When Amanda Manis got the first taste of horseback riding, she knew she was immediately hooked. Her first experience at nine years old was trail riding in the mountains of North Carolina during a family camping trip. When she returned home, she knew that on a horse’s back is where she wanted to be. 

Many years later, Manis can look back on a lifelong love and commitment to the walking horse breed and it is with great pleasure the Walking Horse Report is welcoming Manis to its staff as a advertising and sales representative.

“My parents, Allen and Trudy Dickerson were my biggest supporters in my new journey and throughout life,” Manis said. “I began taking riding lessons at Ballentine Farms in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina under the instruction of Nancy Ballentine Elliott immediately following our return home from the trip. The rest is history. Our family showed and owned several horses in my juvenile career including, Mark of Crimson, Fireworks at Dusk, WC The Cash Collector and WC Stopwatch.”

Manis graduated from North Carolina State University of Raleigh, North Carolina in Agribusiness Management and also has a paralegal degree from Johnston Community College of Smithfield, North Carolina. 

After taking a job with the Whitley Law Firm in Raleigh as a paralegal, she also gave riding lessons and trained her own horses. 

“Training my own horses has been a big part of my life. My first World Championship came at the age of 23 on WC The Cash Collector in the Amateur Owned and Trained Lite Shod class at The Celebration,” she said. “I have since won Amateur Owned and Trained World Championship titles with WC Acapulco and WGC and WC Kick Start Jazz in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.”

Manis made the move to Shelbyville, Tennessee in 2013 and married the love of her life, Justin in 2014. Their lives were complete two years ago when they welcomed their son, Walker into the world.

“Currently you can find me in the show ring on WGC Kick Start Jazz, WC Sweet As Strawberry Wine, RWC Blue Mamba, Lujoso and Spotted WGC Pepe’s Papa Pump,” she said. “I am very excited to begin this new career with the Walking Horse Report and look forward to seeing you in the winner’s circle!”