Fourth-Grade Girl Runs Draft Horse Carriage Business

2017 - Volume #41, Issue #6, Page #08

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Ten-year-old Shirley Jo Thompson does not like riding horses, but she knows how to drive a big pair of draft Belgian mares that weigh about a ton each. The petite driver started a business offering carriage rides for weddings, proms and events.
  The Limon, Colo., fourth-grader got interested in the business after driving a pony cart and then learning about draft horses from family friends. She paid for her team and a carriage using money she had saved from 4-H fair projects. Shirley Jo sells market pigs and calves every year.
  Her team, Goldilocks (now 18) and Barbie (now 16), was well-trained and gentle when they came to the Thompsons’ ranch in November, 2016. Shirley Jo works with them daily and helps her brother and sister and parents feed and care for the horses and other livestock.
  With the birth of Bo, a male colt, and another colt due in March 2018, Shirley Jo plans to train them for her future team.
  “Most people think draft horses are kind of scary, but once you get to know them they’re not scary at all,” she says. “They like getting loved on. They love to work. They really, really love to work.”
  And, so does Shirley Jo, who dresses up in a tuxedo, top hat, and riding skirt to match wedding colors.
  “I like making people happy with my carriage,” she explains. Located about an hour away from Denver and Colorado Springs, she has large population areas to market her services to.
  “She’s very ambitious, and she’s very much the boss,” adds Becky, Thompson’s mother. Though she and Shirley Jo’s father, Kurt, are involved with the business and help harness. Shirley Jo has her own bank account, works with QuickBooks, and figures out her fees and details for each job. The money helps pay for the draft horses’ feed, and she hopes to purchase show harnesses and possibly a vis-a-vis carriage and freight wagon to add to her horse-drawn fleet.
  She enjoyed helping at a threshing event, using her team to haul grain shocks to the threshing machine. She is also working with her dad to put a new hitch on a wagon so she can give her classmates a ride at the end of the school year.
  Shirley Jo works regularly with her team and understands how to stay safe when walking behind them, keeping them at arms length and keeping the reins tight when she is driving them.
  It’s been a learning experience for the Thompson family, and Becky is proud of her entrepreneurial daughter, who won grand champion in quarter horse and reserve champion in draft horse categories as part of 4-H at the county fair.
  “My ultimate dream is to be the youngest driver of the Budweiser team,” Shirley Jo says.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, SJT Drafts, Shirley Jo Thompson, 13175 Co. Rd. 185, Limon, Colo. 80828 (ph 719 740-0357; Facebook – SJT Drafts).

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Fourth-Grade Girl Runs Draft Horse Carriage Business LIVESTOCK Horses/Mules Ten-year-old Shirley Jo Thompson does not like riding horses but she knows how to drive a big pair of draft Belgian mares that weigh about a ton each The petite driver started a business offering carriage rides for weddings proms and events The Limon Colo fourth-grader got interested in the business after driving a pony cart and then learning about draft horses from family friends She paid for her team and a carriage using money she had saved from 4-H fair projects Shirley Jo sells market pigs and calves every year Her team Goldilocks now 18 and Barbie now 16 was well-trained and gentle when they came to the Thompsons’ ranch in November 2016 Shirley Jo works with them daily and helps her brother and sister and parents feed and care for the horses and other livestock With the birth of Bo a male colt and another colt due in March 2018 Shirley Jo plans to train them for her future team “Most people think draft horses are kind of scary but once you get to know them they’re not scary at all ” she says “They like getting loved on They love to work They really really love to work ” And so does Shirley Jo who dresses up in a tuxedo top hat and riding skirt to match wedding colors “I like making people happy with my carriage ” she explains Located about an hour away from Denver and Colorado Springs she has large population areas to market her services to “She’s very ambitious and she’s very much the boss ” adds Becky Thompson’s mother Though she and Shirley Jo’s father Kurt are involved with the business and help harness Shirley Jo has her own bank account works with QuickBooks and figures out her fees and details for each job The money helps pay for the draft horses’ feed and she hopes to purchase show harnesses and possibly a vis-a-vis carriage and freight wagon to add to her horse-drawn fleet She enjoyed helping at a threshing event using her team to haul grain shocks to the threshing machine She is also working with her dad to put a new hitch on a wagon so she can give her classmates a ride at the end of the school year Shirley Jo works regularly with her team and understands how to stay safe when walking behind them keeping them at arms length and keeping the reins tight when she is driving them It’s been a learning experience for the Thompson family and Becky is proud of her entrepreneurial daughter who won grand champion in quarter horse and reserve champion in draft horse categories as part of 4-H at the county fair “My ultimate dream is to be the youngest driver of the Budweiser team ” Shirley Jo says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup SJT Drafts Shirley Jo Thompson 13175 Co Rd 185 Limon Colo 80828 ph 719 740-0357; Facebook – SJT Drafts

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