "He is the most honest and consistent and easiest horse I have ever owned he is a true pleasure in my life." Now she gives lessons daily to the youth in her area and her kids have done very well in and out of the arena. She also competes and trains horses still and hopes to keep a couple coming along every year so her little girl will have plenty of superstars to chose from. Shelly likes her horses must do multiple events or disciplines. If she wants to go barrel racing they go or if they want to rope they rope, team pen or ranch sort they do it all. Shelly feels it keeps their mind settled and makes them love their job even more.
Before her horses even see a barrel she wants them broke as her Dad who is old school would say, PINKIE BROKE! They must have a handle and you should be able to place a horse anywhere you want them. They feel most horses that are that broke will just turn naturally because they have the basics, then all they have to learn is their style and usually it all goes pretty smoothly for Shelly. If it doesn’t she will go right "back to basics" and fix it.
Shelly likes to ride Jet of Honors and cow bred with run mixed in. She likes to have good minded horses make her and their jobs easier. As far as how she approaches the barrel training she feels it depends on the horse she is riding. She says, all horses, big or small have their own style and where they like to go. She feels after you ride them awhile you begin to "feel" where they need to go. She says, "That is the hardest thing to teach someone, that you have to feel your horse, to be one with them. This is why horsemanship is so important."
As far as conditioning goes Shelly says, "That depends on the horses needs but once they learn the barrels they usually don’t need to be worked unless there something you need to correct but then again you go back to the feel again. You should always keep you horse conditioned so you minimize the injuries or soreness they can get from being such an athlete."
Shelly's feed and care routine schedule is simple: pellets, good hay & dentist once a year, vaccines, de-worming, an excellent farrier and Adequan shots, as well as lots of turn out time. She likes to keep it as simple as possible.
The most common mistake Shelly sees is the "one horse wonders" get followers and they don’t really teach horsemanship and sportsmanship. She doesn't like the trainers that teach rush. jerk. snatch. and excuses on why they are not still winning. Everyone gets there chance to win sometime or another. If you don’t win go home, practice harder, your turn will come around with proper horsemanship and a positve attitude.
If you are new to the sport of barrel racing Shelly suggest you look to someone that has been in it awhile and has a reputable name. Take a couple lessons. She also feels you would be surprised how much you can learn from just sitting and watching.
Shelly has been in just about every association that has to do with horses. She has been horse crazy since she was a little girl and still is as an adult! She says to watch for her family down the road, having fun doing what they love. She would like to thank her parents; Dad for teaching her everything or getting her to someone that could! Mom for going every weekend! Her husband for letting her continue to do what she loves. He is her best friend and her biggest supporter. Her kids for loving what they do as a family. She would like to send a special thank you to all of her "lesson families", that strive every day to make the next generation the best they can be! Lastly, Shelly says, horses keep kids focused, responsible and out of trouble.
By - Tina Spangler