WHO SAY'S YOU CAN'T SHOW YOUR TRAIL HORSE?
By: Mary Lou Sharp

Someone forgot to tell Gary Simmons from Tifton, Georgia and Alan Land from Polk City that they couldn't do well in a real Fox Trotter Show with their trail horses. There had been articles written indicating that in order to be in the "Show World" of Fox Trotters you would need a "Show" type Fox Trotter to win at an approved show. The story of Gary and Alan will disprove that theory.... Gary Simmons and wife Mary Ann purchased "Missouri's Midnight Special" from Bill and Mary Lou Sharp of FoxFire Farms four years ago. Midnight was a very sweet and gentle horse who was perfect for their daughter Kate who was an inexperienced rider. Kate grew up and went to college and Midnight was ridden occasionally at Gary and Mary Ann's farm in Tifton. Through the years, Gary would call me and ask about selling Midnight but invariably would change his mind. Gary and Mary Ann joined our Southern Regional Fox Trotter Association and we were able to keep in touch with each other.

As the time drew nearer for our "Southern Showcase" Fox Trotter show I called Gary and asked him to ride Midnight at the show. He said "He's just a trail horse". I told him just to bring him and ride in a few versatility classes. He finally agreed to bring him to Perry. As he said "I drug ole Midnight out of the pasture and brought him". Midnight is solid black and always looks pretty, but he had never "been to town" so to speak. Gary and Mary Ann had barely taken him off of their farm since buying him. He had only trail rode him and put all of the green riders and children on him.

Gary and Mary Ann arrived in Perry on Saturday morning and signed up for the Country Pleasure class. The class had 16 riders in it. Guess who won? "Missouri's Midnight Special" and Gary Simmons. Well, it just so happens that we were giving away a Circle Y Saddle to the Versatility Champion this year. Gary was in a good position to win it. He started scrambling around and registering for the other versatility classes which included, English Pleasure, Champagne Class, Lite Shod Racking, Trail Class and Western Pleasure. He only had one problem, he said he wasn't wearing those tight English breeches so that class was out... Since the Versatility Championship goes to the horse and not the rider, different rides may ride the same horse. Gary went to the Quarter Horse show next door and asked if someone could ride his horse in the English Pleasure class. A young lady came over with her English tack and attire and in the class she went on Midnight... She placed third. Gary and Alan Land were neck and neck for the Championship. Alan was riding his wife Jo Ann's trail horse "Skip's Lady Anne". Alan and Jo Ann are avid trail riders and ride all over the State. Annie has alot of trail miles on her as well. Alan had never shown before but wanted to support our club by participating. The English Pleasure class had him stumped as well, but one of our great members, Connie Wheeler came to his rescue. She had brought her old English Saddle but did not have a pad. She and Jo Ann made a mad dash to Walmart and bought a quilted mattress pad and pinned it together to make a pad... Connie quickly turned her shirt around and tucked in her pants, removed her belt and threw a jacket on she had  brought for the model class. Gary and Alan were tied at the end of the classes. A ride off was held to determine a winner. Gary won the Versatility Championship Saddle and Alan won the Reserve Championship Trophy.

We are so proud of both Gary and Alan for their fine performances in the show. The wonderful part of their winning was that they won on their "trail horses", disproving the theory that you need to spend $10,000-$12,000 on a horse to show. Missouri Fox Trotters are the most versatile breed of horse in the world. Their quiet temperament and intelligence are unsurpassed in any other breed of horse. Missouri Fox Trotters can do it all from trail riding to showing and that's why the national motto of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association is "To Ride One U To Own One".

The Southern Regional Fox Trotter Association is the largest affiliate chapter of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association in the South. We have 108 members to date and are still growing. Our members have the opportunity to trail ride at different locations each month, attend seminars and clinics to learn more about their horses and of course participate the "Southern Showcase" approved show each year. We have a wonderful group of members and a family atmosphere. For more information on how to join us, please contact: Mary Lou Sharp @ 904-963-5213 or you may email: mls-foxfire@msn.com