Only two were left in the arena for the calling out of placings in the Select showmanship class. Kathy Willeke was fidgeting on one end, holding the lead to her mare Tickle Me Tailwind. Further down the rail was Margaret Bellville patting GPF Legal Version on the neck. As the announcer called out Kathy’s name for the reserve world title, Margaret broke down in tears and gave “Curly” a big hug and a kiss on his cheek. She’d finally done it: Won a world championship. The Journal was able to wade through the mob of friends and congratulators to ask Margaret about her winning run.
Q. How was this showmanship pattern for you?
Well, it’s the first pattern I’ve ever did with no markers – there were no cones and no spots. The only spot was the ring steward. So you had to plot out your own pattern. So it was creative and you really had to watch where he was and make the pattern around that. And going first in the class made it even a little bit more challenging because I really had no one else to watch. I had no footsteps to follow. I blazed my own trail. But I think at the end of the day, that was the way to do it. Because going first I set the pattern and I set the pattern for me and everyone else and we hung in there and won. I just envisioned the pattern as stood there and knew where I wanted to go, kept my eyes up and just kept going.
Margaret Bellville won her first world championship with her gelding GPF Legal Version.
Q. It looked like the gateman gave you some advice. What did he say to you?
Troy at the gate said, “Well, you’re the first to go. Just maintain that first coming in and everything.” It was great advice.
Q. Tell me about GPF Legal Verson.
What is especially significant about this win is my horse, “Curly,” colicked March 11 and had surgery. So it is so gratifying and I have so much gratitude with him to be coming back and being as strong as he is and doing this for me. He’s just a one-in-a-million horse. I love him so much.
Q. Were you qualified before he colicked?
Yes. We qualified in three events before he colicked. I was aiming for a couple more but we are blessed to be here.
Q. How much time did he have off from showing?
He had surgery so he had a month of stall rest, a month of light turn out and a month of hand walking. So he actually started showing again at the Big A in Atlanta, Georgia, one of the best horse shows in the nation, on July 1. We let him have as much rest as possible because we wanted to make sure he was right and he sure is.
Q. Tell me more about Curly. What is his personality like?
He is the man. He just loves the world and he loves everybody paying attention to him. He knows he’s a star and his favorite person in the world is Dawn Laverne, back at our barn. She manages the barn and he is always looking for Dawn to give him a treat. He is just really a good pal.
Q. Who is your trainer?
Rob Meneely of Rob Meneely Show Horses in Stockbridge, Georgia. He and his wife, Mary, are here with us and they coach us. Rob has just put up with me and patience and putting up with us ole gals. He’s been great. I really, really appreciate all he’s done for me and Curly.
Q. What advice did Rob give you?
Be crisp, be smooth and just have a good time. And we did. It was just fun.
Q. What did you think when it was just three of you left in the arena as the placings were called out?
I was happy with that. I mean I was just happy to go home with a trophy. We worked all of our lives to get one of these and once again just from where he’s come and where we are today, I was just thrilled to be in the top three. Never, never thinking we could win this thing. That was just so gratifying.
Q. What did you think when you realized you were the world champion?
I just thanked God that Curly was with me and we were here and we were able to do this together.
Q. Is this your first world championship?
Yes, it is. It’s so surreal. I just really don’t know quite what to think. I mean all the hours and all the blood, sweat and tears, the nights, the early mornings – I’m not an early person and getting up at 4 in the morning to practice is not my deal. But we did it and I’m glad we did.
Q. Who would you like to thank?
I want to thank Rob and Mary Meneely. And I want to thank Dawn Laverne. I want to thank my husband for letting me be here and my sister for being here. This win is especially gratifying because my sister is here watching and it is the first time she has ever seen me show a horse. So I think she’s going to have to come to all of my shows from now on. I also want to thank all of my friends and everyone who is here: Diane, Kay, Ann, Ron, Roy, Cheri, Lamar, Tina, who is back at home, and all my friends for being here and supporting me and putting up with me going to horse shows every weekend. It takes a village.
Fun Fact: As a teenager, Margaret bought a horse rather than buy a car she could drive. “My first horse I bought for $600. I unloaded it in the front lawn of my parents house and my mother came outside and she made the sign of the cross and ran back in the house. My father said, ‘What are you going to do with that horse?’ ‘I’m going to show it.’ ‘What are you going to get for that?’ I said, ‘Ribbons.’ He said, ‘Can you eat those ribbons?’ That was the start of my show career.
