Sunday saw some high flying equines and some high flying red, white and blue as the NSBA World Championship Show and Breeders Championship Futurity got underway at the Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex at Expo Square in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday.
Heroes Honored
Twenty-one veterans from five states and four branches of military service were recognized and honored during a Parade of Heroes, which welcomed them to the NSBA World Championship Show with a parade of American flags, a presentation of a riderless horse to commemorate those lost and the presentation of colors by the Oklahoma Governors Honor Guard.
Larry Pittingshrud showed Twice The Scamp to win the first of two Heroes On Horses classes offered at this year’s show. “My horse, Gus, was actually my daughter Josie’s horse,” Larry said. “She passed away two years ago in a car accident. My son-in-law allowed us to keep her horses, and we ended up placing Gus with Stable Strides Farms.
“I started riding in the veterans program about a year and a half ago. It helps me with PTSD. I served in the Navy in Viet Nam and was a Silver Star. It makes me very proud to earn this. I love having this class to be able to come and be with the other veterans.”
Ty Throngkumpola showed Make Me Feel Good to win the second Heroes On Horses class. “I’ve only been riding about two months,” Ty said. “I started riding with Stable Strides and they got me interested in the Heroes On Horses classes. I won the class at the Dixie National, and was second at the APHA World Show, and now have won here.
“Being able to ride really helps me with my recovery. I was in the Navy for 12 years, and I was a hospital corpsman first class. I was stationed all over, including in Japan, Camp Lejune, as well as in Dallas, Texas and San Diego, California.
“This has been such a great experience. Everyone has been so welcoming to us, and getting to spend time with the other veterans is the best part.”
Winning Over The Fences
Triple Champions
Over fences classes dominated the day in the Ford Truck Arena, beginning with the Working Hunter Derby, which saw a combined score for the first round and finals. Kamanyawannadance and Ryan Painter took the first of three world champion titles they would win throughout the day in the class. They would also win Senior Working Hunter and Senior Hunter Hack.
“He’s pretty special,” Ryan said of the 16 year old gelding known as Colin. “It was a little tricky course in the Derby, but he just makes you look good. He’s so happy to be a show horse. He’s healthy and happy, and when we went in to get our awards, he was ready to go back over the fences.”
Another triple time world champion was Havin A Supreme Time and Jax Bound. The duo won Youth Working Hunter, Youth Equitation Over Fences and Youth Hunter Hack.
“I’ve only had him since Christmas, and I’ve only been riding over fences since this spring,” Jax said.
“I used to do the Western classes. My dad does Ranch Riding and is big into the Roping, and I decided I didn’t want to do the same thing as him. My horse Taco is 15 years old. He’s by the Supremicist. When we were practicing, he tended to drift to the right, so I practiced framing him up and held him together. We show in Working Hunter, Equitation Over Fences and Hunter Hack.”
Jax has a bit of horse show royalty in her blood. She is the granddaughter of Jack Bound.
Twice On Top
Jerry Erickson and The Dark Age were two-time world champions, winning Green Working Hunter and Green Working Hunter for owner Flora Brama.
“We bought him a year and a half ago,” Jerry said of the gelding he calls Angelo. “He’s a Superior Hunter Under Saddle horse, and is by Iron Age and out of a thoroughbred mare. This is the second show he’s ever competed in over fences events. Flora has been a wonderful client who showed a youth with me several years ago, and college and marriage intervened.
“She asked me if I found something suitable for her to let her know, and he came along. Now, she comes to ride with me about once a month. She has a busy life, but I think she enjoys coming over to get away from it all.”
Additional Fence Champions
Pam Stubbs showed Do You Have The Magic, who is by Do You Have A Minute, to win Amateur Working Hunter. Pam describes the gelding as her idea hunter horse. “I come from the A Circuit Hunter Jumper world, and I had wanted to get a Quarter Horse,” she said.
“I wanted something that was easy and nice to be around, and would look through the bridle and have his ears forward, and have that round body that the judges were looking for. I had studied videos and watched the champions, and saw Hannah Bidwell show him and he was just the type of horse I wanted, but he wasn’t for sale. I had leased another horse last year and then Hannah decided to lease him, so we got it set up within a day. He’s a lovely horse. We’ve been circuit champion everywhere we’ve been. This is our fifth show together.”
