Breyerfest 2019

Because of my love for the western horse, along with traditional dressage, I knew western dressage was made for me. In my years of classical dressage, part of my training was devoted to produce a more willing western equine partner.

In 2010 I purchased Truly Unsurpassed (“Calico”) with the idea that one day we would participate and grow in western dressage as a team. I never dreamed that Truly Unsurpassed would live up to her name. When I made the decision to start this new journey together in western dressage, I made a plan, and within three years, we earned top honors in the WDAA shows, performing from Basic level all the way to level 4, the highest level for western dressage. During WDAA World Championships in 2016–2018, we earned several World Championship awards. In 2017, Truly Unsurpassed earned her first USEF National Horse of the Year in level 2, followed by 2018 USEF National Horse of The Year in level 3.

The journey did not end there. Truly Unsurpassed has lived up to her name, being the first horse in the WDAA to accomplish the esteemed honor of becoming the first horse to earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold Medals in the WDAA Horse Lifetime Points & Awards Program (WHLPAP) soon followed by Supreme Champion, the highest award of the program. In 2018 we made our debut at the WDAA World Show with our Musical Freestyle where the horses paces are set to music to create a competitive dance. We placed with a respectable Reserve Musical Freestyle Championship.

Recently, WDAA Supreme Champion Truly Unsurpassed became a 2019 Breyer Horse Model, I was invited to have Calico attend as a horse guest and perform at the 2019 Breyerfest in Lexington, Kentucky. She and I were there to share our western dressage journey with everyone. The story of our success and teamwork brought a lot of attention to this new sport. Calico became a big hit with her two blue eyes and stunning paint coloring. There were children and adults at the event, some who owned horses, but most did not. I was very humbled at the love and admiration that they showed for Calico. I signed autographs every day only because they would not let Calico do it. We performed our western dressage musical freestyle for the crowds and they loved that. Truly Unsurpassed did her thing and reveled in all the attention, kisses, and adoring pats she received.

For those who do not know what Breyerfest is, it is Breyer Animal Creations’ annual celebration of horses at the Kentucky Horse Park. It is a fabulous three-day family festival that combines the excitement of a horse fair with model horse activities! This was the 30th year anniversary of Breyerfest at the Horse Park. For the 30th Anniversary Celebration, BreyerFest saluted Horse Heroes! Horse heroes come in all shapes and sizes from military horses to police horses, to therapy horses, to the heroic horses of legend and history. There are thousands of horse lovers that come to this event. I thought it was the most awesome thing to experience and be part of.

After the 2018 WDAA World Show, Calico earned some leisure time from showing and to bask in her glory. She has a gentle nature and allows the grandchildren ride her when she is at home at Balanced Riding Stables in Calhoun, Georgia.

I want to say before I close that you can earn all the awards in the world, but to be an inspiration to everyone and to prove you are not too young or too old to start a new journey is, in itself, an indescribable honor and the most valuable reward. I am honored to be part of this journey and truly hope I can help others along the way. I believe that unimaginable and profound goals are possible when we begin a meaningful, emotional, and working relationship with a horse.

I want to thank a special person that has been so supportive of me, and that is my husband Randy Conley and his nice voice for calling tests for us at our competitions.

Enjoy the Journey and I hope to see you along the way.

Nancy Conley

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