Thursday at the NSBA World Championship Show and Breeders Championship Futurity began and ended with a win for trainer Aaron Moses, and in between, the trainer earned a total of four classes.
Aaron started the day showing Obsessed To Be Best for owner Susan Juroe to win the Color Breeders Championship Futurity Three Year Old Open Western Pleasure. The Loping Machine gelding is shown by both Aaron and his assistant trainer, Cody Conover.
“Jay Starnes and Kelby Hutchinson had him,” Aaron said. “He just has so much self-carriage, jogs great and lopes great too. He just makes it easy to do. Our plan is to keep showing him in Novice Horse classes and take him to the Congress, the Championship Show and the AQHA World Show.” Aaron and the gelding picked up their second win of the day by winning a world championship title in the Three Year Old Novice Horse Western Pleasure.
The second of three horses that took Aaron to a win on Thursday was Been There Scene It.
This was a catch ride for Michelle and Sheila Bauer,” Aaron said. “Garth and Austin Gooding had him really well prepared and have done a great job with him. He was super easy to show.”
“We call him Winston, and he is a nine year old Paint geldig,” added Garth. “He’s by A Scenic Impulse and out of Sensational Lollipop. He always comes through for us. He’s very honest, and you can really push him with your feet. He mainly shows in Western Pleasure but also does Western Riding and Trail. He is a five-time APHA world champion and a past NSBA world champion too.”
Rounding out Aaron’s stable of champions on Thursday was Kristen Galyean’s stallion VS The Fireman, whom Aaron showed to win the world championship in a tough Junior Western Pleasure class. “I love everything about this horse,” Aaron said. “He’s very special to me, and he’s my buddy. He just swings his leg and looks like how a horse show trot and lope.
“He has a lot of similarities to VS Lady In Red, his dam. It was a great cross with Machine Made. Kristen will show him in Non-Pro events, and I’ll keep showing him in the Three Year Old and Junior Western Pleasure classes at the Congress and Championship Show, and we plan to show him in the Versatility at the AQHA World Show. He’s already bred a few mares, and we can’t wait to see his first foals next year.”
Hunting Championships
Rebekah Kazakevicius was another exhibitor who had a red-letter day on Thursday. She showed Give Me The Moves to win the Three Year Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle world title for that horse’s second NSBA World Show win, and a few classes later took her two year old gelding Real Southern Assets to win the Breeders Championship Futurity Two Year Old Limited Open Hunter Under Saddle.
“Cash is by Its a Southern Thing and out of Pretty Assets, and we bought him from Amy Gumz as a weanling,” Rebekah said. “He is such a good soldier. He has great legs, and he does whatever you want. He’s so great minded.”
Beth Case broke out the two year old. “He was really easy to break out,” Beth noted. “There aren’t that many places you can show a two year old in Hunter Under Saddle, so we’ll show him in the classes here and at the Congress this year.”
It was a bittersweet moment when Laurel Champlin showed Look N Hott to win the world championship in the Amateur 50 & Over Hunter Under Saddle. She will retire her 16 year old gelding, known as JJ, after the AQHA World Show this fall.
“He was so good,” noted an emotional Laurel. “That was one of the best rides I’ve ever had on him. Ryan (Painter) had him ready. I’ve shown him to 12 world championship titles and 11 AQHA world titles, it was his 23rd world win. He’s my baby, and I’ve had him since he was four years old. I bought him from Alyssa Bernard after he has won his first NSBA world title.
“He was a tough cookie, but we love him. I had him at Highpoint with Beth Case, who won a lot with him, and then I took him to Ryan Painter to learn to jump. Beth has so many, and Ryan got along so well with him that he has stayed with Ryan. It’s been a great village.
In the Color Amateur Western Pleasure, Deanna Green showed Made For Lopin to the world championship title on a mare that Rusty and Katie Green own. “We got her at the Congress last year from Adam and Pasley Mathis,” Deanna said.
“Katie shows Blanche in Western Riding, and Martin (Doustou) shows her in Trail. She has a lot of presence and she’s super honest, probably one of the most honest horses I’ve ever shown. She likes to do her job. She’s very expressive. Katie is working on finishing her All Around career and she will be great for a new owner some day.”
Other world champions on the day included Gonna B Alright and Charlotte Sheriff, who won the Novice Amateur 50 & Over Western Pleasure and All The Good Things, shown by Keith Miller for owner Christina Shanahan to win the world championship in the Color Junior Hunter Under Saddle.
Ranch Wrap-Up
.Ranch Riding classes began in earnest on Thursday as well, with a number of world champions named in both the Mustang Arena and the Built Ford Tough Arenas. In Junior Ranch Trail, Cody Crow showed Whizzle Blower for owner Garrett Ashby to win the world championship, while Madison Rafacz took Whizenboonsmal to the world championship title in Non-Pro Ranch Trail. Senior Ranch Trail saw Logan Pluhar showing Chex Out My Dough take the championship title
In the Ford Truck Arena, Bud Lyon and Sumac Gunnabeflashy were named NSBA world champions in Junior Ranch Trail. Bud showed the Gunnatrashya gelding for Leslie Lange. “We bought Romeo for Leslie at the end of his three year old year,” Bud said. “He’s an absolute joy to have and a favorite in our barn. I’m really grateful to Leslie to have the opportunity to train and show him.
“I think his quality of movement and his expression are what set him apart in the show ring. He’s a horse that’s very easy to be around and to be on the back of. He’s the kind of horse that exemplifies the characteristics we look for in a Ranch Rail horse – ground covering, quality of movement and eye appeal.”
In Senior Ranch Rail, Steve Meadows piloted Wimpys Coded Chex to win the world title for owner Jessica Husler. “I’ve had Bobby a little over a year. He’s just such a good mover, and he really shows well in the Ranch Rail class,” Steve said of the Wimpys Little Step gelding.
“In this class, the judges are looking for a horse that is moving free and ground covering, like you would expect to see on the ranch, but also still soft in the bridle. You want a horse that is balanced and has good cadence and is willingly guided, and one that you can imaging riding along the fence line on a ranch – a horse that is easy to ride.”
The NSBA World Championship Show continues through Sunday, August 21. To view complete show results, view the live video feed or learn more about the show or the association, please visit nsba.com.
