Congratulations to Susan and her 4 year old, sorrel gelding Mr Te Skips Softly (Skip)! The pair had a great 2007 show season. They finished the year as the Area 3 Reserve High Point Novice Amateur team and were Champions in Novice Amateur Trail and Champions in Junior Trail. In addition, they were the OQHA Champions in Novice Amateur Trail and Reserve Champions in Novice Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation and Junior Trail. They have earned Performance ROMs in Open and Amateur.

Susan graduated from Fanshawe College in 2005 with a diploma in Fashion Merchandising. She uses her fashion expertise in her job as a sales supervisor at Holt Renfrew in the contemporary and kids wear division. Susan and her parents – Jennifer and Hugh live in Caledon. They share their home with their cat Sassy. Skip’s home is at Reid Farm & Equestrian Centre located outside of Orangeville. When not working or riding, Susan likes to shop and spend time with her friends.

Susan began taking riding lessons at Claireville day camp when she was 8 years old. For her 10th birthday her mom and dad gave her 10 riding lessons - Jennifer refers to it as the gift..”that keeps on paying”! Susan spent her first few years showing at club shows and WHAO with Ima (Ima Rhonda Two) which belonged to a previous coach Barbara Newlands. After several very successful years at this level, she was ready to move on to the challenges of the Quarter Horse circuit. Understanding that she needed her own quarter horse to compete, her parents totally surprised her at Christmas with a 4 year old mare, Pawley’s Corena (Koby). At 15 years old, Susan was ready to tackle the Area 3 show arena. As a Novice Youth, Susan competed in Horsemanship, Trail, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation and Showmanship and took home several year-end awards from Area 3 for Trail and Horsemanship and the High Point Novice Youth honour. Susan and Koby also won 2 OQHA Reserve Champion Novice Youth titles in horsemanship and trail.

Susan and Skip currently show in Novice Amateur Trail, Showmanship, Hunt Seat Equitation, Amateur Horsemanship and Jodi Mallette shows Skip in Junior Trail. If you know Susan – you know her favourite class is Trail, Trail and more Trail!!! For the 2008 show season, she hopes to add Western Riding to her slate of classes. In 2007, Susan travelled to the Area 3 and some additional Ontario shows, the Regionals and the Congress.

Her favourite horse show moment was in 2007 at the Spring Classic. It was in Novice Amateur Trail on the second half of the show. Skip and Susan had such a great go - they actually scored a 77 in that class which was the best they had ever scored. The moment she would like to take over from the 2007 show season was at the Regionals in Novice Amateur Trail. The pair was having an amazing ride and they were coming to the last obstacle, when Skip just stopped and HAD to get this bug that was on his leg. They still ended up 4th, but it was disappointing!!!

Susan says, “I am so lucky to have such great people to show with - Val and Mackenzie Harvey, Shelley Scriver and Allyson Nicol. It is fun travelling to all the horse shows with them. Of course none of this would be possible without the help and guidance of Jodi Mallette who has been my coach and trainer for the past 3 years. And last but not least my mom – a huge thank you. I am so grateful to her for everything she has done for me.”

Suse - Have fun over the winter with lead changes and good luck in the Amateur division in 2008!