Lady Mamalade Launches Successful Maiden Career

By Delores Kuhlwein

As the much-anticipated results were announced for the NSBA $25,000 3YO & Over $2500 Ltd Horse Open Western Pleasure at A Sudden Impulse 2025 on Thursday evening, a mare whose meaningful lineage stands on its own rode to the front of the lineup.

Lady Mamalade took top honors with Chris Holbin for owner Angela Wade, as well as a $4500 payout, at World Equestrian Center-Ocala, also the setting for the mare’s first show. Lady Mamalade is by The Lopin Machine and out of Angela’s show mare, My Mama Said So, and she was bred and raised by Angela and sent to Chris and Shannon Curl-Holbin as a long yearling.

“We started her as a two-year-old,” explains Chris, “but we didn’t get to do the Congress last year because Shannon’s mom judged, so we took all our three-year-olds and held them back for all these maiden events this year. So this was her debut and we couldn’t be any more excited.”

Chris says he had a good ride with Dottie earlier in the day, but this particular ride was even better. “It was softer, and it was one of those deals where everything clicked together. She let me show her wherever I put her. It was just a really good go.”

Owner Angela Wade says she’s just getting to know “Dottie” from a riding perspective.  “Her mother, My Mama Said So (Sally), is about as close to One Hot Drama Mama, who I showed for so many years, as any of the babies she had,” she explains. “This mare is about as close to My Mama Said So as any of her babies I’ve had out of her, so I think in its own right, even though the pleasure is not one of my regular classes, riding her does kind of feel like home because she is so similar to Sally.”

However, this special mare will be shown by Angela in the Non Pro 3 -Year-Old Western Pleasure on Saturday!  Then the plan is to continue the open and Non Pro 3 year old events in the novice horse classes for the. Rest of the year, including Back to Berrien, NSBA World, and back to Ocala for the Fall Championship in September. “That is our plan, and maybe even we’ll get lucky enough to get her ready for the Versatility at the World Show,” says Chris. “I think we are going to go home and work on our lead change.”

Results for the NSBA $25,000 3YO & Over $2500 Ltd Horse Open Western Pleasure:

Champion: Lady Mamalade with Chris Holbin for Angela Wade -$4500

Reserve: Jesse Jaames with Blake Britton for Libby Truco -$3000

Third: Im Batgirl with Katy Jo Zuidema for Salt Clay Farms -$1800

Fourth: All Nett with Katie Green for Susan Johns -$1500

Fifth: Saltt Life with Shannon Curl Holbin for Crawford Quarter Horses -$1200

 

At the Orange Blossom Classic, the opening show for A Sudden Impulse, the maiden mare and Holbin had placed reserve in $50,000 NSBA Maiden 3-Year-Old & Over Open & Limited Open Western Pleasure. See the WEC-Ocala press release:

Orange Blossom Classic; Saturday, April 19 Featured Class Highlights – World Equestrian Center