But, even if she had that one, simple hope, Liz would never have dreamed what the mare would actually prove capable of.
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Because her husband, Mike, had agreed to judge at the 2000 Congress, Liz knew she would be free to show "Hollie" at any show but that one. So, keeping the 2-year-old mare's health and endurance in mind, Liz started planning which shows to haul her to.
But there was another dilemma. While Liz had done all the training of the mare, she was still a non-pro rider and didn't feel comfortable competing against the "big dogs" in the open classes. She started trying to find a trainer that could ride her in the open, but Congress and Mike's judging again stood in the way.
Liz needed a trainer that wasn't planning to show at the Congress in 2000. Fortunately, there was a trainer that fit the bill, and he was someone that Liz had worked with as a youth.
Jon Barry, Advance, Mo., had also committed to judging at the Congress, so he was the perfect solution to Liz's search. Just before the Tom Powers Summer Futurity, held in mid-June, the two talked and Barry agreed to try out the mare at the show.
It was clear from the first ride that the team was well-matched. Liz piloted Hollie to victory in the Non-Pro and Barry did the same in the Open, earning $6,594.80 at their first show of the season.
The following weekend, Barry was Reserve in the 2-Year-Old Open at Roberts' Whistle Stop, while Liz won the Non-Pro again. It proved that their first win wasn't a one-time situation, and things only improved from there.
At the Reichert Pleasure Celebration, Liz and Jon again were at the top of the judges' cards in the Open and Non-Pro, clinching the titles and the $20,000 sale incentive check.
From the Reichert show in late August, Hollie had a lot of time off until the AQHA World Show in November. Barry rode her to a Reserve World Championship. Then, they hauled her to Just For Pleasure in early December, where the trio again took the Open and Non-Pro.
In all, Shes Blazin Trails earned $53,453 - sealing her hold on the No. 1 Horse All Ages and All Divisions Chart by almost $23,000 over her closest competition, Congress Champion A Sudden Attraction, owned by Roberts Development Corp. and bred by J.R. Reichert.
The daughter of Blazing Hot, out of Hollie Mac Reynolds by Mr Mac Reynolds, was also bred by Reichert, Marengo, Iowa. She also was the No. 1 2-Year-Old Horse, No. 1 Open Horse, No. 1 Non-Pro Horse, and No. 1 2-Year-Old Non-Pro Horse.
Rounding out the rest of the group on the All Ages and All Divisions Horse Chart was No. 3 Radical Rumors, a 3-year-old that earned $29,439 for owners Gay Chattin and Cami Meleca; No. 4, with $24,905, was AQHA World Champion Ziprageous, owned by Mary Stricker; No. 5 was Cool Lookin Lady, a 3-year-old owned by Howard Smith, which earned $24,286, less than $700 below Ziprageous, and the No. 6 horse was the maturity horse, Zippos Cowgirl, a 4-year-old owned by Teri Shapiro, which earned $21,832 throughout 2000 with Carl Yamber.
