For the talented black and white mare Paint's Little Chickadee's (sired by Paints Rooster and out of Glory Morning Star S), the Sport Horse World Grand Championship is one of many accomplishments. She was TWHBEA Supreme Versatility Champion in 1997 under the direction of previous owner Tammy Coffman. Chick, as she's so fondly called, was raised by Coffman in Missouri, and being a Missourian from the "Show Me" state, Chick has been definitely showing you just what a Spotted Saddle Horse can do.

The 1999 SSHBEA Sport Horse High Point Mare, Chick had only just begun. Enter the Tankersleys, Bubba & Lynn of Lewisburg, Tennessee. Until a year and a half ago, they had never even owned a horse. It all started with them looking for two Spotted Horses to trail ride and keep on their 15 acre farm on the edge of Lewisburg. Michelle Talley, their ten-year-old grandson Blane Tankersley's mother, was an excellent horsewoman and was there to lend a helping hand.

During the 1999 Sport Horse World Championship, Paint's Little Chickadee caught Michelle's eye and she said, " this is the horse the Tankersleys are looking for." Having only seen Chick from a distance, their first good look was when Michelle picked her up the Sunday morning after the 1999 Sport Competition and delivered her to T & T Farms.

A smiling Bubba said " I didn't know how good Chick was when we bought her. I thought we'd just bought a good trail horse. Her times are close to some quarter horses."

Chick was a member of a drill team for five years, and she has competed in numerous competitive trail rides in Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama, and Tennessee. Michelle's and Chick's first round of competition as a team was the 2000 Winter Games at Calsonic where she won many events.

June of 2000 found T & T Farms and Paint's Little Chickadee as one of the SSHBEA representatives at Equitana in Louisville, KY, where she touched peoples hearts, as Michelle put her through her paces for people from all across the U.S. and numerous other countries. A big hit, people gathered around her stall, to pet and give treats to her. They couldn't believe the versatility of the Spotted Saddle Horses on display. Chick left a lasting impression on hundreds of people at Equitana, from her performance to the gentleness she displayed by letting small children sit on her back while she stood calmly as the docile baby sitter.

Michelle enters Chick in Sport Horse events such as barrels, poles, team penning, hunting, and trail classes. Then she enters Chick & Blane in the same events, and many times they beat Michelle's time.

Paint's Little Chickadee proved to be the true champion she is by winning the title of World Grand Champion Sport Horse and High Point mare, fabulous wins for folks that were just looking for a trail horse to ride on Sundays.

The versatile Chick can be seen at numerous trail rides and overnight camping trips from Woodbury to the Natchez Trace to the Big Buffalo.

A mare for all seasons and a mare for all reasons, Michelle says "Chick has been nothing but a great joy and pleasure to be around. She is shod by the Tankersley's nephew, Rob Cornelius of Rogersville, AL. Her dentist is John Haffner of Columbia, TN, and Dr. Victor Wakefield of Lewisburg, TN is her vet. The Tankersley's and I are deeply thankful to have the opportunity to own, ride, and love such a talented and versatile individual." And indeed she is a great example of the Spotted Saddle Horse Breed!

The Tankersley family expresses their deepest "Thank You" to Michelle Talley and Blane Tankersley for the time they have spent working and showing Chick to top honors.