The final Thursday of the A Sudden Impulse Futurity and AQHA show, currently underway at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida, saw several exhibitors earning some big checks for themselves and horse owners. The day saw everything from Trail and Horsemanship to Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure futurities and a variety of AQHA classes showing in multiple arenas.
A Trail To A Win
Bruce Vickery showed Eye On The Ball to win the $5,000 NSBA Senior Trail, earning $2,519 to start of the day for owners Ken and Laina Banks. Bruce has been working with the 17 year old gelding for two years. “He’s very crafty,” Bruce said of his mount, who is called Beans.
“He’s very careful with his feet, and he’s got that personality that you can get very aggressive and go for it and he just goes with it. He has a lot of personality, but he’s worth it. I could tell when we started off the pattern that he was really on today, because that’s kind of how he is. He’s won both the AQHA and NSBA High Point Trail award and Laina has won quite a bit with him too. He is a very special horse.”
Laina and ‘Berry’ Take Horsemanship
While her other horse was showing in the Trail pen, Laina Banks was laying down an unbeatable pattern of her own in the $1,500 Added NSBA Amateur Select Horsemanship with Strawberri Wine. “The pattern had a lot to it,” Laina explained.
“There was a spot where you backed four steps, did a spin into an extended trot, and you had to go around a square corner with speed and had a lead change. We had a really sharp rollback, and I tried to go deep into the corner to show off our speed. She was really good! It was amazing to have both our horses win at almost the same time on the same day!”
Full Circle For Teddy
When Dawn Baker showed Only Ride The Best to win the $1,000 Added Junior Hunter Under Saddle on Thursday, it was coming full circle back to the place where their show career began – the pair won the Maiden Three Year Old Hunter Under Saddle at the same show last year.
“We had a great year with Teddy last year,” Dawn said. “He won here, he won the Congress, won the NSBA three’s and won the Green Hunter Under Saddle at the AQHA World Show. He’s been pretty incredible.”
Dawn noted that the Good Better Best gelding has only become more mature and stronger as a four year old. “He’s even better now,” she said. “This year, Caroline is showing him in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle and I’m showing him in the Junior. We’re preparing for the AQHA World Show this fall as our number one priority.”
The “Bride To Be” Wins Three Year Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure
In less than 30 days, Whitney Wilson is getting married to her fiancé, Ryan Small, but she came to the A Sudden Impulse Futurity to break away from wedding plans long enough to win the $2,000 Added Three Year Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure aboard Made Suddenly.
“This was my first time showing her,” Whitney said of the mare known as Bella, who is by Machine Made and out of a daughter of RL Best Of Sudden.
“My dad showed her in the Virginia Maiden and was reserve with her. She’s so sweet. She makes me a better rider because I have to figure out how to help her in a different way from other horses I’ve ridden. She’s very kind though, and she wants to please you. It was a very comfortable ride.”
More Western Pleasure Winners
The Limited riders saw action on Thursday afternoon in two classes in the Grand Arena.
Lacey Olejar took the reins of Heza Flatliner for owner Becky Crider Durrett, winning the $5,000 Added NSBA Maturity Limited Rider Open Western Pleasure. The duo earned $2,157 for the win.
“I started working for Nick and Carmen Mayabb after Thanksgiving last year, and I’ve got to work with this horse ever since then,” Lacey said. “I’m extremely grateful to Nick and Carmen as well as Becky for letting me show this horse. He’s such a nice horse, and he’s won quite a bit in Trail and Western Pleasure. He was excellent in the class today. He’s such a great jogger and loper, and he always gives me his all.”
As part of the Maturity Limited Open class, the Western Pleasure Super Sires had four horses entered to vie for earnings through their futurity program. Jesse Jones, showing Call Her Daddy for owner Katie Shepherd, won the division, earning $1,872. They also placed third overall in the futurity class.
Garth Gooding showed Loping Thru Fire to win the nightcap futurity class for Michelle and Sheila Bauer when he won the $2,500 Limited Horse Limited Rider Western Pleasure. They earned $5,400 for the win.
“He’s by The Loping Machine, and he’s out of Fired Up Potential, who was reserve champion in the Congress Masters Western Pleasure and in fact was reserve to The Lopin Machine, so we love his breeding,” Garth said. “He doesn’t have much of a motor, so he’s easy to prepare. We’ve kind of held him back and saved him for the maiden classes. He’s very lazy.”
Garth, Sonessa and Austin Gooding raised the gelding, whom they call Abraham. “He was born on President’s Day, so we named him Abraham,” he explained. “It’s pretty gratifying to have one to show that we raised. We’re excited to bring him to the Premier, the NSBA World Show and the Congress this year.”
Youth Earn Big In Horsemanship
The NSBA youth earned their share of the A Sudden Impulse Futurity paychecks on Wednesday in Horsemanship.
Kaitlyn Bloom guided Ima Lazy Cowboy to win the $1,000 Added NSBA Youth Horsemanship 14-18. They earned $467.53 for the win.
“He’s by No Doubt Im Lazy, and I’ve had him for about three years,” Kaitlyn said. “He can be really difficult in the Horsemanship, so this was really great! I thought our best parts of the pattern were the hand gallop and flying lead change and our pivots.”
Kaitlyn and “Cowboy” will next head to the Pinnacle show in Arizona, and then the Cornhusker Classic. Their plans after that will depend on Kaitlyn’s schedule as a high school senior.
In the $1,000 Added NSBA 13 & Under Youth Horsemanship, KM Genuinely Best and Emma Gore topped the class, earning $459.85 for first place. “We’ve had a really good show here at the A Sudden Impulse,” Emma said. “We won the Hunt Seat Equitation and were reserve in the Trail.”
Emma has had her gelding, known as Ben, for two years. “I really love his personality,” she said. “He’s kind of goofy but he’s sweet and he likes to be loved on.”
The A Sudden Impulse Futurity and AQHA show continues through Saturday, April 30. To view complete show results, please visit the Horse Show Tracker app or go to anequineproduction.com.
