A rainy forecast and a nearby auto accident that led to a short power outage couldn’t stop the 2021 Tom Powers Triple Challenge Futurity from getting underway at the World Equestrian Center in Wilmington, Ohio, on Wednesday.
Loving Longe Line
The morning began with two Longe Line classes for Non-Pros. The Non-Pro Color Yearling Longe Line saw sevcen exhibitors, with Scott Neitzel showing a filly he bred and raised, Hope U Da Best, earning three firsts and a second under judges Dolly Chayer, Sandra Curl, Wayne Holt and Michael Weaver.
“I call her Hope,” Scott said. “She’s by Lopin My Best and out of my mare A Stylish Zippo, who is really my heart horse. She’s produced several futurity horses for me.”
Scott and Hope have been hitting the show trail. “We were second in the Non-Pro and Open Color Longe Line at the Premier, and were reserve and futurity champions at the Pinto World,” he said.
“She is so laid back. I didn’t even start her on Longe Line until the middle of April, and she just takes it all in. I love her, and she’ll probably never leave the farm either!”
Tali Terlizzi took her stud colt, Heres To The Blue, to the win in the Non-Pro Yearling Hunter Longe Line. “He’s by Good I Will Be, and out of The First Ride, and was bred and raised by Nancy Sue Ryan,” Tali said.
The stallion is affectionately known as “Baby Stallion” on social media after spending time with Beth Case. "I've tried to give him a barn name, but nothing sticks, so he's still Baby Stallion.
“He’s so big and pretty, and he’s very soft. He trots, he canters and he keeps his neck where it is supposed to be. He’s really the perfect specimen,” Tali said.
"He's the nicest horse I've ever had in the barn," added trainer Anthony Leier.
Hunting Championships
In the Maturity Novice Horse Novice Rider Hunter Under Saddle, Not Forgotten, shown by Emiley Houser, won her very first Tom Powers title in her first time to compete at the show.
“I bought ‘Thor’ as a late three year old, and he was really green,” Emiley said. “I took him to Brent Garringer and he worked with him. We just went to our first show in December in Cloverdale, Indiana. What I love about him is that he is really soft, and he was really quiet.”
Thor is by Unfortgettable and out of a Coats N Tails mare.
The Three Year Old Novice Horse Hunter Under Saddle resulted in a tie for first and second place. Serving as co-champions were Only Ride The Best, with Dawn Baker showing for Caroline Cavallo, and Rock N Motion, with Katy Jo Zuidema in the irons for Sarah Nimigan.
Western Winners
Much of the day on Wednesday was devoted to Western Pleasure classes. Jalyn McElmurray may be quiet and reserved in one on one situations, but she boldly showed her mare, Itz Lazy Time, to win the Three Year Old Novice Horse Novice Rider Western Pleasure.
“We call her Kricket,” Jalyn said of her mare. “She’s super sweet and has a great personality. She’s by Lazy Loper.” Kricket and Jalyn have only been show partners for a few months, but they have quickly formed a winning connection. “My trainers Tim and Kelly Carr found her, and she’s so much fun to show.”
Made Ta Order and Justin Melvin earned first place in the Maturity Novice Horse Novice Rider Western Pleasure for owner Doreen Earl. “She’s four years old, and she’s by Machine Made,” Justin said.
"I just started working for Gil and Becky in Apri, so I've been working with this horse since then. She's just a really fun horse to work with and show, and her owner is a great lady."
In the Color Breed Non-Pro Western Pleasure, Rick Smith showed Lazy Sunday Drive, a horse that he keeps at home, to the win. “We call her Eve. She’s a full double registered horse with AQHA and NSBA, and she’s four years old,” Rick said.
“I bought her in the fall of her two year old year. I had gone to Jennifer Stein’s to look at another horse, and I didn’t get along that well with it, but I saw her in the stall and said I’ll take her. Erin (Pepe) Lieurance and Jeff Cochran trainer her, and we showed at the NSBA World Show. I brought her to my house this year since I have another horse in training, and I’ve been showing her in Color and Select Amateur classes. She’s a super sweet mare, and really laid back”
Eve is by Check Out My Hotrod and out of a Lazy Loper mare.
Birthday girl Angie Cannizzaro showed House Martini to win the Two Year Old Color Breed Western Pleasure, showing for Voge Quarter Horses.
“The Voges raised her. She’s a nice little mare,” Angie said of ‘Granny.’ “She’s easy, simple and a lot of fun to show.”
Shawn Johnson showed her long-time show partner, Lazy Holla Dayze to win the Maturity Non-Pro Western Pleasure as well as the Intermediate Non-Pro division of the class.
“I haven’t been to a show since the 2020 AQHA World Show,” admitted Shawn. “I really only go to five shows a year.
“Dolly is a great mare, and she gives me so much confidence. Today, we had a great ride, and it just felt right. She is my once in a lifetime horse.”
The largest class of the day, the Three Year Old Limited Open Western Pleasure saw 15 entries compete. Stephanie Armellini showed MadeFourIt, the stallion she co-owns with Dennis Oyer to the win.
“We call him PJ. I picked him out from a video at about six weeks old, and said I had to have him,” she said. The stallion stayed with Stephanie when she joined Zuidema Quarter Horses nearly three years ago, and the team has worked together to show him.
“He’s won quite a bit of money in just a few shows,” Stephanie said. PJ won the Three Year Old & Over Novice Horse Western Pleasure at The Premier and followed that up with a win in the Carl Yamber Memorial Three Year Old & Older Novice Horse Western Pleasure at the Tarheel Classic, both with Katy Jo Zuidema aboard, before coming to the Tom Powers.
The first day of the Tom Powers Triple Challenge Futurity ended with a series of NSBA qualifying classes that included Junior Western Pleasure, Novice Amateur Western Pleasure, Green Western Pleasure and Senior Western Pleasure.
The Tom Powers Triple Challenge Futurity continues through Sunday, July 4.
