Colt Shelby

Candidate Bio

Colt grew up in Cecil, Arkansas, the son of Ronnie and Lisa Shelby. He attended Cecil Methodist Church for nearly 30 years — a faith that remains the cornerstone of his life.

Soon after graduating high school, Colt went to work on drilling rigs for Thornton Drilling out of Van Buren. He stayed for nearly 16 years, working through two buyouts before moving on to a large Houston-based oil company. Over the last twenty years, Colt has managed hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts and led teams with one shared mission: work safely and work responsibly.

Colt bought his first home in 2003 — where he still lives today — and in 2006 married his longtime best friend, Elizabeth Burt of Charleston. Together, they’ve raised three children: Riley, Cooper, and Truett. In 2016, the family fulfilled their dream of owning a farm. While Colt worked away from home, the family tended the cattle and worked the fields — the Arkansas dream, built through hard work and faith.