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Tennessee
Walking Horse OnLine Congratulates
Adult
Supreme Champion
Pam May,
Mississippi
Mona Lisa Magic
By Pam May
In the area known as the
delta country, deep in the southern state of Mississippi, is a town named
Indianola. This story started there in the late 1980's and began with the
life long dream of Pamela Ann May becoming a reality and the future of a
beautiful black mare's challenge for fame and recognition. This team was
destined for a place in the Tennessee Walking Horse history books. The
challenge was great - the roads were yet to be defined. This is the story
of Mona Lisa Magic, Supreme Versatility Champion.
Pam's parents, Raburn and Shirley May, realized their daughter's
infatuation with horses when she was very young. She was more of an
outdoor person than the doll house/tea party type. A pony seemed to be the
answer to the serious challenge of fourth grade multiplication tables. Yes
- if Pam would learn her math (which they knew she could) - they would let
her have a pony. This idea was not Shirley's dream, because as a
registered nurse she had witnessed the results of countless horse related
accidents. But, because they have always been a close knit, caring and
supportive family, the decision was made. Pam learned her math and Cricket
became part of her life. As the years went by, Pam outgrew her "math pony"
and graduated to a "wind broke" gift paint mare from her uncle, retiring
Cricket to the pasture. All Pam knew was that the mare, Hiawatha, had a
mane, a tail, four feet, and could run like the wind. Happiness for Pam
was life with her horse, readily accepting life's challenges and demands
so she could retreat to fun filled hours on horseback. Her brother Michael
never shared her passion for horses; he preferred motorcycles, which
created additional anxiety for their parents.
The family enjoyed a life style that afforded them many hours together and
interesting and fun filled vacations. It was on one of these summer
vacations when Pam first saw her very first Tennessee Walking Horse. "Dad
couldn't stop the car fast enough for me to leap out to inspect the
mounted policeman at Nashville's Opryland. I remember thinking it was the
most gorgeous sight I had ever laid eyes on. It was then and there the
decision was made - I would own one of these magnificent animals one day."
The years went by. Pam became a teenager, went to college, became involved
in an unsuccessful marriage, and started her career in the medical world.
Horses still tugged at her heart. A longing to run like the wind with the
hoofbeats pounding like a heartbeat with the blue sky overhead and the
soft grass below was a memory retrieved and relived.
On a brisk spring day in March '88, off the beaten path at a stable in
Indianola, a "little magic" came into Pam's life and changed it forever.
New friends, new challenges, new ideas were introduced when she bought the
two-year-old filly, Mona Lisa Magic, affectionately named Miss Mare.
Pam knew nothing about bloodlines, talent, conformation, ability, or any
of the countless 'requirements' of purchasing a horse. All she knew was
that Miss Mare was gentle and pretty and she felt an immediate bond with
her. "It was absolute luck, but I got all those other attributes as a
bonus."
Soon after acquiring Miss Mare, a boarding facility on the military base
near Meridian was selected as home for the new team. Neighbors in the
adjacent stalls were a mixture of Quarter Horses, Arabians, American
Saddlebreds, and a mixture of all breeds known to the southern region of
the country, each performing its own special gait or exhibiting the riding
style and expertise indicative of its breeding. When the riders would get
together to enjoy their horses they would ride trails, run poles, go over
jumps, turn barrels - each taking turns. When Miss Mare and Pam would take
their turn, they often were told a Tennessee Walking Horse couldn't go
over a jump or run the speed events. Pam laughs and says, "I guess Miss
Mare never understood she couldn't do those things. I would just reply,
'She's a horse isn't she? We can do this and anything else any other horse
can do'." Almost daily Pam was advised to 'sell that horse and get a good
horse', but Miss Mare continued to work and try and perform along with all
the neighbor horses at the boarding stables.
By this time, Pam's independent spirit and individualistic ideas became
dominate in her daily routine with her beloved companion. The more people
lectured her about the things a Tennessee Walking Horse could not do, the
more determined and hard headed Pam became to prove Miss Mare could do
anything any other horse could do. "Little did I know we were laying the
groundwork for participation in the TWHBEA Versatility Program which would
happen a few years later," she recalls.
Pam began a search for information concerning walking horses and was given
a copy of the Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse magazine. She was not
aware a publication dedicated to the promotion of the breed was produced.
"I studied this wonderful magazine that addressed the many aspects of the
breed and found out I was not the only person in Mississippi with such a
horse. I began making phone calls and knocking on doors for advice
concerning my mare, and I received disheartening news: Miss Mare would
never be a great show mare. At this time in my life I had no understanding
of the term 'show mare', and continued in my search for answers and for
help."
