Alexandria Holland - Family, Faith and Fun

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By Richard Hudgins
© Voice, July 2005

Alexandria Holland is the 14-year-old
daughter of Sherry and Neal Holland, Jr., of Decatur, Alabama. She is an 8th grader at Decatur Heritage Christian Academy and is an active member of Autumnwood Baptist Church.

She is one of seven children and shares her life with older brother, Ty, age 27; younger brothers Jackson, age 12; Jordan, age 10; Sawyer, age, 9; Sterling, age 6; and younger sister Lily Catherine, age 5. When Neal and Sherry are not driving Alexandria to the horse show or the barn, they are busy taking the boys to Dixie Youth baseball games and Neal is busy serving as coach of their teams.

Alexandria remembers being horse crazy all her life and her parents had to satisfy their daughter’s intense desire by purchasing a couple of miniature horses when she was age five.

As she grew, she became involved in cheerleading, art, and academics. However, the honor roll’s student’s main passion was horses.

“I would go to “Books-A-Million and purchase books on how to care for horses,” Alexandria said.

Her parents realized that horses were a true passion for her and felt she needed some professional lessons.

Neal pondered the next step. He recalled some memories from his youth and began to track down some old contacts.

Neal grew up riding pleasure Tennessee Walking Horses. His father was an amateur breeder and he remembers him breeding mares to Merry Go Boy, Go Boy’s Shadow, and Ebony Masterpiece. He attended the Celebration with his father when he was four and continued attending the big show until he entered college at the University of Alabama.

Neal began making inquiries and was referred to Crow and Moore Stables in Fairview, Ala., where Leslie Moore gave riding lessons.

Neal contacted Mrs. Moore, better known as “Sam”, and set up a lesson schedule for Alexandria. The stable was only about 40 minutes from their house and Alexandria took two riding lessons a week. Alexandria took to the horses, riding and showing like a duck to water.

Alexandria was thrilled to be at the barn. She was equally happy riding, grooming, or petting the horses. She just wanted to be around them.

As fate would have it, Sherry Holland had friends from her hometown of Arab, Ala., Gus and Tobie King. The King’s daughter, Jenna King, invited Alexandria over to swim one day. When Neal realized that Gus King owned Tennessee Walking Horses, he told him that he was looking for a pleasure horse for Alexandria and asked him if he had any suggestions.

Gus and Neal developed a relationship and began a search for a pleasure horse. During this process, Gus introduced him to Bob Kilgore.

“I decided that I wanted to buy Alexandria a performance Tennessee Walking Horse and that I wanted to own and campaign an open horse,” Neal said. “Bob told me every reason why I shouldn’t and what the downsides were. I listened to what he had to say but I am a very competitive person and I was willing to take the chances.”

The Hollands attended their first Celebration as a family in 2003 not only as owners, but as winners! Neal had purchased one-half interest in NYPD from Gus King and Tim Gray rode him to the Three-Year-Old World Grand Championship. In addition the Hollands purchased one-third interest in Main Power with Gus King and Bob Kilgore. Joe Cotten of David Landrum Stables rode him to the Four-Year-Old World Grand Championship.

Outstanding is the way Alexandria Holland described her first Celebration. “I had so much fun seeing all the horses and meeting so many wonderful people,” she said.

Later that fall, Neal gave David Landrum the commission to find Alexandria the perfect juvenile show horse. David selected Pushin’ That Jazz, who was owned at the time by Sara Dunn. However, he was so perfect that Laura Brandon saw him at the Trainer’s Show and wanted him and made Neal an offer he could not refuse. Before the show season even began, Alexandria was back to being without a show horse and the search was back on. However, the Hollands were not concerned. They are faithful people and realize that everything happens for a reason - they knew the right horse for Alexandria would come along.

David Landrum had already recognized Alexandria’s natural ability and time already spent in the saddle that put her experience level beyond her years. Although he had not yet found her a replacement to Pushin’ That Jazz, he wanted to put her in the ring. Terry and Erika Mann agreed to let Alexandria catch-ride I’m Bond, James Bond. In Alexandria’s first time in the show ring, she directed the pony to a blue at the 2004 Mississippi State Charity Horse Show.

The season progressed and David Landrum still had not found the perfect replacement to Pushin’ That Jazz. Again, the Hollands were not concerned – they knew the right horse would come along and it did. In what some described as a risky move, the Hollands purchased open four-year-old stallion contender Ritz’s Diamond Joe from owners and breeders Randall and Martha Ferguson.

However, the Holland’s had full faith in the decisions of David Landrum and Joe Cotten and welcomed the opportunity. Diamond Joe was gelded for the youth division and less than a month before the 2004 Celebration, the new team won in their debut at the Fayetteville, Tenn., horse show the first weekend in August.

They quieted any proponents of “beginner’s luck” and beautifully won the Youth 12-14 World Championship at the Celebration and placed fourth in the Youth 12-17 Championship.

They closed out their season with the youth class and championship victories at the Dixie Jubilee. This fall show was also the scene of another success for Alexandria. Neal purchased his partner’s interests in three-year-old stallion Rudy Rudiger. The Hollands and the Landrums felt he would be perfect for Alexandria in the Walking Pony division. They were right! They paired beautifully together and won the Youth Walking Pony class and received rave reviews for their performance in their first show.

Alexandria is in the midst of a fun and successful season in 2005. She has won
youth blues with Ritz’s Diamond Joe at the Trainers’ Show, Mississippi State Charity, and the Fun Show. Also, at the Fun Show, Alexandria unanimously won the Youth Walking Pony class with Rudy Rudiger.

She looks forward to competing for a repeat Celebration blue on Ritz’s Diamond Joe in the Youth 12-14 class and stepping up to the roses in the Youth Championship. Likewise, she is excited about showing Rudy Rudiger at the Celebration and making a strong bid for the Youth Pony 14 and Under blue and the roses in the Youth Pony Championship.

While Alexandria is focused on her goals, she does have advice for other riders showing for the first time. “Relax and don’t get nervous. If you get too nervous your horse is going to know it. Take a deep breath and have fun!”

She also wants people to know that she is a Christian and that showing love for her fellow riders is more important to her than winning.

The Hollands feel blessed to have and enjoy opportunities such as this with their family. The Walking Horse industry is also blessed to have such caring and sportsmanship-like exhibitors.