BY MEGHAN MACKEY
When Mary Ellen Velky finally got her chance to show horses, she didn’t waste any time getting to the top of her game.
“Life got in the way, raising children and college and things like that,” the Rancho Santa Fe, California, Select exhibitor said. “So this was the first year I really had the opportunity to show.”
Mary Ellen contacted Gary and Kelly Roberts, trainers her daughter had worked with as a youth, and they found her a horse to start her show career, Heart Rodder.
Mary Ellen and “Cupid” went to their first AQHA show in January where they were automatically signed up for the Show Up program, a program that rewards first-time AQHA exhibitors.
The pair competed in trail all year, earning Show Up awards like patches, caps, jackets and plaques. Mary Ellen was the first Show Up exhibitor to reach the 25-shows mark and earned a Professional’s Choice saddle pad.
Mary Ellen said she has really enjoyed getting her chance to show this year.
“Everyone has been wonderful,” she said. “I’ve shown in Arizona and California, and it’s just been phenomenal.
“I know people from before because my daughter showed as a youth, and it’s just really wonderful getting back to all the people on a regular basis instead of every once in a while running into them.”
To top off her first year in the show arena, Mary Ellen qualified for the Bayer Select World Championship Show in Amarillo in September, where she won the reserve world championship in trail.
Next year, Mary Ellen plans to compete in showmanship and hunt seat equitation in addition to trail, and wants to continue improving on her skills.
“I will ride until I physically can’t do it any more,” she said. “I just absolutely love horses and riding. It’s my outlet, and I’m just adding on the new events to challenge myself.”
Mary Ellen was in good company in 2007’s inaugural class of Show Up exhibitors.
- As of October 1, the Show Up program has awarded 937 first show patches to new AQHA exhibitors.
- 36 earned their fifth show patch and AQHA cap
- 22 earned their 10th show and AQHA jacket
- Four earned their 15th show patch and barn plaque
- And two earned a saddle pad and patch for 25 shows.
As an added bonus, the top novice youth and novice amateur competitor attending the most shows will win their pick of a TexTan western or a Collegiate English saddle.
Ready for your first show?
