AQHA Magazine September / October 2019 AQHA Sept-Oct 2019 WEB | Page 17

PG.15
Gentle Jimmy with Alyssa
Photo Credit: Janine
Steele Photography
Settling into their new life, her parents
realised that Alyssa had become passionate
about horses and was missing them in her
life, so decided to make enquiries into local
riding lessons. With luck on their side, some
lessons were organised with Nikki Ellen
Scott, on her AQHA Palomino gelding, SSQ
Gold Medal Seeker Q-45325. Alyssa was
over the moon.
‘As soon as I saw Jimmy, I just loved him. He
was so gorgeous and quiet! He had these big
beautiful eyes and put his head down to get a
hug from me. When I climbed up on him and
walked him around, I felt very safe. He was
well trained and did everything I asked. I had
no idea that he would be the start of my AQHA
showing career.’
Alyssa started her weekly lessons and with
them, kept on improving. Nikki could see the
relationship she and Jimmy had together, so
made the decision to offer her much-loved
palomino to the Dinnages, on a lease basis.
With new horse, Roanie
In August, 2016, 9yo Alyssa competed at
her first local show with Jimmy, at one of
the Burpengary Western Performance
Club shows. She entered all the walk/jog
Western and walk/trot English classes. At
that show, Alyssa and Jimmy won three 1st,
two 2nd and three 3rd placings. It was easy
to see that she was now hooked on western
shows!
Over the following year, Alyssa attended
many clinics with various trainers and had a
few lessons here and there to try to improve
her Hunter and Western classes. But after
some lessons with Ken Davison, who she
clicked with immediately, things began to
fall into place.
‘As I started to really improve, we felt I was
ready for my first Queensland State Show!
I remember the feeling as I arrived at the
showgrounds, thinking that maybe I wasn’t
good enough to compete against all these
experienced youth. Then I remembered
that I was showing for fun and experience
and that is what showing was all about. I
went home feeling we had done our best,
and I was proud of our third in Hunt Seat
Equitation, and the many other placings we
received.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER ISSUE 2019