Joanie Zelnio Teams Up With New Partner- Hylton Maiden Champion, The Dark Impulse

2018 Hylton Maiden Western Pleasure Champion- Steve Reams with The Dark Impulse. Photo Credit: Harold Compton

By: Brittany Bevis

Congratulations is in order for AQHA Select competitor, Joanie Zelnio, who’s recently teamed up with a new equine partner. Gil Galyean Quarter Horses is excited to announce the news that Zelnio has recently purchased the 2018 Hylton Maiden Western Pleasure Champion, The Dark Impulse.

Joanie Zelnio with Gil Galyean and Jenna Dempze.

Just a few weeks ago, Steve Reams rode The Dark Impulse, a 4-year-old mare by RL Best of Sudden and out of Dark Jasmine, to win the title and a big check for $25,000 for then owner, Susan Simms.

Galyean is thrilled to welcome “Joy” to the team and has big plans to campaign the mare this fall in maturity and non-pro Western Pleasure events at all of the majors. Tomorrow, Reams will be showing Joy in The Equine Chronicle 3-Year-Old and Over Novice Horse Western Pleasure at the SOQHA Madness that’s underway in Wilmington, Ohio. Afterwards, Galyean will be taking Joy back home to Oklahoma to begin preparations for upcoming events like the All American Quarter Horse Congress and AQHA World Championship Show.

“Joanie has been a longtime supporter of the Western Pleasure industry for years,” Galyean says. “We’ve been looking for an elite horse for her, for a couple of years now. This mare is it. You just look at her and say, ‘Wow!’ We really appreciate Steve and his owners allowing us the chance to buy her.”

When looking at the bloodlines of this particular mare, there are many interesting connections that seem to point to this match being tailor made from the start. The Dark Impulse was bred by Susan Ostrander, the owner of Dark Jasmine, a mare that’s undoubtedly near and dear to Reams’ heart as he campaigned her for a number of years and rode her to win Junior Western Pleasure at the AQHA World Show in 2010. He also had a hand in the beginnings of another Dark Jasmine daughter, Made By J.

Taft Dickerson with Made By J during the 2015 Hylton Maiden Western Pleasure.

Back in 2015, Taft Dickerson rode Made By J to win the Hylton Maiden Western Pleasure, and Reams was second with Southern Comfort Zone, a horse he purchased from Dickerson on the same day he delivered Made By J to Dickerson’s farm. Following the Hylton class that year, Made By J was purchased by Dr. Candice Hall and Corey Seebach and placed in training with Galyean. Made By J is by Hall and Seebach’s stallion, Machine Made.

Now, Galyean has the two half-sisters in training- Made By J (Machine Made X Dark Jasmine) and The Dark Impulse (RL Best Of Sudden X Dark Jasmine). “One common characteristic they both have is that they’re great lopers. It’s just really easy for them to move,” Galyean says. “Joy is a beautiful mare to look at, and it’s effortless for her. Joanie tried her out and rode her a couple of times and it was a great fit.”

We look forward to seeing Zelnio and The Dark Impulse in the Select pen in the near future.