As she reminisces about the road to victory, Pam smiles and continues the
story: "Hindsight is 20/20. I sought advice from people who were oriented
only towards the performance horse. They could not relate to my needs and
the fact all I wanted to do was to enjoy my horse to the fullest extent. I
accepted the 'show mare' comments and, with a broken heart, I charged
forward with hard headed determination to find something for us to do
together that would prove to all my Quarter Horse friends we, as a team,
were as good as any of them. I located a stable in central Mississippi
that might assist in the evaluation of my mare, so we loaded up and made
the trip. There I discovered that, in fact, I did have a pretty good mare.
From the lineage of the great Magic Bum and Mack K., Mona Lisa and her
dam's lineage reaches directly to Merry Boy, Go Boy's Shadow, Sir Maugray
and Rodgers Perfection. Until this time I had no knowledge about breeding
or bloodlines. I knew what I thought was pretty but my ignorance turned
out to be bliss, and I was truly lucky. Mona Lisa Magic is a powerfully
built, 15.2 individual with excellent conformation and a heart as big as
Texas. For those informed about the traits and characteristics of certain
bloodlines, you will recognize the origins of her beauty, her
determination, her stamina, her desire to please, and her ability to
perform. She had everything required to become a versatility horse.
"The next step was up to me. I had to learn the rules, about shows, shoes
and shoe types, braids, competition - virtually everything was new to both
of us. Mona Lisa Magic and I were on our way - on the road to the 1990
versatility show season in plantation pleasure. The first blue ribbon for
Mona Lisa Magic came in Philadelphia, Mississippi in the plantation youth
class. A Quarter Horse friend had forewarned 'don't ever let the show bug
bite'. As so often happens, the blue ribbon was addicting. Leroy Carver,
the first member of the Mississippi Walking Horse Association I met, gave
the best advice ever received. He said, 'Pam, no matter where your mare
takes you in this industry, do not ever lose the feeling you have right
now. This is all in fun. When the enjoyment leaves and serious cut throat
competitiveness steps in, you become a loser'. I've held on to that advice
throughout my entire career with Miss Mare."
With the first challenge accomplished, the second goal for Pam and her
mare was super horse competition in the 1991 Mississippi State Charity
Show in Jackson. Ribbons at this level of competition were just a dream
and seemed light years away, but they competed in the water glass, model,
trail, western and English pleasure, placing in each and becoming reserve
super horse behind Dance The Night Away. (This horse is owned by Bobby and
Jan Arnold and was exhibited by Berry Coffey.) "I thought I had died and
gone to heaven. I had jumped in with the big boys of the pleasure world
and come out at the top. Not too bad for a woman from Chunky, Mississippi,
with a mare I was often told to sell and get a 'real horse'. At this point
in our career, I set the goal of competing at the International and the
Celebration - with the ultimate goal of a lifetime - the Supreme
Versatility Championship.
"During the 1991 show season Miss Mare and I competed in countless
pleasure classes, traveling throughout Mississippi and into neighboring
states, making friends that will last a lifetime, and having unforgettable
experiences. One of those friends is Marilee Tebo who became my 'road
buddy'. We traveled together so much people actually thought we were
sisters. She introduced me to the aspects of barrel racing and pole
bending, and we both ventured into jumping. I soon found that Miss Mare
and I like jumping about as much as I liked those multiplication tables
back in the fourth grade. But we had found our place in the competitive
world - barrel and poles. She and I both had flashbacks to the boarding
barn days and the events everyone said we could not do. We both were
destined to strive for excellence in this type competition.
"Many of the horse shows where we competed were local saddle club type
shows which were oriented more to the Quarter Horse and only included a
few classes for 'gaited' horse. We not only competed in the gaited
classes, but also in classes containing mostly Quarter Horses in western
riding, trail, pole bending and barrel racing. Here we acquired the
largest percentage of our versatility points. We became a duo well
recognized as the lady with the Tennessee Walking mare that rides in
everything. Often a judge would say 'You are in the wrong class - that's a
gaited horse in a western pleasure class.' My response was always the
same. 'Yes sir, I know.' We always left our mark! But our real claim to
fame lay in the barrels and poles. Here we consistently placed and beat
countless speed event horses bred and trained especially for this
competition. At these shows, the crowd's first reaction as Mona Lisa Magic
entered the arena was 'WOW - Tennessee Walking Horses can't do that'. But
DO that we did and we did it well!
