Of all the horses they take on
the road to the shows each
year there is one special,
lovable Palomino named
Prowln Golden Opportunity
(Barn name Oscar) that
holds an extra special place
in the hearts of not only the
Bochenek family, but many
people throughout the
Tennessee Walking Horse
breed.
This 18 year old gelding has
been owned by the family
for 9 years, and in 2015
Oscar received the highest
high point Awards honor
that the National Walking
Horse Association gives. He
was crowned the NWHA
Overall High Point Grand
Championship winner at
the 2016 High Point awards
banquet held in Shelbyville
Tennessee.
I was excited at the
opportunity to interview
Sheldon as she is one of
the premier youth riders in
our organization! Much like
many of us at horse shows,
I frequently see Sheldon,
hear her name announced
winning some class, or
quickly congratulate her on
a fabulous ride with Oscar.
However, I don’t get the
chance to sit down with her
and talk much. We all run
around at horse shows and
don’t get the chance to
have longer conversations
with folks at horse shows, and
this was my chance to chat
with Sheldon and learn a little
bit more about what Oscar
means to her family.
So what did I learn talking
to this 16 year old girl with a
large barn full of horses, and
extensive basketball practice
schedule, and your average
teenager’s social life?
“Oscar means the world to our
family,” said Sheldon. When I
asked for a sense of his place
not only in the barn but in their
lives she continued “You can
take him anywhere. Whether
it be to the shows, to the trails,
down the road.”