 Where it all began...
Ryan's Story:
Ryan's story starts pretty young. He was born into a horse show family where both his mother, Patricia, and father, Jim McKillips, were both successful horse show trainers. Ryan was the second addition to the family. He has an older sister, Tracy, who also showed throughout her youth and amateur years. Not only was Ryan born into a family that trained and showed, but he was born into a whole lineage of horse showing, breeding, raising, ranching, etc. His grandparents, Bob and Eleanor McKillips, were (and still are) very active in the Paints, Ponies, and Quarter Horses. His grandmother even ran a western store off of the family farm for many years.
Ever since Ryan can remember he helped his grandfather doing chores in and around the barn—he has always been taught to work hard since he was young and has never stopped. Whether it was getting ready for a sale, standing a stud, or breaking out horses, he was always there for his family and still is. Luckily, riding horses is something that always came naturally to Ryan and he has been very fortunate to learn from many people. Above all, he feels that without the life lessons that were instilled in him early on by his grandparents, by his mother and by his father, he would not be where he is today. The Meri J Ranch stands in Beloit, WI and is still run by Ryan's father, Jim McKillips, but is now owned by Percott Co. Ryan has worked for his father, and Percott Co. for most of his life (minus a couple years here and there apprenticing for people like Tom and Leslie Lange and Donnie Dickerson to name a few). Although he worked for his family, his learning was not limited in any way. Throughout the years many well-known trainers also worked for Jim and the Percott Company, therefore allowing Ryan to ‘pick’ their brains and learn from them.
Ryan takes the opportunity to learn from anyone and everyone; he says that there is not enough room on this page to list the number of people that have given him advice or helped him out through out the years.
Shannon’s Story:
Unlike Ryan, Shannon was not born into a horse family. However, for reasons no one can explain, she has always had a passion for them. Ever since she can remember the only reason she wanted to go to the City Fair was so that she could ride the pony's (you know, the ones that were all tied to each other on a walker like device). Shannon would ride them like 10 times before her parents would finally drag her away!
Eventually, she convinced her parents to enroll her into a horseback riding summer camp. It was an English hunter/jumper place and is where she learned all the basics. From here her passion only continued to grow and when summer was over they found a place where she began taking weekly lessons, now western, and spending every waking minute on that farm.
Shannon says that she has had the opportunity to work with and learn from many talented trainers (and friends) through out the years (way to many to mention); however she has really only had three main trainers. Her first trainer, Vonda O’Donnell taught her a great foundation, gave Shannon her first horse and helped find her second horse as well. Robyn Storey, her second trainer, with whom she lived with for a couple years—taught her more than just training methods. She taught her how important attention to detail and poise were, how important it was to know who you were showing to and what keeping track of points was really all about! Robyn really took Shannon to the next level; from showing at weekend QH shows to showing 'state side' and opening new and exciting doors for her. Finally, it was Robyn who introduced Shannon to her third set of trainers: Christie Showerman and Jim Evans of Northfork Farms. Shannon says Christie and Jim taught her enough to write a book about! They helped to push her to accomplish many things she thought were unattainable.
In 2004, Shannon gave up her Amateur status and began working along side Ryan at the Meri J Ranch for Percott Co. It was a bittersweet decision for her she says, as she really enjoys the pattern classes and she misses not being able to do them anymore. However, being able to help others learn to communicate with their horse and being able to work with multiple horses and seeing the results, she says, is a very rewarding experience.
Their Story:
It is one that begins-- at where else-- but a horse show in sunny Tampa, Florida at the Gold Coast Circuit in 2000. It was New Years Eve 2000/2001. Shannon was out with some friends in Ebore City celebrating the New Year and Ryan showed up later that evening. Ryan was with some of his friends that just happened to know some of the people that Shannon was with.
Although she can't say that she was personally impressed with Ryan when she first met him, she does however remember thinking that he was very cute. Regardless of this first impression, somehow Shannon ended up with tons and tons of pictures of the two of them together (maybe a sign)?? When Ryan and Shannon ran into each other a couple times the next day, but they did not speak. Since Shannon did not go to Venice that year they didn’t see each other again until the Congress later that year. There they were re-introduced by the same mutual friend.
When they met again Ryan could not remember Shannon’s “real” name. Which is not totally his fault since the only name ever given to him was "Canadian Girl"--a common nickname she had been tagged with. Just as Shannon finished explaining to him that she only gave her name out once and it was too bad he did not remember it and that he would have to find it out another way, her mom shouted out it out from down the barn aisle! She advised him not to forget it, as she wasn’t giving it out twice! After that, the rest is so called history; they ended up spending the rest of that evening together sitting talking until early the next morning—which just so happened to be his birthday!
For Ryan and Shannon there is still a lot more to come in the future. They are looking forward to continuing in the process of helping others attain their goals and dreams as well as expanding and adding to their own. They have found that there is nothing more satisfying than watching someone else’s dreams come true and to know that they have been a part of that is just, well ..wonderful to say the least. It really makes all the late nights, early mornings and hard work worth it all!!
Click Here to read a story about Ryan and Shannon that was featured in the Equine Chronicle |