"I soon found that Miss Mare has a split personality - she tolerates
English pleasure, trail, driving, model - performing well. The other side
of her personality is totally devoted to the barrels and poles. When she
is presented to barrels or poles you can actually feel her pulse racing as
if to say 'this is what I've been waiting for'. I have never seen a horse
more dedicated to an event. To further develop our skills we received the
only professional training we have ever had at a barrel racing clinic held
by Cathy West. Prior to enrolling, I had gone to a noted competitor at the
Quarter Horse congress for an evaluation and was told that 'whatever she
does with her backend and the head nod have to go'. I immediately realized
I could not possibly receive any help from this man who obviously did not
know much about the walking horse breed. Cathy West is an extremely
knowledgeable and open-minded horsewoman who immediately realized Miss
Mare's quality. Some of the other participants at the clinic actually
laughed and questioned our enrolling in the clinic. I heard some comments
about the TWH breed, but ignored them. I overheard someone quietly defend
Mona Lisa Magic saying, 'I bet that mare can run; she might beat your
socks off'. Many of the horses were from the professional rodeo circuit.
By the time we had completed the clinic, our time was only 2 seconds off
the top time.
"1991 was a banner year! She was the Tennessee Walking Horse National Pole
Bending Champion, PWHAT Pole Bending Champion, won the International pole
bending class and was reserve in barrels. She was PWHAT reserve champion
in barrels, trail pleasure, heritage driving and costume. WHOA awarded her
the Diamond Certificate in contest classes, the Silver Certificate in game
classes and the Bronze Certificate in model, trail and western pleasure.
Together we had gone from the backwoods of Mississippi to the mainstream
of the Tennessee Walking Horse world, with side roads down many well
traveled Quarter Horse trails. By this time we had seen and competed with
the best - always leaving our mark and gaining the respect of those
individuals from other areas of the equine world far removed from walking
horses.
"Mona Lisa continued in her winning ways the next year. Another highlight
of our show ring career came in September 1992 at the Festival of Horses
in Shelbyville. She won the blue in both non-trotting barrel racing and
non-trotting pole bending, placing reserve in open novice pole bending
against Andalusians, Arabians, Morgans, Appaloosas and Quarter Horses.
"By 1993 we had the supreme versatility championship in sight! Mona Lisa
rode to the ultimate titles of National Pole Bending Champion and Model
High Point Champion, International Barrel Grand Champion and Reserve Pole
Bending Grand Champion, and TWHBEA Versatility Day Adult Pole Champion and
Reserve Barrel Champion. We also were champions in poles and reserve in
barrels at the 1993 Celebration Versatility Show. Additional championships
at the Versatility Show came in 1994 when we won the adult barrels and
Mona Lisa won the youth poles.
"In 1994 we reached the high point in our career and the dream came true -
the supreme versatility championship was ours. We have rooms full of
ribbons and trophies and awards, but the first blue from Philadelphia - a
small piece of blue satin cloth - stands out as the first mile marker on
the long road to success. Mona Lisa Magic has given me 110% of her heart
and soul in the quest of the supreme championship.
"During Miss Mare's show career she did provide me with a filly named
Rocket's Morning Star, affectionately known as The Witch. She will be my
next adventure. Most of the PWHAT family met her this past summer. This
filly loves to run like her mother and, with only 50 days training, is
trailing Miss Mare's time by only 2 seconds. I have set a goal - competing
at the 1997 Dixie National Rodeo on her. She has the potential and only
time will reveal what happens.
"When difficult goals are accomplished there are always special people to
thank - those people who help along the way and without whose
encouragement and support the goals would have been forever elusive. My
list is long. First are my parents, Raburn and Shirley, for their initial
support, and my brother Michael who taught me to ride fast by chasing me
on Cricket with his motorcycle. A very heartfelt thanks to the TWHBEA for
implementing and supporting the Versatility Program, and for providing Sis
Osborne as the backbone of the pleasure division. She is always there to
answer the questions and help map the road to success. Thanks to all my
Quarter Horse friends for all the speed event challenges and training
tips. Two organizations played a tremendous role in our road to success,
the Mississippi Gaited Pleasure Horse Association and PWHAT. My friends
and those countless MGPHA shows will never be forgotten. There are not
enough words or superlative adjectives to describe the PWHAT family -
these are the GREATEST horse people in the world. Thanks to my friend and
farrier, Jerry Moore, for his dedication and determination; to
photographers Rodge Hodgins and Susan Hardy for the beautiful artwork; and
to Dr. John Gipson for solving all those 'panic' eye problems. Last, but
certainly not least, I want to thank Marilee Tebo. She would say to me:
'When things get rough, pull yourself up by your boot strings, dust
yourself off, and get back on.' Marilee never allowed me to give up.
"Mona Lisa Magic and I started out knowing nothing, but we were able to
realize and experience the 'magic of winning'. She is a true champion and
a great horse. She will always be my 'little bit of magic'."
(Reprinted from Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse
magazine, February, 1996)
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