ROSSTAR SUPERBOY
My Once in a Lifetime Horse
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"The loss of any lesson horse is the loss of a legacy...a history...and a deep, irreplaceable repository of knowledge, compassion, understanding, and love. Our lesson horses are the foundation upon which our careers are built. They sow seeds in the horse world that will continue to grow and flourish long after they are gone. Here's to all of the wonderful lesson horses who have passed. The loss of one is a loss to us all." -Daphne Doherty Thornton
To know Nina, was to know Superboy. Rosstar Superboy was a thirty-two year old purebred Arabian gelding standing 13.3 hands tall with a heart of gold. He truly helped me achieve Professional Status and was the backbone of my operation. As he'd aged over the years, his personality really started to shine. My parents, Craig and Debbie Shaffer purposely chose to purchase a four year old horse for their three year old daughter. The reasoning- they did not want to have to explain death to their young daughter. However, it made goodbye later in life that much more difficult after 29 amazing years together.
After being purchased from the Gardner Arabians family operation in Virginia back in 1993, Superboy soon became the best gift my parents had ever purchased for me. My parents were criticized for years for doing so, but people soon saw the incredible relationship I had with my pony. This relationship is talked about fondly to this day. I'd walk him by myself all over different horse show grounds, crawl underneath of him, dress him up, groom, tack, and braid him by myself as soon as I could reach his back. He tolerated some crazy things over the years such as a 200 pound bass drum that my Gammie thought he'd carry; parades (with sirens & flashing lights), “Take Your Pet to School Day” (pre-school, elementary, and middle school), and then their was the time he went walking through the sliding glass doors at the local PetSmart. Those things are not what has made him most famous.
Superboy was the “costume horse”, not your typical Arabian native costume horse, but a funny costume horse. Our favorite childhood horse show quickly became the PA Junior Amateur Games. Why? They had all kinds of gymkana classes such as funny costume, egg and spoon, and a cake walk.
When Superboy and I were younger, my parents became involved in helping run the horse shows. We began taking my grandmother, “Gammie”, with us to look after me. My Gammie was my number one fan and had an incredible gift of altering and sewing. In order to go to the horse shows my Mom told her she needed to learn how to do a running braid in Superboy's mane. As a kid, I fondly remember Gammie going to the local beauty supply store to purchase a hair weave. Gammie pinned it to a couch cushion and taught herself how to do the running braid from pictures.
In 1995, we attended our first Pennsylvania Arabian Junior Amateur Games show in Bloomsburg, PA making it our favorite show where we dressed as beach-goers in the Funny Costume Class for the first time. It was that car ride home that is responsible for many hours of Gammie sewing away into the wee hours of the night making things that you 'just cannot buy.'
Each year after the Pennsylvania Arabian Junior Amateur Games horse show my family would come up with the next years funny costume. The first year, after a third place finish as beach-goers, we were anxious to win the class, so in 1996 Superboy was a groom, and I his blonde bride. Our costumes were always a family secret.
After being purchased from the Gardner Arabians family operation in Virginia back in 1993, Superboy soon became the best gift my parents had ever purchased for me. My parents were criticized for years for doing so, but people soon saw the incredible relationship I had with my pony. This relationship is talked about fondly to this day. I'd walk him by myself all over different horse show grounds, crawl underneath of him, dress him up, groom, tack, and braid him by myself as soon as I could reach his back. He tolerated some crazy things over the years such as a 200 pound bass drum that my Gammie thought he'd carry; parades (with sirens & flashing lights), “Take Your Pet to School Day” (pre-school, elementary, and middle school), and then their was the time he went walking through the sliding glass doors at the local PetSmart. Those things are not what has made him most famous.
Superboy was the “costume horse”, not your typical Arabian native costume horse, but a funny costume horse. Our favorite childhood horse show quickly became the PA Junior Amateur Games. Why? They had all kinds of gymkana classes such as funny costume, egg and spoon, and a cake walk.
When Superboy and I were younger, my parents became involved in helping run the horse shows. We began taking my grandmother, “Gammie”, with us to look after me. My Gammie was my number one fan and had an incredible gift of altering and sewing. In order to go to the horse shows my Mom told her she needed to learn how to do a running braid in Superboy's mane. As a kid, I fondly remember Gammie going to the local beauty supply store to purchase a hair weave. Gammie pinned it to a couch cushion and taught herself how to do the running braid from pictures.
In 1995, we attended our first Pennsylvania Arabian Junior Amateur Games show in Bloomsburg, PA making it our favorite show where we dressed as beach-goers in the Funny Costume Class for the first time. It was that car ride home that is responsible for many hours of Gammie sewing away into the wee hours of the night making things that you 'just cannot buy.'
Each year after the Pennsylvania Arabian Junior Amateur Games horse show my family would come up with the next years funny costume. The first year, after a third place finish as beach-goers, we were anxious to win the class, so in 1996 Superboy was a groom, and I his blonde bride. Our costumes were always a family secret.
