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For Jerry and Jane Nolin of Warsaw, proprietors of the Dairy Queen restaurants in Warsaw, raising and showing horses was once just a hobby.
That was then.
This is now.
"It started out as a hobby when we got married 25 years ago," said Jerry. "Then our daughter showed quarter horses. And now I'm the vice-president of the Indiana Quarter Horse Association."
According to Nolin, there are 700 members in the IQHA.
Not only is Jerry Nolin the vice president of the IQHA, he and his wife raise and own a horse named Sheza Charlie Too, a horse that recently was ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Jessie Dorland, a native of Denver, Colo., is the trainer of this 3-year-old mare that was shown in the Hunter Under Saddle Futurity.
"We started out winning the circuit championship in Denver, then we went to Las Vegas," said Jerry. "Then we had six majors for charity, and we took second in another two."
Scores at these competitions are based on the movement of the horse and how the horse is shown.
But what exactly does the IQHA do?
"We put on horse shows and sponsor shows and riding," said Jerry. "We're affiliated with the American Quarter Horse Association, and we're a very strong youth organization."
At the time of this interview, the Nolins owned 10 horses. In his life, Jerry said he has owned about 30 horses. He says he's raised Sheza Charlie Too since she was a baby but was going to put her up for sale at the Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus, Ohio. He said that over time, the time and expenses put into his so-called hobby have begun to rack up.
"It's fun to win, but it's a lot of miles and a lot of expenses," said Jerry. "We're going to Columbus, Ohio, and we hope to sell her at the Quarter Horse Congress. It's the largest horse show in the world - 14,000 horses will be there over three weeks."
Jerry said the success Sheza Charlie Too has had will raise what she is worth.
"Wining four of six majors will raise her value," said Jerry. "She's won enough to help pay her expenses."
Jerry and Jane Nolin's daughter has shown for the Indiana World Team. Jerry said his goal was to raise a good horse for his grandchildren.
