by Katherine O. RIzzo (first published in the November 2024 Equiery)
This year, The Equiery received 10 images from six different Maryland artists, with a wide variety of subjects and mediums. The overall champion artwork was made by Sharleen Bender of Bel Air. “Power” is a 16’’ x 22’’ pencil drawing based on an old photograph of draft horses pulling timber from a forest.
Sharleen is an amateur artist who is self-taught. “I love drawing, especially horses and dogs,” she said. Sharleen primarily works in pencil but has recently started dabbling in charcoal. “My son is taking an art class at school right now and is learning about charcoal, so I’ve been trying it out too,” she explained. “I typically work on the smaller scale and ‘Power’ is one of my larger pieces,” she added.
Outside of drawing, Sharleen has been involved with horses her whole life having learned to ride on family Shetland Ponies as a kid. She and her twin sister competed locally – although “local” in North Dakota, where her military father was stationed, meant traveling at least two hours to shows.
Sharleen’s first horse was a yearling Paint named Sizzlinz Sonny Dee, whom she called Rowdy. “I trained him from the start, which is something I love doing,” she said. Sharleen does a lot of training for other people now and also rescues and rehomes horses. “I don’t do [this sport] for money, I just really care for the horses and want to see them in good homes,” she said.
Rowdy passed away a year ago at 28 years of age. Sharleen now has another Paint, Only Good Chocolate, a.k.a. Trace. He is a now three-year-old APHA gelding Sharleen has owned since he was a weanling. “I am having a great time training and showing him, and he is incredibly smart, good minded and willing. Just like Rowdy,” she said. Sharleen competes Trace in Ranch Riding and Western Dressage.
