She Can Barely Speak, But She Can Ride! Bailey Anderson and Shez Flat Mystical Win L1 Amateur Western Pleasure

By: Brittany Bevis

Conducting our interview with newly crowned Congress Champion, Bailey Anderson, this evening was a bit challenging, because she can barely speak. But, it’s not the dreaded Congress Crud. “I had it before I came, and it went downhill really fast!” she whispers.

Although she could barely talk, that certainly didn’t affect her riding skills. She piloted her 4-year-old mare, Shez Flat Mystical, to win a Congress Championship title in L1 Amateur Western Pleasure. For most of her equestrian career, Bailey has been a tried and true all-around girl. Her departure into the Western Pleasure pen started just a year ago.

 

Bailey’s partner for this new journey is “Vee,” a double registered mare by VS Flatline and out of Mystical Machine. “She’s a super sweet mare and very easy to get along with. She’s a pleaser and wants to do what you tell her. She learns super fast. She’s been so much fun to ride, because she does everything you tell her. It’s so easy, and I’m super excited to start doing all-around classes with her.”

Bailey and Vee are already well on their way towards a future in amateur all-around events having been named the Reserve Champions in Amateur Showmanship at the NSBA World Show. They also won L1 Amateur Western Pleasure, 3-6-Year-Old Color Western Pleasure, and were Reserve in the $10,000 Maturity Western Pleasure. Bailey hopes to add Trail and Horsemanship to Zee’s repertoire of skills in 2019.

Now that Bailey is a recent graduate of The University of Georgia, and is working as a chemical engineer in Dallas, she hopes to have more time to spend teaching her mare how to do more events. Luckily, she’s located close to her longtime trainers, Stephen Stephens and Terry Cross. “I’m 22 and I’ve been with them since I was seven. I grew up just five minutes down the road from them.”

Sadly, Bailey just flew in for the weekend, so she’s headed back home tomorrow. “I’m just in and out. I have to be back to work tomorrow, but I may call in sick! I just came in for the weekend.”

The Reserve Champion in the class was Katie Kopf with Two Ziplines. Third was Caitlin Cochran with Certainlyiresistable. Fourth was Hannah Wagner with Lopin So Lazy. Fifth was Kara Kaufmann with Blaze N Investment.