She had previously ridden Flashy Pride to the Reserve World Grand Championship in 1990.
[1] Self first began training the chestnut stallion Flashy Pride in 1988, after he was purchased by Fancy Free Farms, where she was the resident trainer.
[2] Flashy Pride had been previously trained by Bud Seaton, another notable trainer, and Self worked in conjunction with him in order to become accustomed to the then-nine-year-old horse.
Because Self felt she did not know Flashy Pride well, she allowed Seaton to show him in the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration that year.
[2] Self was the third woman to win the World Grand Championship, after Betty Sain in 1966 and Judy Martin in 1976.