In 1997, Superboy was dressed in a hoop skirt that was a Christmas tree and I was his angel perched on top. We had a tape recorder (my how technology has changed!) that played the song 'Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree.' I remember Superboy stopping for a second. Unbeknownst to me, he became stuck on a dowel rod at the front of the skirt, stopped, backed a few steps, and continued marching around the ring. The entire time he was getting banged in the knees and ankles. The crowd was commenting at my halo that lit up. After that win at the show, people tried to pry information out of me as to what my costume would be for the next year. They thought since I was still pretty young that I’d spill the beans, but that was never the case. The horse show organizers will never know just how much fun this class was for Gammie, Superboy and me when they first added it to their show schedule.
In 1998, we had our best costume yet. Of course sewn by Gammie, this costume was inspired by something that my Gammie, Mom, and I all briefly had in common-baton twirling. Superboy was dressed in a full band members uniform, including a pair of pants, wearing a jacket with stuffed arms embroidered Superboy & Shaffer, one on each upper sleeve. The arms had wire through them and attached was stuffed gloves with Velcro holding a pair of drum sticks. This also included a heavy band members hat with a flume. Remember that bass drum weighing two-hundred pounds that I mentioned above? Well, Gammie bought it thinking Superboy would carry that around his neck. That idea was quickly shot down by Pamela Earll and her parents, Dave and Joanne who took care of Superboy for over ten years at their Silver Buck Farm and put up with our costume dress rehearsal shenanigans. They suggested Gammie make a paper mache one instead.
Gammie later sold the bass drum to my elementary school. I was aboard wearing a majorette outfit twirling my baton. She also made a hat for me that went over my helmet and had a flume too. When we MARCHED around the ring, the drum was whacking Superboy in the knees and his shoulders made the whole thing look like he was truly playing! The crowd was hysterical!
In 1998, we had our best costume yet. Of course sewn by Gammie, this costume was inspired by something that my Gammie, Mom, and I all briefly had in common-baton twirling. Superboy was dressed in a full band members uniform, including a pair of pants, wearing a jacket with stuffed arms embroidered Superboy & Shaffer, one on each upper sleeve. The arms had wire through them and attached was stuffed gloves with Velcro holding a pair of drum sticks. This also included a heavy band members hat with a flume. Remember that bass drum weighing two-hundred pounds that I mentioned above? Well, Gammie bought it thinking Superboy would carry that around his neck. That idea was quickly shot down by Pamela Earll and her parents, Dave and Joanne who took care of Superboy for over ten years at their Silver Buck Farm and put up with our costume dress rehearsal shenanigans. They suggested Gammie make a paper mache one instead.
Gammie later sold the bass drum to my elementary school. I was aboard wearing a majorette outfit twirling my baton. She also made a hat for me that went over my helmet and had a flume too. When we MARCHED around the ring, the drum was whacking Superboy in the knees and his shoulders made the whole thing look like he was truly playing! The crowd was hysterical!
Unknown at the time, that A-rated horse show was one of the last shows we'd compete at as juniors. In 1999, my parents divorced. To this day it has put a lot of stress on me being as I am an only child. Gammie would drive me to the barn six to seven days a week and I would put all of my energy into practicing. I give full credit to Gammie and Superboy for me becoming a professional in this industry today. I taught Superboy how to jump, do lead changes, go western pleasure, cross bridges and so much more-all without professional help. He was broke to walk, trot, and canter but that was about the extent of his training as a young horse. I taught Superboy to go western pleasure just by watching others. I convinced my Mom and Dad to let me show him western pleasure in a Go As You Please class several weeks later. My Dad cut wooden blocks to fit into my western stirrups so that I could reach. I was second in a class of twelve, most of the entries were adults too.
It wasn’t until 2009 that Superboy and I ventured back into the A-rated Arabian breed shows after showing six consecutive years at the PA State 4-H Horse Show. In 2007, we were eighth in the State and in 2008, we were third.
Finances prohibited rated shows, but I enjoyed all the years just riding for pleasure. Having my first paying job as a lifeguard, I was able to personally fund a few rated shows a year.
It came as no surprise to our Arabian friends when Superboy and I showed up to the 2009 PAJAG horse show dressed as a Playboy bunny escorted by Hugh Hefner. I told Gammie that since Superboy and I were many years older that we could have a little more fun with the costumes. In 2010 I went dressed as The St. Paulie Girl accompanied by a German Beer enthusiast, Superboy. That outfit was inspired by our German heritage as Shaffer’s.
It wasn’t until 2009 that Superboy and I ventured back into the A-rated Arabian breed shows after showing six consecutive years at the PA State 4-H Horse Show. In 2007, we were eighth in the State and in 2008, we were third.
Finances prohibited rated shows, but I enjoyed all the years just riding for pleasure. Having my first paying job as a lifeguard, I was able to personally fund a few rated shows a year.
