pleasure problems-showmanship

Question
Karen,
I'm a young 17year old trainer in Evansville ,Indiana and I need some advice.After searching for tips from trainers, I got excited when I saw what you can help with and I'm in desperate need of it.
  I have a 10 year old APHA REG.Black/w overo mare which previously was just a pasture horse untill we purchased her when I was 9. We just used her for riding and she knew NOTHING!!! My mother worked with her a few times a month but nothing happened(didn't expect it too) I just rode her to have somehting to do.To me she was a challenge yet extremely! smart.
   My old western pleasure mare got ill from respertory infection and had to retire her. Sometime in Octber on  accident, I pictured her as a pleasure mare and for 2 years I worked with her.Cherry learned very quickly and in no time she was wonderful. We went to a local show and everyone was amazed with how she transformed formthe previous year she was there.
    Low head slow walk and trot and were working on the lope but i cant keep her attention to slowwwwwwwww it down. She'ss slow the first half way then she speeds up and I'v tried "easy" tighting on the reins and it works after a while but she needs work. The problem I am having at the moment is she pays attention to me at home....yet when we go to a show its like shes center of attention and doesn't want to listen to my commands and she just acts so differently.
   Is there anyway I can get her to listen and not pay attention to the people watching and other horses/riders in the ring?

EXAMPLE:
    If were jogging or loping....and someone "clicks" she listens to them and not me and she tends to go faster and I need to brake her of that. I'v tried to get a trainer to help me but there is no one here that reallyy knows what there doing in the western field. It's mostly English riders and they cost an arm and a leg.I just can't afford a private trainer for us. I think im doing good on my own just need a little help.

Second ?
I plan on showing in showmanship but getting her to  pivot has become a real challenge.We have a show in 3 weeks and its a doubt that she'll be ready for that in time but i can't find anything on the net on "step by step how to" for her thats easy for me to understand.
    Everytime I try to turn her she mvoes her back end and not front. I dont push on her neck (she'll get confused) and I'v tried making a box with wood so its a tighter space for her to turn around in and eventually I thought she'd catch on but I was wrong.

  So could you please give me sum tips to get her started I will greately appreciate it!! I'll keep you posted if you would like on how she is doing. Thank you for your time in reading this.

True horse lover,
Crystal-17
Indiana  

Answer
here in the south, it's the exact opposite, everyone does western and not much english.
 ok, first problem: Easily distracted in the ring. do you have any friends that ride western pleasure too?  best way to get over that is simply repetition, take her to the arena as often as you can with people that you've told to be as distracting as they can.  kids throwing stuff, people yelling, clicking etc. have other horses in the ring exercising if you can.  walk her around the outside a bit and let her look at the action. once you lead her in, make sure she pays attention to you,  lounge her out, then work your way through an easy show routine.  do all the things you know she knows how to do, but don't try anything new or that you're working on yet.  the first time you do this, she will be a pain, but after a few times, she'll be a lot better.  If this solution is too hard for you to get arranged, let me know.
 problem 2: the pivot.  it really isn't that hard, just takes patience.  after you have lounged her, and she's cooled out, have her set up. now with the lead, push her head away from you, but not forward.  watch her hind legs, make sure they stay straight up and down.  if they lean forward, pull her head back until they are straight again.  now, push on the base of her neck to unbalance her front end  while you are using the lead.  she will take a step to the side and should not move her back legs, if you have to, use your foot to reach over and tap her fetlock to get her to move it.  praise her when she moves the first step.  do not allow her neck to bend more than a few degrees.  once you get the first stap, then repeat.  do not go for more than a 1/4 turn to begin with.  make sure that the one back leg stays straight, the other needs to move too. once you complete a 1/4 then walk her out of it. lead her around a bit and then start again.
i'm on Yahoo messenger as citric_blue if you have any questions about this or just want to let me know how it works for you