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georgia cook

A Family Affair

—Georgia Cook Joins Tradition of Showring Success

Youth competitor Georgia Cook is starting out strong in her youth career. Her father, JR Cook, credits Georgia with reigniting a passion for the horse industry that the entire Cook family now enjoys. JR and Melissa Cook

are no strangers to the show pen. They each grew up showing horses in different industries. JR grew up riding and showing cutting horses all over the country from the time he was twelve.

As a youth, Melissa showed the all-around and pleasure in paints. The two crossed paths at a paint show where JR was showing halter horses for his grandfather. “My grandfather has always had halter horses, and my grandmother wouldn’t let him show the studs. Anything too wild for him, they asked me to come show,” says JR. “That’s how I met Melissa at the Just for Pleasure Futurity in Georgia.”

They started dating at the next horse show. It wasn’t long before Melissa had JR riding and showing pleasure horses. “Melissa had two pleasure horses when we started dating. She wanted me to show one in the Novice Amateur Western Pleasure at the Paint World Show. We started practicing and she got me ready. I ended up reserve in the Novice Amateur Western Pleasure that year at the Paint World,” JR says. “That’s really how I got my start in pleasure horses.”

Lukes Like Money & Lazy Illusion

Isabella, Georgia & Elizabeth Cook

Georgia, JR, Isabella, Melissa & Elizabeth Cook

JR eventually moved to Texas and he and Melissa married. He says, “At that time, her family had a lot of pleasure horses. Melissa rode all the horses and did all the training herself. She rode to a Reserve World title in the Amateur Western Pleasure on a home bred and trained horse.” After getting married, the two decided to take a break from showing and focus on building both a business and family. In 2010, JR and Melissa started their own construction company. In 2011 their daughter Georgia was born. “At that time in our lives we focused completely on our family and our business. We wanted to set ourselves up to be able to show again in the future,” he says.

As Georgia got older, she developed an interest in the backyard horses the Cooks owned. “She really started to notice them,” JR says. Georgia began taking lessons locally, and as many horse parents know, the rest was history. “The more she did, the more she wanted to start showing. This is how it starts,” JR laughs. The family waited to make sure Georgia’s passion for horses was serious. “As we talked about getting back into this, I told Melissa one horse. We’re not getting into the whole ordeal,” he says.

In 2017 the family purchased Won It On My RV for Georgia to show in small fry events. “He taught Georgia a lot,” JR says. “He was a really good horse, and all the events that transpired with him got us to where we are today. My one horse rule has turned into seven.”

For the Cooks, the most important aspect of returning to the show pen has been doing it as a family. As their daughters’ interest in horses grew, JR and Melissa found themselves back in the arena as well. Melissa currently competes in western pleasure with the fouryear-old AQHA gelding, Flo Rida by No Doubt Im Lazy. This past year was Melissa’s first time back in the western pleasure arena since 2008, and she hasn’t missed a beat. The pair racked up numerous wins and placings at the country’s largest futurities and circuits, including winning the Reserve Championship

Lazy Illusion, Georgia & Cole Baker

at the 2022 NSBA World Show in the Three-Year-Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure and placing top five in the same class at the AllAmerican Quarter Horse Congress.

JR competes in amateur western pleasure with the six-year-old gelding Line Up Behind or “Calvin” by VS Flatline. “They have both been very good horses,” JR says. Line Up Behind won the Junior Western Pleasure at the AQHA World Show in 2021 and 2022 with Cole Baker. In 2021 JR won the Amateur Western Pleasure at the AQHA World Show and in 2022 they were reserve. JR knows that Calvin is one of those special, once in a lifetime horses. “You hear people talk about the concept of once in a lifetime horses, but I didn’t fully grasp it until I owned Calvin,” he says. JR jokes that his time with the horse is likely limited as Georgia is vying to take over the reins. Perhaps that’s how it should go since they owe their return to showing to Georgia.

“Georgia got us back into all of this,” JR says. Following her year showing Won It On My RV in the small fry division, Georgia added horsemanship and showmanship to her repertoire. She had the good fortune of showing multiple horses from the beginning. “We bought a mare called Consider Me Best from our trainers Cole and Liz Baker,” says JR. “She was a really good mare, a great jogger, and she ended up being a really foundational horse for Georgia that gave her confidence. We still own the mare today. She has a baby every year and the kids ride her at home for practice.”

As Georgia’s skills improved the family looked to find a suitable partner to conclude her time in the small fry. Enter Famous N Foolish aka “OC.” The family purchased the gelding from the Rippeon family who had also experienced success with the gelding in the small fry events. Though the pandemic upended some of the pair’s showing plans, it didn’t take long for them to begin hitting on all cylinders in the pattern events. According to JR, “It took some time for Georgia to bond with OC due to COVID and the fact that we couldn’t get to a lot of shows. But once they started doing well, things really took off.”

In her final year of small fry, Georgia and Famous N Foolish won many of the major circuits and won the Small Fry Horsemanship at the NSBA World Show. They also placed in the top ten in showmanship and pleasure. At the APHA Youth World show the team placed in the top three in western pleasure and earned reserve champion honors in showmanship and horsemanship. It was at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress where the stars aligned for Georgia and OC. “Their lowest placing all week was tenth,” JR shares. After earning top ten placings in all their events, they ended up Reserve High Point Small Fry. “Earning that recognition was something she’d always aspired to,” says JR. “She was able to go for it and did an amazing job.”