It came as no surprise to our Arabian friends when Superboy and I showed up to the 2009 PAJAG horse show dressed as a Playboy bunny escorted by Hugh Hefner. I told Gammie that since Superboy and I were many years older that we could have a little more fun with the costumes. In 2010 I went dressed as The St. Paulie Girl accompanied by a German Beer enthusiast, Superboy. That outfit was inspired by our German heritage as Shaffer’s.
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In 2015 I decided to reveal one of our famous costumes on a different stage- a 'hunter' A-rated show, The Pennsylvania National Horse Show. My close friend Nicole Molinaro, called to tell me that 'Harrisburg' would be adding an inaugural costume leadline class to the schedule. Nicole had absolutely no idea what I'd show up with, she just knew I'd be there eager to take home the blue. This didn't happen without many tears, because Brooke (a longtime 4-H friend) convinced me that Superboy needed to have his shoulder-length mane pulled to go compete. I will admit he looked stellar and had kept his hunter-do since 2015!
Seventeen years after I'd worn the angel costume aboard Superboy, I had one of my 4-H club members younger sister in the irons to parade around the PA National Grand Prix arena in Harrisburg. Superboy was finally awarded the standing ovation he's deserved all along. Carson Kressley, the judge, awarded Superboy the blue ribbon and about a week later I was interviewed by The Chronicle of the Horse, receiving an entire page spread on the outrageous outfit everyone could not stop commenting on at Harrisburg. The best part, my little, bay, Arabian gelding Rosstar Superboy made history on Junior Weekend at Pennsylvania National.
Superboy went back to Harrisburg weeks later to compete at the PA State 4-H Horse Show with a club member making him a 7-time PA State 4-H Horse Show Qualifier in both Western Pleasure and Hunt Seat Eq Beginner Rider. He made the Top 10 in the State three times and Top 5 once in his 7 trips to the PA State 4-H Horse Show.
Seventeen years after I'd worn the angel costume aboard Superboy, I had one of my 4-H club members younger sister in the irons to parade around the PA National Grand Prix arena in Harrisburg. Superboy was finally awarded the standing ovation he's deserved all along. Carson Kressley, the judge, awarded Superboy the blue ribbon and about a week later I was interviewed by The Chronicle of the Horse, receiving an entire page spread on the outrageous outfit everyone could not stop commenting on at Harrisburg. The best part, my little, bay, Arabian gelding Rosstar Superboy made history on Junior Weekend at Pennsylvania National.
Superboy went back to Harrisburg weeks later to compete at the PA State 4-H Horse Show with a club member making him a 7-time PA State 4-H Horse Show Qualifier in both Western Pleasure and Hunt Seat Eq Beginner Rider. He made the Top 10 in the State three times and Top 5 once in his 7 trips to the PA State 4-H Horse Show.
In 2016, I claimed professional status and began teaching and training. After several months, I had lesson students that were capable to ride my most treasured possession. Superboy was the backbone of my business and helped many of my students begin their riding and show careers and build confidence in their riding. He has won me several ribbons at the Devon show grounds as well as several of my students. He jumped around at Devon to several ribbons at thirty-one years of age.
The most important thing he's taught me over the years is how to love unconditionally. I’m thankful for Dana Gardner being willing to even sell Superboy knowing how young I was and to parents who weren't "horse people." The hardest day of my life happened on January 20, 2022 when Superboy suddenly and unexpectedly went into liver failure. I will be forever grateful to him for laying the foundation for my lesson program with each child he carried on his back. Together we were inseparable and unstoppable.
As I continue to walk on life’s path without my greatest friend, Superboy, I am reminded just how precious and short life can be. Their is no doubt both Superboy and Gammie have earned the top spots in my HALL OF FAME for their unwavering support in making Grand Slam Equestrian a success. I would not be here without their unconditional love and efforts in this endeavor, just wish they could have stayed a little while longer.
The most important thing he's taught me over the years is how to love unconditionally. I’m thankful for Dana Gardner being willing to even sell Superboy knowing how young I was and to parents who weren't "horse people." The hardest day of my life happened on January 20, 2022 when Superboy suddenly and unexpectedly went into liver failure. I will be forever grateful to him for laying the foundation for my lesson program with each child he carried on his back. Together we were inseparable and unstoppable.
As I continue to walk on life’s path without my greatest friend, Superboy, I am reminded just how precious and short life can be. Their is no doubt both Superboy and Gammie have earned the top spots in my HALL OF FAME for their unwavering support in making Grand Slam Equestrian a success. I would not be here without their unconditional love and efforts in this endeavor, just wish they could have stayed a little while longer.
“My favorite memory of Superboy is when I rode him bareback in a halter and lead rope at summer camp. He was such a patient and loving soul who taught me something every ride. Thank you for all of the times that you let me ride him.” -EH
