CAIN

Meet Our Younger Generation—Shelly McCauley Gish!

Then in 1972 we found our house in Hallsville TX with 4 acres of land and have lived there until present. Our friends that showed us the house also had a young paint horse, which we bought. We then had a pasture! Shelly and their daughter, Darla rode together all the time, and ultimately they asked us to go to a horse show with them. This was the first time Shelly had ever been to one and her horse was not trained for show. Nevertheless she won fourth place and Darla did not place at all! Our friends were to pick us up for the next week’s show but they did not stop; Shelly watched them go by our house and she cried and cried. So yes, we had to buy a horse trailer and pulled it with our car. That began the competition, which lasts till now! I believe Shelly probably got her desire and ability to ride from my mother. Aunt Jess could probably elaborate on how much mother used to ride horses.

For quite awhile, she rented barns from other people, often though the agreement didn't last very long and she would have to find another place. Ultimately we bought 13 acres in Hallsville and built a cement block barn, which temporarily alleviated that problem. However, after she met and married her husband Carl Gish 11 Dec 1998, the barn soon needed expansion. You see Carl is a cowboy who grew up in Springhill, LA, and rode saddle-broncos in rodeos. They met at a rodeo and both of them ride in the LRCA (Louisiana Rodeo Cowboys Association). It was natural that they eventually went into business training horses for others. Her daddy and Carl built their house onto the side of the barn and added seven stalls because of their business. It was thought at the time that seven additional stalls would be sufficient, but a growing business soon necessitated addition of six more stalls. Carl was a welder also, and came in very handy in building the pipe stalls.

In the space allowed, there is no way I could tell you about all of Shelly's competitions and the trophies, saddles, etc., that she has won. At age 12, she rode bulls, and not little steers, with grown men and won a lot, but I could not watch. Skipping over lots of years to rodeo barrel racing, and futurities where she is at present, she just got back from a futurity in San Antonio on 2 Feb 2002, where she won $4,000! I guess this about wraps up her career, with exception that I forgot to mention she also works for a Veterinary Clinic in Hallsville part-time, which helps her doctor her own horses. She is the anesthetist for the operations on horses.

I’ll back-up to say that Shelly was saved when she was around age 13. But now rodeo week-ends makes it hard to attend church, so she began to hold "Cowboy" church in the barn every other Tuesday night. A visiting evangelist or preacher comes and we serve a meal with everyone bringing a covered dish.

For Shelly’s competition, I made her shirts with ultra suede fringe. Everyone wanted to buy them, so Shelly started selling them off her back. At one rodeo she sold three, going into her trailer to change each time. With a demand like that, I started my business SWINGING SUEDE, making shirts for sale. When people wanted one, she said, “Mother is taking orders.” She began selling them at $150.00, so my business flourished and I've kept busier since retiring from Exxon Pipeline Company than when I worked for them.

Last, but not least, our first born, Larry McCauley, was born on 16 Jul 1956. He was seven years older than Shelly and like me, could not ride a horse. We lost Larry at the young age of 34 in May 1990, with a brain hemorrhage. This was such a great tragedy and you never get over losing a child. I do want to say that Larry received the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues at a revival at Black Lake at a very young age. He went with Nanny, Pop, Uncle Elmer and Aunt May. His marriage to Suzanne gave us our only granddaughter, "Casie" who is 18 years old now. Casie was involved in all sports in high school where she did very well while making very good grades. She received a four-year scholarship to college and is currently attending Kilgore.

Black Lake is a whole nother’ issue. I can't remember how old I was when we started going there but it seems like we went all my life. We spent so many good years at Aunt Ruth and Uncle Olin's cabin — after my marriage — at Nanny’s cabin. I'll tell you this story and maybe later I can relate more about Black Lake. I loved going to the lake because I always had my cousin, Mary Lou Manning Belcher who was my age. We could get in a lot of mischief together! Also, my mother and I went to Haynesville, LA and went to school with Mary Lou for a day. I remember she and I went to town one Saturday to the movies. We ate a lot of popcorn and drank "lots" of orange drink. We both got so sick that we threw up on the streets of Haynesville. I wonder if Mary Lou remembers that day? I still can't drink an orange drink till this day!! We also went to Cotton Valley lots. I loved going there to see Aunt Jess and Auntie Geek and (the dime store of course)!! Mother and I were there when the big "torando" hit. Auntie Geeks house was flattened and our car along with my clothes were destroyed. But that was a small thing compared to the injuries sustained by Auntie Geek, and my mother. Mother was holding Jon when it hit; he was just a baby but was not hurt. Donna and I were at the movies when the tornado hit and we were not injured, only scared to death when we came out and saw everything flattened.