The numbers were big in the 2018 All American Quarter Horse Congress Ranch Riding classes on Tuesday, October 9, but some of the same faces and horses rose to the top, with several multiple class winners named.
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Robert Johnson Goes 1-2 In Senior Ranch Riding
Robert Johnson couldn’t do much better than champion and reserve with two of the horses he showed in Senior Ranch Riding. He showed GQH Summer Camp to the AQHA and NSBA champion award for owner Sara Cook, and Zippos Rosie to reserve for owner Rose Mason. The class saw 71 exhibitors.
“This was a really good day, but a little embarrassing,” laughed Robert. “The two horses were about 30 apart in the draw, so we weren’t rushed. The mare that won is seven years old. Karen showed her for a few years and we sold her, and now I get to show her.
“The pattern we had today is the same one they had at the AQHYA Youth finals in Ranch Riding. I had two kids in the finals so I was familiar with it. I really like the pattern, because it has a lot of maneuvers that you can show, and it’s complicated enough the judges can score it and find a winner.”
Karen Johnson Wins Amateur Ranch Riding
Ranch Riding trainers and their clients kept very busy throughout the day going between the Amateur Ranch Riding classes in the Celeste Center and Open and Youth classes in the Coliseum, but Robert was there to cheer on clients as well as his wife, Karen, who won the Amateur Ranch Riding in a class of 70 exhibitors.
“It’s been really hectic today,” Karen said. “It was hard to keep up with where they were in the draw. But it’s still been a good day!”
Caroline Fredenburg Sweeps Youth Ranch Riding Classes
Caroline Fredenburg came to the 2017 Congress and won the Level 1 Youth Ranch Riding class. This year, she swept not only the Level 1, but also the Youth Ranch Riding classes with her brother’s horse, MWS Flashed N Chock. The Youth Ranch Riding saw 32 exhibitors while the Level 1 Youth division had 34 youth competing.
“Her name is Sweet Pea, and she’s 15 years old. She’s very quiet. She wants to be good,” Caroline said. “She does Trail too, so she’s very careful over the poles, and she’s also really good with transitions.”
Caroline was also familiar with the pattern in her Youth Ranch Riding class. “Since we just had it at the Youth World, I was excited when I saw it,” she said. “It was one we had worked on pretty hard.”
Caroline shares her horse with her brother, Elden, and also shows in All Around events. “Elden shows him in the Walk Trot classes,” she said.
Seismic Reaction ROcks Two NSBA Bronzes
Kate Fox and her father Dan had a red letter day at the 2018 Congress. Kate took her father’s horse to the NSBA champion award and reserve AQHA champion in Level 1 Amateur Ranch Riding in a class of 62 horses, and Steve Meadows showed the horse to win both the AQHA and NSBA Junior Ranch Riding, besting 32 exhibitors.
“I bought him in January, and we call him Dusky. I was attracted to him because he’s just so pretty, and is a great mover. I showed him at a few shows in California, where I’m from,” Kate said.
“We took him to the Sun Circuit and the Red Bud and did really well with him. I’ve put a Superior on him in Amateur Ranch Riding. My dad shows him in Performance Halter. We sent him to Steve Meadows after the AQHA Select World, and he’s showing him here and at the AQHA World Show for us.”
“Everything is just so easy for him,” Steve added. “He’s big, stout and just a natural mover. He’s such a cool horse and he has so much talent. I mainly just try to stay out of his way.”
Matt Gouthro and Chex Are Cashin Win Level 1 Ranch Riding
There was no doubt among the judges about the winner in the Level 1 Ranch Riding, as they unanimousy mark Chex Are Cashin and Matt Gouthro as the AQHA and NSBA champions of the class of 63 entries. Matt showed for Dana Lanning.
“This horse has done a little bit of everything, and he’s 11 years old,” Matt said. “He’s done some Working Cow Horse, some Ranch Horse Versatility, and now he’s doing Ranch Riding. He was there with me every stride and did everything I asked him to do. He rode really well. The pattern was fun to ride.”
Matt has shown Chex Are Cashin to a number of AQHA points in Senior Ranch Riding, and Dana also shows him in Amateur classes.
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 28. To view complete show results, please visit www.quarterhorsecongress.com/results. To watch the live feed for the show, please go to nationalsportsbroadcasting.com/congress.
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