Joey Sampson-Lewis
During her childhood Joey was a Uniacke Globetrotter 4-H member in the English, Western and Harness Light Horse Programs, eventually concentrating on Western. She won the Horsemanship trophy each year she was a member.
Joey started Western instruction with Jim Durling of Equine Excellence at age 10 and began her Rider Levels at age 11.
She was the NSRHA Novice winner the first year of it's existence, riding Jim Durling's Justa Impressive. The following year she won the NSRHA Non Pro award riding out of Equine Excellence on Bobby Bar Chex; and a year later she was both Non-Pro Champion and Reserve Non-Pro Champion with Bobby Bar Chex and Nick's Twist.
That year Joey and Bobby also won the gold medal in Reining and the silver medal in Western Riding at the Atlantic Coast Games, and the Reining & Western Riding coolers at the Heritage Championships. As a teenager Joey made the Junior Heritage Team each year.
While showing for Equine Excellence she was also showing her own Curly horse, Sans of Time, in English, Western & Harness. Joey and San won the ABC International Youth award for 5 straight years.
Joey has shown in the Maritimes, Ontario, Quebec and the USA. While in Nevada she rode with Benny Damele, who was considered by most to be the best horse trainer in the state.
After graduation Joey took some time away from the show ring to become a vet tech, take a course in Equine First Aid, and train her Quarter Horse, My Secret Weapon (Jed), who won a Green Horse cooler that year.
Joey then went back to Equine Excellence to become an EC Level 1 Western Coach.
After starting work with Dr. Dave MacHattie of Middleton, she became a Team Penner and also started instructing and training part time at Middleton Meadows. She later went with Donald Fancy of Blue Hills Farm, Lapland, for a two year apprenticeship. It was at Blue Hills Farm, where she trained and instructed, that Joey went back to her Reining roots, winning her first Open class with Smokin Doc Steel. In 2002 Joey bought Smokin Spanish Tivio, a son of Doc, and competed English & Western. Joey & Spanish were the winners of the Bluenose Western cooler at the 2002 Annapolis County Exhibition. The pair duplicated this feat in 2003, and also won High Point Western at the Open Valley Reiner Show in the fall, and the Western Performance High Point at the GHRC Fall Challenge.
Joey and Spanish also won the High Point Performance Horse & High Point Senior Western Rider Coolers, and belt buckle for Highest Reining Score at the 2004 GHRC show.
In 2004 Joey married well known Team Cattle Penner, Clinton Lewis. The pair formed a partnership called CJ Quarter Horses.
While still training and instructing, Joey took time away from the show ring when daughter Jessie was born in 2005. The summer of 2008 she went back to showing, riding her horse Smokin Spanish Tango, that she had raised and trained. The pair won the Open Reining class at the Bridgewater Ex. (08)
Joey is training at home in Moshers Corner, NS and instructing out of 14 Wing Equestrian Center in Greenwood. In her spare time she conducts clinics, teaches riding at home, and also judges horse shows in the Maritimes.
Photo: Lily Sampson