Young gun Allison Holman shoots straight at the Halter Million
Article & photography by Kinley Humphries
For 9-year-old Allison Holman, showing horses is in her blood. Her parents are both professional horsemen: her father, Joe, operates Holman Halter Horses, while mom Corina trains ranch and cow horses. It was only natural for Allison to follow their footsteps into the show ring, too.
Joe calls Allison a “very hard worker.” She has taken on daily responsibilities to help with the horses during shows and at home every day. Her dedication and reliability have made her an essential part of the team.
“Aside from Allison being kind and sweet in and out of the show pen, she is encouraging to everyone around her and always sees the positive in every situation,” Joe said.
A Girl & Her Horse
Allison owns Re Oh De, a 2-year-old bay solid gelding by Solaris (QH) and out of Cheri Cheeks. She first saw “Re Oh” at the 2024 APHA/WCHA Halter Million. While watching the gelding show, Joe asked Allison if she wanted to buy the horse. The answer was easy, but it came with a price: Allison had to sell two ponies that she trained last year to help pay for the horse. Three months later, they were taking the show ring by storm.
Re Oh is sweet and easy to show, Allison says.
“He is my best friend,” she said
Leading up to 2025 Halter Million, Allison put in the work. She was the highest-placing Youth in her class at the WCHA Yellow Rose Futurity. Allison and Re Oh made a splash in Fort Worth, too; they were third in Youth 2-Year-Old Geldings.
“She does all of the work with Re Oh to make sure he is in shape and ready to show,” Joe said.
Allison loves Re Oh’s goofiness. It’s that bond that develops between a handler and her horse that pays dividends.
“It’s fun having that relationship with them,” Allison said.
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About APHA
The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association. Since it was founded in 1962, APHA has registered more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories. APHA promotes, preserves and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses. Learn more at apha.com.