Williams won a mini named Cross Country Lola, after an award-winning essay in the 13 – 17 Youth Essay Contest that said, “My reason for wanting to win this miniature is that I do not have one of my very own. Ownership is a great feeling! I could teach it so much. I would care for and train this mini for show. We would do drill team, halter, driving and maybe even costume contest. I would be an excellent owner to a new member of our family.”
Williams has been involved with Miniature Horses for two years. “I got involved with Miniature Horses when my sister started showing. At first I went to shows with my sister to help her out by loading and unloading her cart from the back of the truck and being her header in the show ring. Then I started to see that the driving looked like a lot of fun and I started to show the next year.”
Thanks to winning the 12 & Under Youth Essay Contest, Bode took home a Miniature Horse named Cross Country Tangled Up In Blue. Bode has been involved with minis for three years and said she likes to spend “ever sliver of free time” that she has with minis.
“I know there are many children that deserve this pony, but I think that because my family doesn’t have the ability to get me a pony, I would appreciate it so much more. I would spend every day loving on it, taking care of it, and hopefully being able to show her next year and make everyone here involved that has helped to make this possible, proud. My parents built a place for me to have my horse and I know that I will have help training her for showing next year. I plan to keep the pony, train and win with it (hopefully). When she is older, she can relax in the pasture and maybe be a brood mare and give me some foals I can brag about,” Bode wrote.
Bagley, who donated both Miniature Horses, is a judge, director, trainer and breeder. She has donated Miniature Horses for the Youth Essay Contest for the past five years. "There have been times when I have been judging a show and wished I could just give all the youth competitors a horse," Bagley said. "Through this program I can do that and also know that when the youths compete they will have high quality horses.”
In addition to the Youth Essay Contest, the AMHR National Championship featured more than 5,000 entries from all around the country competing in over 300 classes. For more information on American Miniature Horses, visit their website at www.shetlandminiature.com or call 309-712-1195.