World Grand Champion Ebony’s Laura Lea was laid to rest on March 12, 2009, following an extended illness. Laura Lea, the first Window-Registered Racking Horse, always delivered pure trail pleasure on every outing. This mare was a multi- world champion racking horse in amateur and youth competition and in 1998 was crowned the World Grand Champion Trail Pleasure Racking Horse with Julie George.

Winning over 50 blue ribbons during her three short years in the show ring, Ebony’s Laura Lea carried Julie George and numerous other amateur and youth exhibitors to the winner’s circle. This mare was a champion at every major racking horse show in the country including the RHBAA World Celebration as well as shows in Illinois, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Kentucky. Laura Lea also added to her resume the Professional Racking Horse Trainers’ Association Trail Pleasure Horse of the Year and National Sweepstakes Trail Pleasure Horse in 1997 and 1998.

Ebony’s Laura Lea was owned and raised by the Barney and Donna Shuffett families of Greensburg, Ky., and trained by Billy Howard at Howard Stables in Greensburg. Laura Lea was known by many as the epitome of trail pleasure.