Kathy Shipley is never at a loss for words when it comes to her horses
by Chris Lomon
Kathy Shipley never needs the slightest prompting when it comes to horse talk.
Conversations, albeit one-sided chats, have long been the norm for the Missouri horsewoman, who, along with her husband Thomas Shipley, remains a driving force on the Midwestern U.S. harness racing scene.
“I enjoy being around the horses, talking to them, rubbing them and petting them – all that good stuff,” said Kathy, who married her horseman husband in 1999. “I just enjoy any chance I have to interact with them. I tell them how nice they are, how pretty they are, and that they are a good girl or good boy.”
But Kathy is far more than a source of affectionate flattery. She has played an integral role in a racing operation that has known no shortage of success over the years.
One of their standout performers was Force Da Court.
A bay daughter of Work Force (IA) out of the Lucky Twenty Five mare Lucky Courney, the trotting miss was a near can’t miss throughout a stellar career that yielded a 17-17-4 mark from 51 starts, along with $56,418 in purse earnings.
“We purchased Force Da Court, and she did pretty well for us,” Kathy said. “So, that’s where I got started with it. As a kid, I had some riding horses. I always liked horses, but she is the one who got me into racing.”
Many others have kept her in it.
First Gunner, a son of Amigo Ranger, is one of her favorites.
“We raised him from a baby,” she said. “He was the first foal out of Force Da Court. He did very well. We sold him as a 4-year-old to people in New York and he ended up racing at Yonkers and doing very well up there. He has always kind of been my baby.”
Recently, a filly, one with a penchant for finding the winner’s circle, has formed a close relationship with Shipley.
Al Mar Flash Over, co-owned by the Shipleys and Royal Roland, won eight times in nine starts in 2025. She closed out her rookie campaign with a 9½-length romp in 1:59 on Sept. 20, which tied the track record for 2-year-old fillies at Running Aces.
“Last year, the 2-year-olds we had all did very well,” Kathy said. “Al Mar Flash Over raced in Iowa and she was Minnesota-eligible. We got her qualified so that she could race at Running Aces. We sent her up there into the care of Royal Roland, who we are partners with. His son, Nick, was at Running Aces and he raced her for us. She had a fantastic year.”
The daughter of Southwind Flash (MN) out of the Andover Hall mare Vestal Hanover is happiest when Kathy is close by.
“She can be a bit flighty, but I rub her and pet her,” Kathy said. “She comes up to me and wants attention, and I am happy to give it to her.”
Despite the job’s many perks — particularly the chance to work so closely with her horses — it also comes with challenges.
The biggest is that the operation is essentially a two-person team.
“We both clean stalls, but we work together,” Kathy said. “I will get them harnessed and Thomas trains and jogs them. The hardest part is going to the races and unloading all the equipment, getting things set up and ready. We travel to different racetracks each weekend. We aren’t set in one spot. We go all over the Iowa circuit, so it’s constantly moving everything and getting it all set up for the races.”
The Shipleys have two main all-weather tracks on the Iowa circuit: What Cheer and Humboldt.
“We enjoy going to both tracks,” Kathy said. “What Cheer is close enough that we can come home. If we race Saturday and Sunday, we will stay over Saturday night and come home Sunday. Humboldt is five hours for us. We have a lot of friends there. If we race a couple days throughout the week, we will stay there and race on the weekends and come home on Monday. With all the travel, we will stay throughout the week or a little longer, so we don’t have to keep going back and forth. Horses are pretty much what we do 24/7.”
In spite of the long hours and constant travel, Kathy’s passion for harness racing has never waned – something recently recognized at the Iowa Harness Horseman’s Association awards banquet, where she was honored as the 2025 Katherine Carey Caretaker of the Year.
“I was surprised,” she said. “I really appreciate it. I am not sure I deserve it, but it really does mean a lot. I am so happy to be part of the racing community.”
Her affection for her horses is equally unwavering. Watching them race can bring out her more animated side.
“Sometimes, I do get a little loud,” she said with a laugh. “I think they do [know when they win]. You can tell by the way they look at you and listen to you – I think they know. It’s also good for their confidence. When they win, you can see it in their body language.”
With winter approaching, the Shipleys will remain busy with the horses under their care.
New arrivals are expected soon.
“We are partners with Royal Roland on them,” Kathy said. “We bought two yearlings in Minnesota at the sale, so we have them in our barn. We work with them every day, jogging and doing a lot of other things. Throughout the winter, as long as the weather permits, we work with them. Around February or March, we have four 3-year-olds coming to bring in, so there will be six in the barn.”
For Kathy, that means six more opportunities for conversation.
“I am always talking to them and petting them,” she said. “They all have their own personalities and attitudes. They are like your kids. You become so attached to them and spend so much time with them.”
