Kaleena Weakly and Hours Yours and Mine Win Congress Amateur Showmanship
Shayne Gilliam and Blondie with Kaleena Weakly.
By: Brittany Bevis
We had two interviews to do this afternoon for the Amateur Showmanship class at the 2014 All American Quarter Horse Congress. The first was a pint-sized parley with a little leopard print lady named Shayne Gilliam who was at the lead of Hours Yours and Mine, aka “Blondie,” her favorite horse.
In not so many words, Shayne indicated Blondie had a very nice pattern, and she was the most beautiful horse ever. We also caught up with Blondie’s senior handler, Kaleena Weakly, who last achieved the same Congress Champion title in 2011. Looking towards the future, her ultimate goal is a World Show trophy in Showmanship.
“I was in love with the finals pattern,” Kaleena says. “She nailed it. She always gives me 100%, especially in the Showmanship. There were a couple of pieces that I wanted to tweak from the preliminaries, and she did just that. In the finals, we gave 110% more, and we went for it.”
Jessica Gilliam, Jax Weakly, and Kaleena Weakly.
“We went balls to the walls in the trot. She has a beautiful trot; she sticks her neck out; she sticks her nose out; and she really shows. I think that really makes a great impression, and there was a lot in that pattern. She also backs up great, and that was right in front of the judges. She went fast and straight and nailed it.”
Just in case you didn’t know, Kaleena’s favorite event is Showmanship. She and Blondie have placed in the finals every time they’ve competed at the Congress, a big accomplishment in itself. “Last year, I was six and a half months pregnant and was fourth!”
“I’ve always practiced with each horse I’ve had, and every horse I’ve shown in it has been very good at it. It’s something I’ve liked ever since I started showing horses.”
If Kaleena ever decides to retire from the event, we’re sure there is a junior handler eager to take up Blondie’s lead, in Small Fry Showmanship perhaps…
Small Fry Showmanship, here we come!
Amateur Showmanship-
1-Kaleena Weakly/Hours Yours and Mine
2-Absolute Write Off/Morgan Brickham
3-Barpassers Jewel/Ashley Jindrich
4-Fashionably Invited/Maggie Cox
5-Dancing Western/Rachel Kolb
