Saturday was a challenging day for exhibitors and horses with blustery winds and rain, but it was a warm reception for NSBA’s newest Quarter Million Dollar Club member, Jason Martin..
Welcome To The Club
Jason not only won the AQHA and NSBA Senior Western Riding aboard Heza Radical Zip with a whopping score of 240, he was also official recognized as the newest member of the NSBA’s Quarter Million Dollar Club. He becomes the 28th member of this exclusive group of riders who have earned $250,000 in NSBA lifetime earnings.
Jason has earned more than $115,000 in Western Riding events, which he considers his signature discipline. Jason also earned more than $31,000 in Western Pleasure and nearly $20,000 in Hunter Under Saddle as well as nearly $70,000 in Trail. The remaining earnings within his Quarter Million Dollar total were won in Hunter Hack, Working Hunter and Longe Line.
Jason considers himself to have been blessed to work with many long-time clients and their special horses. Just a few of the many great horses that he has trained and shown include Acadamosby Award, Conclusive Bar Cody, Zippo LTD, The Blue And The Gray, Vital Signs Are Good, Majestic Scotch, Ima Petite Classic, Harley D Zip and Heza Radical Zip.
Jason showed Heza Radical Zip for owner Bonnie Sheren, and also rode Elis A Sleepin for owner Carol Thomsen to seventh place. (Photo courtesy of Shane Rux Photography).
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In the other Western Riding class of the day, Ella Petak showed Gettin Hot to a second 2018 Congress championship in Youth Western Riding 14-18.
“I went sixth in the go, and I had to wait all the way to the end to see how it went,” Ella said.
Ella scored a 226.5, which held all the way to the last run, when Kamiah McGrath and They Call Me Jake matched the score. With the tiebreaker judge, Ella was named the champion.
“This was my first time doing Pattern 3, and I was pretty excited to get to do it,” Ella said. “We are also showing in Horsemanship and Trail, and on the NYATT team for Texas.”
Gettin Hot, or Mako, is a seven year old gelding by Blazing Hot. “I love his try, and his trust,” Ella said.
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Showmanship Rules the Morning
Three Youth Showmanship champions were named Saturday morning as dueling patterns took place at the North and South ends of the Celeste Center Arena.
Ava Hathaway showed Kcees Cruise Missile to win the Youth 11 & Under Showmanship. “Our pattern was really good,” Ava said.
“We went a little too far at the stop, but I don’t think the judges really saw it since they were at an angle. The biggest thing I tried to do was finish each thing and then wait before I went on to the next. My horse, Cruiser, is 20 years old and he’s really good. He’s very willing.
“This is my first Congress championship, and I still can’t believe it,” she added. “I was just hoping to make the top ten.
In the 12-14 age group, Caroline Fredenburg showed Ima Tuff Barpasser to the AQHA and NSBA Congress championships.
“It was a hard pattern, I’m not going to lie,” Caroline said. “The extended trot to the trot was probably the hardest part of the pattern.”
Caroline guided her partner ‘Sharky’ through the pattern easily, however. “I won the Small Fry Showmanship here before, but this is my first time to win my age group,” she said.
IMallory Vroegh made it three times in a row to win the 15-18 Youth Showmanship at the Congress with her horse, Krymsun Belle.
“I guess we went out with a bang,” Mallory said. “I will be showing Amateur next year, and this was our last Youth Showmanship class.
“We worked really hard after the Youth and NSBA World Shows because the Showmanship didn’t go quite like I had hoped. I spent a lot of time just getting our feel back, and it paid off.”.
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Western Pleasure Winners
Kathleen Spencer and Batman’s Lopin Lady have only been together since July, but this new team were quick studies together, and won the AQHA and NSBA Level 1 Youth Western Pleasure 14-18.
“I wanted to focus on Western Pleasure, and my trainers (Chad and Katie Piper) thought Robin would be the perfect fit,” Kathleen said.
“In our finals, I had a great placing throughout the whole arena. I could really just put her out there. It was so much fun. I love her. She loves her job, and that just makes it the best to show. I trust her 100 percent in the show pen.”
“All I ever wanted for this horse is for her to have a kid to love her,” noted Katie Piper, who bred and raised the mare.”
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Some of the other champions on Saturday included Kari Craft and Gone Viral, who won the Non-Pro Western Pleasure Maturity (shown at right with Jason English receiving reserve in the Open Western Pleasure Maturity); and Made By J, who won the Open Western Pleasure Maturity with Gil Galyean aboard for owners Dr. Candice Hall and Corey Seebach (pictured at left). Taunya Mombarger and Cowboy Guns Blazing took the win in AQHA and NSBA Amateur Level 1 Horsemanship. Emma Gore and My Only Good Shoes also picked up another AQHA and NSBA championship in Youth Hunt Seat Equitation 11 & Under.
Many more champions were named on Friday at the Congress. To view the complete show results, please visit www.quarterhorsecongress.com, and the view the live video feed, go to nationalsportsbroadcasting.com/congress/. The show continues through October 28.
