Mitzi Mantle and Glory B Rockin Win
3 Year Old Futurity Amateur Owned and Trained

By Josephine Cozean Styron

When Glory B Rockin and Mitzi Nichols Mantle took the victory pass for the 2014 Three-Year-Old Futurity Amateur Owned and Trained championship, they had the crowd “whoopin and hollerin” over an exciting performance from a fine young mare. “Glory’s” win was another example of how good Mantle’s breeding program is.

Glory B Rockin is out of Mantle’s mare Hell Bent ‘N Glory Bound and was sired by HTR’s Rock N Roller. Her bloodlines include such greats as Outlaw’s Patriot, Merry Boy Sensation, and the foundation mare June. Mitzi’s family has been raising and showing these bloodlines for three generations.

“As a breeder, when you cross bloodlines, you are deciding what characteristics to pull from each bloodline. It’s really neat to see what the offspring become,” said Mantle. “Then as a rider, you enable the horse to demonstrate the qualities you want.”

“Glory had her head and walk set, and she was just getting comfortable in her trot, when we came to Ava,” said Mantle. Because Mantle’s father Jim was supposed to have surgery, Mantle took Glory home to Sparta, Missouri, every night. “When we went to the show, she stayed put together and did really well,” said Mantle. “After her win Thursday night (in the preliminary class), she even did okay on the victory pass, which can be a scary thing for young horses because they’re all alone out there,” said Mantle.

During the Saturday night Futurity championship class, Glory was even more confident in the show ring. “She was pretty quick to catch on to what her job is,” said Mantle.

“It’s great to know you’ve accomplished and succeeded in what you set out to do,” said Mantle. “There’s great competition out there, and there’s also competition within yourself to always try to do better and better.”

“During the victory pass, Glory showed she had more in there than before,” said Mantle, “so now I’ve got more to work with.”

Mantle has plans to continue showing her champion mare and is just starting Glory’s full sister for the 2015 Three Year Old Futurity. “I’m offering Glory’s full brother and little sister for sale,” said Mantle. It’s a pretty safe bet that, as products of Mantle’s breeding and training program, these horses may become champions as well.