Maria Salazar Finds New Partner in Maid Me Good
By: Brittany Bevis
AQHA amateur competitor, Maria Squires Salazar, has added a new mount to her stable with the 4-year-old Congress and World Champion, Maid Me Good, by Good I Will Be and out of Beautiful Maiden. With an impressive show record thanks to former owners such as Rebekah Kazakevicius and Michelle Bauer, Maria jokes that “X-Man” is likely disappointed to be a Salazar.
“At the Arizona Fall Championship, Jason Martin approached my trainer, Shannon McCulloch, and said we had to try X-Man,” Maria says. “We bought my current horse, Moonlightin, at a past Sun Circuit on Jason’s recommendation, so we couldn’t say no. I’m very thankful he approached us about X-Man, and Harley!”
In addition to X-Man, Maria also competes with Moonlightin, aka “Harley,” in amateur all-around classes. “Harley is a six-year-old gelding by Only in the Moonlite and out of RR A Matter of Time,” she says. “He’s a freakishly talented horse that can be beautiful in Equitation and then go do a Trail pattern. We show in all around and have added Trail and Western Riding in 2020. He’s similar to a Sour Patch Kid- first he’s sour and won’t let you catch him and then he’s sweet and acts like an old goat.”
Maria first started taking riding lessons when she was six years old. Although neither of her parents were “horse people,” they thought it would be a good way to introduce their daughter to a new hobby. “I was very dorky and wore an eye patch!” Maria laughs. “I showed Paint horses as a youth and then attended the University of Georgia and rode Horsemanship. I now show as an amateur on the Quarter Horse circuit. I’ve been blessed with some wonderful horses and a few sour ones that made the great ones even greater. I’ve had three standout teammates: C You Dont Know Jacks, Winkin for Chocolate, and Moonlightin. I hope to one day own a ranch and have all my old horses and a few donkeys in the yard.”
Maria is very excited to add X-Man to her list of exceptional partners, but she admits to being a bit concerned when they first met. “I was first attracted/terrified of the fact that he’s similar in stature to a dinosaur. After riding him, we were impressed by the fact that he rides like a square Western horse. Beth Case and Ashley Bailey have put a great foundation on him for all around classes. Ashley even started him in Showmanship and not like when people say they’re started because they can lead. He’s a very kind horse, and I look forward to getting to know his goofy personality more.”
Maria will compete with X-Man in Amateur Level 2 Hunter Under Saddle at the upcoming AQHA World Show. Ashley Bailey will show X-Man in Open Level 2 Hunter Under Saddle.
“He’ll come home to Oregon after the World Show, and we’ll slowly put the all around on him. He’s a talented horse with so much potential, so we aren’t going to rush him and jam events on him. He’s too special of a horse for that.”
If you have exciting news to share with The Equine Chronicle, email B.Bevis@EquineChronicle.com.
