ABOUT US

Welcome to Cowpony Sales, let us introduce ourselves! We’re a mother and daughter team who launched our online platform in 2020 — a time when travel became difficult, but the need for trusted horse sales didn’t go away. While we weren’t the first to bring horse auctions online, we quickly saw a need for something different — and that’s exactly what we set out to create.

We built this business on experience, honesty, transparency, and the kind of customer care that’s hard to come by these days. We’re not a large corporation. We’re real people who truly care about the industry and the horses and humans behind it. That means when you work with us, you’re not just another bidder or seller number in the system — you’re part of a community built on trust, kindness and respect. From the start, we’ve taken a hands-on approach with every listing and every client. Treating each consignment, seller and buyer with an individualized approach.

Whether you’re buying your first or fifth horse, selling a seasoned partner who’s ready for the next rider or you make a living selling quality, well trained mounts, we’re here to make the process smooth, supportive, and grounded in integrity. We know there are other platforms out there — but none quite like ours. We’re proud to offer something uniquely personal, where quality matters, people are heard, and horses are honestly represented.

Thanks for stopping by. We’re honored to be part of your horse journey.

 

The Duo Behind Cowpony Sales

Meet Amanda

Amanda was lucky enough to grow up in a world filled with horses. From doing field work with draft teams, riding the ponies nobody else trusted, and starting colts with her dad, to competing in local ranch rodeos, hitting the trails, and helping stand the prettiest black AQHA stallion in the tri-county area for 20 years—she’s seen the horse world from just about every angle.

Buying, selling, breeding, training, fixing, showing, flipping—she’s done it all. In her younger years, Amanda spent countless hours at the sale barn, buying and selling cattle, horses, and the occasional pony (especially if she gave her dad that look). What followed were long days of caring for, riding, and training horses to resell. As a teen, she helped her family run weekly team sortings, pennings, and ranch rodeos—learning early on the value of goal setting, teamwork, good customer service, and that Dad is always right.

While college took her on a path outside of horses, one thing was non-negotiable: her campus had to have horses. She joined the collegiate equestrian team and worked for a local trainer, diving into disciplines that were brand new to her—western pleasure, horsemanship, reining, equitation, and jumping. It opened her eyes to the broad world of equestrian sports, and choosing a favorite became nearly impossible.

Though starting a career was the first priority in adulthood, horses remained at the heart of Amanda’s life. She fell in love with reining, cutting, and reined cow horse events—spending weekends at shows or soaking up knowledge whenever she could. In 2009, she bought a five-year-old gelding by Topsail Whiz—full of personality and potential, though far from a finished bridle horse. With a limited budget, sending him off to a trainer wasn’t an option, so Amanda rolled up her sleeves and committed to the long, sometimes frustrating, but incredibly rewarding process of finishing him herself. Hauling to weekend shows, taking lessons from local trainers, and practicing at home eventually landed her in the winners circle across multiple disciplines.

By 2016, she set her sights beyond local shows and entered both the AQHA World Show in Oklahoma City and the NRCHA World Show in Fort Worth, Texas. She didn’t expect to bring home any titles—after all, many competitors attend for years without doing so—but to her surprise, she won a World Championship and the coveted golden globe in the Amateur Boxing at the AQHA World Show, and landed a Top 10 finish in the Non Pro Boxing at the NRCHA World Show that same year.

In recent years, Amanda has shifted gears—staying closer to home, focusing on raising her daughter, and putting her time into building solid, versatile young horses. Her goal with every horse that comes through her barn is simple: a well-broke, chaos-proof partner that is level headed on the trails, lopes pretty circles, changes leads, spins a hole in the ground, round up cattle and has the mentality to take on whatever is thrown at it.

As the horse market evolved, Amanda noticed a change—local buyers were becoming harder to find, and in-person sales meant long-distance travel involving days away from home and additional expense. Private sales were an option, but tire-kickers and no-shows made them discouraging. A friend of hers had tried an online auction with some success, and after giving it a try herself, Amanda saw the potential—but felt the market was still missing something. The two friends put their heads together and dreamed up a platform that didn’t yet exist. That vision became Cowpony Sales.

In the beginning, neither of them could commit to it full time—but with just enough time, energy, and shared drive, they got it off the ground. After a strong first year, Amanda made the leap and jumped in full time. With the unwavering support of her (non-horsey) husband, her daughter, and a whole lot of faith, she continues to grow Cowpony Sales—refining and adjusting as needed to create a trustworthy, honest space where buyers and sellers can connect.

Wearing every hat—owner, manager, CFO, CEO, accountant, marketer, HR and customer service—is no small task, but Amanda feels truly blessed to do the work. Serving others has always been at the core of who she is—and being able to do that through horses makes every day one to be grateful for.

 

Meet Shelby

Shelby was destined to have horses at the heart of who she is. With Amanda as her mom and her dad a professional NRCHA trainer and judge, horses aren’t just a hobby—they’re “what we do.” She grew up surrounded by one of the biggest families a kid could have: a horse show family. Everyone pitched in to keep kids safe, busy, and learning. Shelby was an entrepreneur from the start—cleaning stalls for a dollar, walking dogs, washing horses, or happily taking on any job someone would give her.

As an only child, Shelby has always been wise beyond her years. Surrounded mostly by adults (her best friend is 78!), she grew up with a strong work ethic and timeless lessons: the value of a dollar, that practice doesn’t make perfect but gets you closer, that you are who you surround yourself with, and—most importantly—that Mom is usually right. When you work with Shelby, you can count on respect, honesty, and probably a laugh or two.

It’s no surprise Shelby grew up on horses. As a baby, she’d nap while tied snugly to her mom with a polo wrap during rides. By five she was showing independently, and by six she had her very own horse: a cutting mare named Discos Hickory Stick. With “Disco” guiding her, Shelby entered the show pen with confidence by age seven—her legs barely past the saddle pad but ready to ride. She later moved on to “Larry” (Chic By Whiz), earning multiple Top 10 finishes at the AQHA Youth World Show and NRCHA World Show in Youth Boxing and Ranch Riding before retiring him.

 

At thirteen, Shelby was accepted into the AQHA Ranching Heritage Young Horse Development Program, where she trained a foal through structured milestones while learning from top professionals in training, nutrition, and horsemanship. The year-long program was humbling, intense, and transformative—sharpening her skills and fueling her passion.

Soon after, she decided to make her own mark. Shelby purchased a two-year-old Rocky Mountain mare and, with guidance from a local mentor, started her completely on her own. She poured her heart into that project, turning the mare into a versatile, confident partner who could cross anything and gait like a dream. Selling her at four cemented Shelby’s love for producing honest, well-trained, trustworthy horses—a passion she continues today.

Now, while wrapping up her last high school credits and studying architecture in college, Shelby spends her free time with her current equine projects: a two-year-old Gypsy cross mare, a four-year-old AQHA gelding, and helping her five-year-old cousin “train” her pony—passing down the kind of childhood she was blessed to have. While she doesn’t plan for horses to be her full-time career, she knows they’ll always be a central part of her life.

At Cowpony Sales, Shelby is the engine behind our social media and marketing. From reels and newsletters to answering calls with her signature warmth, she jumps into every task with enthusiasm. She loves talking horses, digging into pedigrees, watching training trends, and finding creative ways to connect with our community. Shelby may have been young when Cowpony Sales was born, but she quickly knew she wanted to be part of it. What started as small tasks has grown into a true partnership built on trust, respect, and a shared vision. She feels lucky to combine her creativity and horsemanship with helping others find the right horses—and we’re just as lucky to have her.