Samantha Roper and Al Betcha Wanna Look took the championship title in Amateur Equitation Over Fences. “We’ve just been together since March,” Samantha said. “He was really going to be my back up horse, but my other horse got hurt and he had to step up. He is six years old, so he’s still green, but he really has been good. He makes my job easy. I just have to find the distances and go. He’s always a great ride.”
The gelding known as Chief is by Allocate Your Assets. “We’re planning to go to the Congress and the AQHA World Show,” Samantha said. “I like the technicality of the over fences classes. Each course is different, and it pushes me to be a better rider.”
Chad Sandoval and Minute Maximus started on top at their first time to show together, winning the world title in Amateur Hunter Hack. “I’ve had him a little over a year, and we’ve just been bringing him along slow,” Chad said.
“We call him Max, and he’s by Do You Have A Minute. He’s just a big cool horse, and he’s taken everything in really well. We show in Green Working Hunter and Green Hunter Hack, and he was reserve in that earlier. He’s going to be a really fun horse to show.”
Color Champions Crowned
The Mustang Arena saw several NSBA Color world champions named as well as EWD and Longe Line winners.
Color Youth Western Riding
Emily Maul and Hez Raising The Bar earned the world champion title in Color Youth Western Riding. A past NSBA champion in Trail, Emily is also showing in Western Riding, Horsemanship and Trail. She teamed with “Junior” for this win.
Other Color champions included: Color Youth Western Pleasure champions Sleepinwithmybootson and Lillian Woodruff; Color Youth Hunter Under Saddle world champions This Sheik Rocks and Renee Conklin; Color Youth Hunt Seat Equitation champion Check Required and Rebecca Figueroa; Color Amateur Hunter Under Saddle and Equitation champions Shesa Hot Selection and Sunni Duke; Color Amateur Select Hunter Under Saddle champions Biggest Show N Town and Tammy Raak; Color Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation champions; and Color Amateur Select Hunt Seat Equitation champions Good Cowboy Casanova and Toni Ward.
Yearling Longe Line Champions
Nancy Ditty and A Sensational Paint won both the Breeders Championship Futurity and the NSBA Non-Pro Color Longe Line.
“We bred and raised her,” Nancy said. “She’s out of a mare we showed at all of the NSBA futurities. She is in the yearling sale here, so we don’t have any other plans for her, but she is also showing in the Open Color Longe.”
Kenny Lakins and The Best Cowgirl took top honors in both the BCF and NSBA Open Western Longe Line class for Stanley and Susan Scott.
“I really just catch-led this one,” Kenny said. “I showed her at the Powers and was third, but we made up for it here. She’s a very nice horse. She’s by RL Best Of Sudden. Nancy will be showing her in the Non-Pro later this week.”
EWD Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle, Equitation Champions
Spencer Roberson and Fine Details took the world champion title in EWD Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle – Independent.
“This is Ella. I’ve ridden her for three or four months,” Spencer said. “We just got her a few months ago and she’s been a really good horse. I’m showing in four more events - Trail, Horsemanship, Western Pleasure and Showmanship.”
Amy Bentler and Setting The Stage earned the world championship in EWD Walk Trot Hunt Seat Equitation – Independent.
“I had a fall last year and broke my foot, so I’ve only been riding Charlie for about a year, but we’ve been a good team,” Amy said. “We won the Equitation here last year, and we also won at the Dixie National and the Palomino World Show earlier this year. We’re also showing in Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, Trail and Showmanship.”
Two-Time Walk Trot Champion
Kenzie Bracken and Styles Sophisticated earned back-to-back world champion titles in the Walk Trot English classes on Sunday. They earned the top spot in both Walk Trot Hunt Seat Equitation and Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle.
“He’s ten years old and we call him Tex,” Kenzie said of her gelding. “I’ve been showing him about a year or two. It’s our first time showing at the NSBA World Show and our first world titles. It’s pretty exciting. We’re showing in Horsemanship later this week.” Although this was their first world show experience, they also won Congress titles in 2017 in Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation, and they are going back to defend their titles in 2018.
View complete show results as well as a link to the live video feed for the 2018 NSBA World Championship Show and Breeders Championship Futurity at www.nsba.com. The NSBA World Championship Show continues through Sunday, August 19.
