Five years can change a lot. Christin Bailey of Boothbay was 13 then, a spectator in an Oklahoma City arena, when another local girl, Brooke Alley, rode to victory at the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show.

Last week, Bailey, now 18, was off the sidelines and in the competition with her horse Nicki. The two trotted, cantered and galloped their way to second place in the Grand National Road Hack Hunter Seat class.

The position earned them the “reserve champion” title for that class.

“Complete shock” was her reaction, she said later.

The 2012 Boothbay Region High School graduate attends Thomas College in Waterville, but she plans to keep riding and competing. The outcome of the Oklahoma event has only buoyed her intentions. “It's so inspirational,” she said.

As the weeklong event wrapped up October 13, Bailey also snagged the sportsmanship award in a Youth of the Year contest. She and Kahla Vise, also 18 and a Boothbay resident, both performed well in that contest, according to members of the contingent from Sea-Vu Farm in Boothbay.

Other competitors from Sea-Vu Farm turned in strong showings in the event's final days.

Hali Goodwin, 10, of Boothbay earned the reserve championship in Walk Trot Classic Pleasure, 11 and under, for both the Grand National and World Championship portions of the event. Goodwin also took third for ages 10 and 11 in a Grand National Walk Trot Equitation class, and ninth in the World Championship for that class.

Skyler Davis, 14, of Boothbay had two fifth place finishes and took fourth in the World Championship Classic Pleasure Saddle class, ages 13 and under; and Joanne Lewis, 66, of Boothbay took seventh in Classic Pleasure Driving Masters plus a tenth in Open Classic Pleasure Driving, both in the World Championship.

Caroline Cadorette finished third in the Grand National Walk Trot Hunter Equitation class, ages 8 and under. Earlier in the week, Cadorette, on her equine partner Ellie, became the show's youngest ever champion of the Walk Trot Hunter Pleasure class for ages 11 and under.

“They all worked so hard, each of them amazed us,” Cadorette's mother,  Meagan Cadorette, wrote in an email.

In a separate email, Goodwin's mother, Amy Goodwin, thanked Sea-Vu Farm trainer Katie Yereance and the farm's owner Dawn Murphy “for all their hard work and encouragement. None of us could have done it without them.”

Susan Johns can be reached at 844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com.

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