Several Quarter Horse Congress exhibitors had no fear on Friday the 13th as they earned championships and futurity money throughout the day.
Trail was the order of the first half of the day in the Celeste Center with dualing arenas showing Level 2 and Level 3 Junior Trail and Level 1 Youth 14-18 Trail.
Fabio Is Still Fabulous
Sandra Morgan’s stallion Im Willy Fabulous, known in the barn as Fabio, continued his winning ways, picking up not only the Non-Pro Three Year Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes with Sandra in the irons, but also the Three Year Old Open Hunter Under Saddle Futurity championship with Tami Thurston riding.
Between the two classes and additional money earned through the Super Sires program, Fabio won almost $14,000 at this year’s Congress.
Judges Loved Ladies Love Me
Corryn Casteel guided her horse Ladies Love Me to win the Limited Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle class on Friday.
“Encore is four years old, and he’s by Willy Be Invited and out of Mito Been Me,” Corryn said. “I bought him when he was 24 hours old. I actually called off work that day and went over and bought him. He’s very special, and he’s been fun. He has a huge personality and he’s into everything.
“My sister showed him earlier in the Walk Trot. Today was the best ride I’ve ever had on him. He just locked in and stayed.”
Good As Ever Earns NSBA Trophy
Gracie Robertson and Good As Ever proved they were as good as ever, earning the NSBA championship and reserve champion in the AQHA division of Level 1 Youth 14-18 Hunter Under Saddle. It was Gracie’s first time to show at the Congress, and she picked up the NSBA championship during her inaugural ride.
“His name is Cam, and I’ve had him for about a year and a half now. He’s the best,” Gracie said. “He gets better at every single show we’ve gone to. This is only about our sixth show together. He’s just amazing.
“He’s four years old, and he’s by Give Me The Goods and out of From The Next Hello. We were in the fourth split and then went back in to the finals. I actually didn’t mind because we didn’t have to wait around. He was being really good in the finals. I love his trot- it’s the best thing in the world. It’s fancy, it’s comfortable and he has a lot of suspension. He’s a lot of fun.”
Buy A Horse, Congress Champion The Next Day
Ella Kate Herman just got her horse, J Loww, the day before she showed in the 11 & Under Youth Western Pleasure.
“She just has a big personality, and she’s really sweet,” she said. “She just really listened to me the whole way around and was really good. I think the judges saw that she was slow and did her job.
Friday the 13th proved to be a good very day for Ella Kate, since she won the Two Year Old Youth Geldings as well with Ese A Rocker.
It’s a Family Affair for Heartbreaka
Tessa Lynch Sutton showed a horse that is special to her family, Heartbreaka, to win the Congress Super Sale Two Year Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure Stakes.
“We raised her and we call her Bea,” Tessa said. “She was born a premie, so she’s been a fighter her whole life, but she has more heart than any horse we’ve ever had. She’s simple, and wants no trouble. She’s by Heartstoppin.
“We showed her at the NSBA World Show and won there, and now have won here. She has a couple of classes left and then she will get a big break before next year to show in the three year old events.”
Ashley Lakins And Gossip Girl Win Super Sale Western Pleasure
Ashley Lakins piloted Gossip Girl to win the Congress Super Sale Two Year Old Open Western Pleasure Stakes, in a unanimous decision by the judges.
The mare known as Melodie is owned by Shawn Johnson and has also qualified for the Two Year Old Western Pleasure Futurity. "We had been looking for a horse for Shawn for some time," Ashley said. "We got her from Keith Stone and Stephanie Armellini at the NSBA World Show.
"We knew we wanted a pretty special horse, and Melodie is that. She's beautiful, talented and great legged. Stephanie and Keith have been easy to follow training-wise. This was her first time to be shown, and she did everything with easee. I couldn't have asked for more."
Other Congress champions on Friday included Scoota Little Closer, shown by Jay Starnes for Becky Crider Durrett, who won the AQHA and NSBA Level 1 Western Pleasure; Kiss Me Goodnite and Catherine Lankford, champions in Level 1 Amateur Horsemanship; and Valentinosblazinride and Madison Stuart, champions in Level 1 Youth Hunt Seat Equitation 13 & Under.
The 2023 All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 22. To view complete show results, please visit the Horse Show Tracker or quarterhorsecongress.com. You can also view the show’s live video feed at quarterhorsecongress.com/livestream.