Today, Georgia has made the step up into the 13 and Under division and is gearing up to compete at her first AQHA Youth World Show. Her show partners, A Lazy Illusion or “Deion,” who she shows in all-around events and Lukes Like Money or “Superman,” who she shows in hunter under

Famous N Foolish Famous N Foolish

Lazy Illusion Lazy Illusion

Lazy Illusion

Lazy Illusion Lazy Illusion

Lukes Like Money

saddle, hold a special place in the family’s heart. Georgia hit it off early with Deion as the pair earned multiple awards their first year together in the 13 and Under division. They earned the bronze championship at the 2022 NSBA World Show in Level 1 Youth Western Pleasure, which is an 18 and Under division.

Of her all-around partner, Georgia shares that Deion is a typical gelding. “He is really quiet and sweet,” says Georgia. “Anytime I walk up to his stall he points his ears at me and comes over for pets.” She says she enjoys showing him in the all-around events because of his calm and willing demeanor and desire to please.

As Georgia found success in the all-around events, she also developed a desire to show in the hunter under saddle. According to JR, trainer Liz Baker had a great senior hunter under saddle horse that has turned into the perfect mount for Georgia. Lukes Like Money came to the Bakers under unfortunate circumstances after experiencing severe neglect. “Liz nursed that horse

back to health,” shares JR. When the opportunity arose to purchase the horse, JR knew he would be an excellent fit for Georgia. That same year, despite never having had the opportunity to show him before, Georgia piloted Superman to top five finishes in both the 13 and Under and Novice Youth Hunter Under Saddle at the Congress. “We were ecstatic,” says JR. “It was her first time showing the horse and they both did so well. Superman is a saint, and you can tell he’s thankful. He’s had it rough in the past. Now he’s happy, healthy, and fit and has a kid that loves him. I think he knows he has it good.”

At the Youth World, Georgia will compete with Deion in 13 and Under Level 2 and 3 Western Pleasure, Showmanship, and Horsemanship. She will show Superman in 13 and Under Level 2 and 3 Hunter Under Saddle. She says, “I’m excited because I’ve shown the Youth World in the past, but this is the first year I will have all my horses there together.” Georgia has exhibited halter horses with her grandparents at previous Youth World Shows but will have a chance to exhibit her riding horses for the first time this year.

Jack E Boy KR Xfinity

She is no stranger to success in the halter arena, having won the Aged Mares & Three-Year-Old Geldings class last year. This year she will show KR Xfinity in the Aged Mares and Jack E Boy in Aged Geldings. Georgia says, “It’s really fun showing halter horses with my grandpa, they’re all super good and easy to show. My trainers Kelley and Adam Wainscott do a really good job of helping me learn how to show them correctly.”

As she looks ahead to the Youth World, Georgia share that her top goals are to complete her patterns like she practiced and combat any show ring nerves. She credits trainers Cole and Liz Baker with preparing her to do just that. She says, “I really like riding with Cole and Liz. They are both super nice and help me a lot. Liz helps me with hunter under saddle and showmanship and Cole helps me with western pleasure.”

While the wins and accolades that the Cook family has earned since their show ring return are impressive, it’s the ability to share the joy of horses as a family that keeps them going. “Since Georgia got us started, we’ve done all of this as a family and have had a lot of fun,” says JR.

Their younger daughters Bella and Elizabeth also ride and show, making it a true family affair. For JR, seeing his daughters experience life’s highs and lows through showing is what it’s all about. “The dad in me wants them to pick up hobbies they love. Because when you love it, you work hard at it. Your team is you and that animal, and you will go through more trials and tribulations and wins and losses with that horse than you ever will on a sports field. But at the end of the day, it’s so important for kids to have hobbies and give it their all and work to be become the best at whatever they choose to do.”

For Georgia, sharing the horses with her family is the best part. She shares, “My favorite part of any horse show is getting to watch my mom and dad practice at the end of the day when we’re done showing. I learn a lot just by watching them.”

Article Written by: Elizabeth Arnold

Lukes Like Money, Georgia , Lazy Illusion, Isabella, Tickled Pinkk, Elizabeth & Famous N Foolish

COMBINING COLORS SHOW

PROGRAM

This is a new opportunity to promote the Midwesthorse industry as a whole and support the betterment of the industry. We offer incentive breeding to nominated stallions and opportunity for cash payback and prizes to Midwest owners, breeders, and exhibitors.

CLASSES

PRICING + DEADLINES

a 4 show circuit series

THE GREAT 8 THE GREAT 8 MIDWEST CONNECTION

MAY 5-7

GREAT 8 ZONE-O-RAMA (4 judges POR) C BAR C ARENA | CLOVERDALE, IN

MAY 26-28

GREAT LAKES BREAKOUT (4 judges POR)

INGHAM COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS | MASON, MI

JULY 29-30

BORDER BASH (4 judges POR)

FULTON COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS | WAUSEON, OH

SEPTEMBER 16-17

HOOSIER BUCKEYE PALOOZA (4 judges POR)

HOOSIER HORSE PARK | EDINBURG, IN

Exciting Prizes for 2023!!

4 Series All Around Saddles (Youth, Am, Open, SPB) Adding SPB Saddle in 2023!

17 Division All Around Awards

17 Division Res. All Around Prizes

Grand Champion Halter Award Series Class Circuit Awards

* Must show at 3 of 4 events to qualify.

* Exhibitor AND Owner must hold memberships in MI, OH & IN to qualify.

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