Lisa

Lisa

Lisa has been working with or around animals all her life. The daughter of a cattle rancher, she cannot even remember a time in life when she didn't have some kind of critter around her.

She took to horseback riding at only 2 years old and became obsessed with quarter horses. This obsession led her to begin barrel racing and other various rodeo events. Lisa began her life in the show ring in 3rd grade. Throughout the years she has shown Quarter Horses, Appaloosas, Hunter/Jumpers, Classic Shetlands, Miniatures, Rabbits, Pigs and Market Beef Steers. If you stand still for too long, she might slap a halter on you and drag you in the arena as well.

As a youth, Lisa continued to show several various critters. That just wasn't enough. She wanted to learn and understand all that she could about training and showing. In 1989 she began working for and studying under one of her idols, legendary Miniature Horse Trainer, Portia Sue Kalinka. It was through Portia that Lisa was first introduced to the Miniature Horse. She spent her money, earned from Market Beef Steers, to obtain her first mini to call her very own...a Bay Pinto Gelding named Martin's Doctor Z. Together, Lisa and Martin's Doctor Z claimed the 1989 AMHA National Reserve Championship in both Youth Pleasure Driving and Youth Roadster their first year together. Lisa went on to win several more National Championships while working under Portia and, later, on her own. Lisa was also one of two recipients of the first AMHA Youth Scholarships in 1994.

Following the completion of her degree from the Colorado School of Mines, Lisa went to work for a large energy company which eventually led her to Ponca City, Oklahoma where she bought her first little ranch so that she could reenter the Miniature Horse world that she missed so badly.

Lisa and Redi

While living in Ponca City, Lisa grew a lasting friendship with old acquaintances, renowned Miniature Horse and Shetland Breeders, Lee and Barb Martin. It was from Lee that Lisa finally purchased the Stallion she had dreamed of someday finding and building a Ranch around, B&L's Rock "E" Red Alert. Upon obtaining ownership of B&L's Rock "E" Red Alert (Redi), Lisa sent him back to her old friend Portia Sue for driving training. Following that, she paired up with another idol of hers, Miniature Horse Breeder and Halter Training Specialist, Belinda Bagby.

In 2004, Lisa achieved a lifelong goal of hers when she showed Redi, her very own Stallion, to an Amateur Halter National Championship. Redi also won his Open National Championship with Belinda that year.

2005 proved to be the banner year Lisa had never thought possible. Redi was undefeated during his regular season as Lisa moved to Houston, TX and got married just 2 months before Nationals. Still, Lisa and Redi were unwavering as they repeated their Amateur Halter National Championship. Then, to top off an amazing year, Belinda took Redi to repeat their Open National Championship...only this time... they went all the way to claim the 2005 AMHR National Grand Championship.

After seeing the breathtaking way that Redi showed in his Grand Championship Class and knowing that he had worked so hard to get there, Lisa made the honorable choice to give Belinda the nod to officially retire Redi at the awards ceremony immediately following the class. Redi said good-bye to the show arena with the kind of style that every athlete dreams of: taking his victory laps before a large crowd that was cheering just for him...as he wore the ribbon of the National Grand Champion. Redi walked away from 2005 AMHR Nationals with a total of 4 titles...all of them Unanimous.

Redi is happy to entertain his well-deserved mares and spend his days just being a horse...just a horse?...just the one miniature stallion that NOT ONE OTHER can say got a single vote against him ALL YEAR LONG.

Lisa's last remaining dream is to develop a breeding program around Redi that will produce the finest of AMHR/ASPC horses. (This is not so much a goal as it is a life-long quest to always strive to better the small equine and promote American Shetlands and American Miniature Horses in a positive fashion.) That dream came one step closer to reality in 2009 when 3 of Redi's foals worked together to claim for their father one more AMHR National Championship in the Get of Sire class.

Lisa is currently serving as a member of the ASPC Classic Shetland Committee and Treasurer of the Miniature Horse and Pony Breeders of Oklahoma.