Friday at the Tom Powers Triple Challenge Futurity saw the Western Pleasure Super Sires Non-Pro Longe Line and Open Longe Line classes along with several Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure events. The day saw sunshine and improving weather conditions for the show.
Super Sires, Open Western Longe Line Champions Crowned
Some familiar faces stood at the front of the line in the Western Pleasure Super Sires and Powers Open Western Longe Line classes.
Nancy Ditty showed A Cowboy For You to win the $5,000 first place prize in the Super Sires class. Nancy showed her horse to win the Non-Pro Longe Line on Thursday. Jessica Wazny showed Dun Lopin to the reserve award..
In the Open Western Longe Line, Best By Design, shown by Jon Barry for Brett and Heather Caplinger, and A Cowboy For You, shown by Kenny Lakins for Stanley and Susan Scott, tied to win. Best By Design won the Open Color Longe Line with Kenny Lakins and the Limited Non-Pro Longe Line with owner Brett Caplinger on Wednesday.
Hunter Highlights
Sandra Morgan debuted her two year old gelding by her stallion Mechanic in the Two Year Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle and earned first place. Mechanical Assets, whom she calls Nash, is out of an Allocate Your Assets mare. “She passed away, and she had produced him,” Sandra said, who raised the colt, sold him and bought him back.
“He was a lazy animal,” she said. “I really couldn’t tell what his legs looked like because I couldn’t keep him going in the round pen or on the longe line. He’s still very lazy and makes you work for every stride. But he has the Mechanic mind and doesn’t spook at anything.
Vinn Deisel earned back to back class wins in the Maturity Hunter Under Saddle with Farley Mclendon and with Michaela Darroh in Youth Hunter Under Saddle. “We bought him two years ago at the NSBA World Show,” Michaela said. “I was attracted to him because of his personality. He’s a goober, but he is a lot of fun. He’s Western Pleasure bred but he’s 17.3. He’s by Deisel Only and out of a Two Thumbs Up mare.
“He’s the first horse I’ve ever noviced out with. We won the Novice Championship Level 2, and were fourth in the Level 3 at the AQHYA World Show. We will keep showing him, but I’ve been playing around with jumping, and he was pretty good with it. I’d love to jump him eventually.”
Western Winners
Some familiar champions and assistant trainers earned recognition in the Western show pen on Friday.
Nancy Ditty and Forever Kool, and Hillary Roberts with Whatgosaround tied to win the Three Year Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure. Nancy won the tiebreaker, earning a spot on the revolving Rodney Miller Memorial trophy.
“I remember Rodney Miller a little bit when I was growing up showing,” Nancy said. “I was looking over the list of names on the trophy, and I’m excited to add my name because both my mom and my dad have won the trophy in the past.” “Rodney was a great horseman,” recalled Stanley. “He always showed Amateur and was always with Keith Whistle and Doug Carpenter. He won the Congress in the Non-Pro Futurity and turned in his Amateur card. I’ll always remember him.”
Nancy and Forever Kool, known as Pumpernickle, completed a trifecta at the Tom Powers Triple Challenge Futurity - they won the Non-Pro Yearling Longe Line at the Powers two years ago, the Two Year Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure last year and now the Three Year Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure.
Kathryn Frederick showed Shootin The Breeze to win the Intermediate Non-Pro Western Pleasure. “Shooter is such a blast to show,” Kathryn said.
“I’ve never showed a stallion before, but I might have to just show stallions from now on! We’ve raised some really great horses over the years, but I think he’s the best one we’ve raised. He’s so honest and he gives you 100 percent every time. I have to thank the Zuidema team (Katy Jo, Tim and Stephanie Armellini) for always having him excellently prepared for me to show. Team Z is a fantastic group!”
Kathryn noted that having the Intermediate division is important. “It’s huge to be able to show in the Intermediate division,” she said. “I won the Powers over 18 years ago and moved out of the Limited division. Without the Intermediate, I just had to show in the big pool with the Non-Pro riders. It’s wonderful to have this group to show with.”
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Several Limited professionals saw their time to shine in the Two Year Old Limited Open Western Pleasure. Mallory Bordic showed Its Martini Time for David and Tasha Winterfeld. “I started working for Denton DeBuhr about four or five months ago, and after a while, Denton let me try riding Olive,” Mallory said.
“Denton had been riding her, but I got along with her really well, so she just sort of became my project. It’s been really awesome to get to work with her. She’s a challenge, but once she gets locked in, she’s good to go. She has a really good look. She’s eye-catching and she has a really flowy look. I don’t even have the words. This is my first time to show at a futurity as an Open rider.”
Sydnie Ochs and “NoNo” got a “YesYes” from the judges and earned first in Youth Western Pleasure. Sydnie and the gelding No Doubting Me won the class with two firsts and a second. “I showed him a little bit in the Non-Pro classes as a three year old, and since the first of the year, we’ve been showing in Youth Western Pleasure,” Sydnie said.
“We sold my mare, so he’s my main man now. He’s a lot of fun to show. We will be going to the AQHYA World, NSBA World and Congress.”
The Tom Powers Triple Challenge Futurity continues through Sunday, June 30.
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