Q: Tell us about your horse.
Shelby: He’s 17.2 and he’s black. He can be a big pain sometimes, but he’s pretty good.
Q: How is he a pain?
Shelby: He has his moments. He’s lazy. He doesn’t want to go. He wants to go to sleep. He wants to go eat. Stuff like that. But when he wants to do hunter under saddle, he’ll do it.
Q: Could you tell when you went in that it was going to be a good run?
Shelby: I don’t know. I didn’t know what would happen. Anything could happen.
Shelby Ratliff trots into the ring for the hunter under saddle finals.
Q: What were you thinking as you were going around?
Shelby: I can’t breathe.
Q: Was it hot in there, or was it the pressure of the Gateway of Champions?
Shelby: It was hot. It was kinda both. I was trying to think.
Q: What were you thinking as the lineup got shorter?
Shelby: I started getting nervous. I don’t know. I just started getting really nervous.
Q: How long have you been riding this horse?
Shelby: For about a year and a half.
Q: What do you call him at home?Shelby: Secret.
Q: Is there a secret snack that he prefers?Shelby: Nope. He’s really picky. He doesn’t like anything. He likes his hay and grain.
Q: I noticed he wanted to eat the broom in the photos.
Shelby: He likes to bite on things, but he won’t eat them.
Q: How long have you been riding English?
Shelby: For as long as I can remember.
Q: How does it feel to be world champion?Shelby: Shocking. Surprising. I’m happy, and everything else
Q: What are you going to do to celebrate?
Shelby: Get all my friends together and go out. Just have fun.
Q: Anybody you’d like to thank?
Shelby: My dad and my stepmom and my mother and Beth Case and Charlie Cole and Jason Martin.
