EC Youth Profile – Lilly Jones

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204 – January/February, 2022

By Laura Boynton

On September 16th, 2011 at 8:30 AM, trainers Chris and Melissa Jones welcomed daughter, Lilly Ann, into their lives. Melissa admits that she waited a bit too long before heading to the hospital. “It was after midnight, and I kept telling Chris to drive faster, which just made him even more nervous,” she laughs. “We made it just in time. I had an easy delivery for the most part, except for almost missing my time window to have an epidural.

“Lilly was definitely wished for, but after trying to become pregnant for some time, Chris and I thought that becoming parents just wasn’t going to happen for us. Little did we know that once we focused on a life without a child, and came to terms with not having one of our own…surprise! Our wish came true, and our dream became a reality.”

Lilly had a very busy and eventful first two months of life. Within a week of her birth, her new parents packed up the horses and drove from Reelsville, Indiana to Columbus, Ohio. They also packed up their newborn and all her baby gear to attend the three-week long All American Quarter Horse Congress. Then, they headed straight to the AQHA World Show in Oklahoma City.

This might be the reason why 10-year-old Lilly seems so content and comfortable with horse show life and has already made lifelong horse show friends.

Before the Wish

Click here to read the complete article
204 – January/February, 2022