The Final Friday at The Madness AQHA and NSBA show saw three Western Pleasure futurity classes – the $2,000 Added NSBA Maturity $10,000 Limited Horse Western Pleasure, the $1,500 Added NSBA $2,500 Limited Rider $2,500 Limited Horse Western Pleasure, as well as the NSBA SOQHA Three Year Old and Over Novice Horse Western Pleasure Slot Class.
Winning Is A Snap
Aaron Moses piloted Kent Ray Taylor’s gray mare, Snippity Snap, to win the $2,000 Added NSBA Maturity $10,000 Limited Horse Western Pleasure. They earned $1,251. The mare by VS Code Red and out of Snap Krackle Pop is a full sister to Kent Ray’s 2020 NSBA Horse of the Year, Snap It Send It.
“I just love her,” noted Kent Ray. “She has an incredible front leg and the sweetest personality. I’ve been showing her in Select Amateur Western Pleasure and we hope to add more classes for her next year.”
Aaron sees ‘Boo’ improving as the year progresses. “She gets better every time she shows,” he said. “She’s so consistent, and she is such a happy horse in the show pen.”
Kickin Dust Up Kicks Up A Win For Molli Jacobs
In the $1,500 Added NSBA $2,500 Limited Horse $2,500 Limited Rider Western Pleasure, Kickin Dust Up and Molli Jacobs took the top spot, earning $912 for the win.
“I’ve had ‘Magic Mike’ for about a year,” she said. “Brian and Dawn Baker had him in their barn. He’s beautiful, he’s quirky and I just really love him. Since my dad (Randy Jacobs) had halter horses all those years, my show horse has to be pretty.”
Brian Baker shows the five year old gelding by Its A Southern Thing in Open events while Molli shows in Non-Pro and Level 1/Novice Amateur. “We’re just starting to get more solid together, and today’s ride felt awesome. Next year we’re hoping to add a lead change for the Western Riding, and eventually maybe the Horsemanship and Showmanship,” she said.
Molli found herself back in the saddle after completing college and starting her career as a nurse two years ago. “It’s been great to start showing again, and having this futurity win for Mike is awesome.”
A Tied Trio and Codys Squared Win Three & Over Novice Horse Slot Class
With a deep pen of horses in Friday’s slot Western Pleasure class, the NSBA SOQHA Three & Over Novice Horse gave the crowd an entertaining performance and an even more exciting finish.
Tied Trio
Three horses tied to win the class and split the purse for the top three places, with each earning $9,166. When the tiebreaker judge was applied, Ima Golden Machine and Aaron Moses took home the bronze for new owner Linda Neece, while The Cookie Monster and Andy Cochran, showing for Capital Quarter Horses LLC took the second place ribbon and Cowgirl Take Me Away and Rusty Green, showing for Linda McNichol, took the third award.
Aaron just took the reins for Ima Golden Machine following the A Sudden Impulse Futurity, where his owner Linda Neece bought the mare from Rusty and Katie Green. “I was a little nervous to show her, because I’m still figuring her out,” noted Aaron. “But she was great. I had to get off the rail some to get her shown, but she handled it great.”
The Cooki Monster is a special mare for Capital Quarter Horses. “She’s by Machine Made and out of A Cookie For Certain, who is Whatscookingoodlookn’s dam,” noted Hillary Roberts. The cross makes The Cooki Monster a three quarters sister to NSBA Hall of Fame mare Whatscookingoodlookn.
“Joan Schroeder called us and asked if we would want an embryo from that mare, and so we jumped at the chance to get it from Russ Louderback,” she said. “She’s been very special to us from Day 1. She’s very strong, so consistent and great to look at. She really has no faults.”
The three year old mare will be showing in a number of events throughout the show year.
It’s pretty safe to say that Cowgirl Take Me Away is catching up with the rest of her class. Rusty and Katie Green had been concerned that a late start for the mare would put her behind her peers, but coming off a win on Thursday in the Madness Three Year Old Open Western Pleasure and tying to win the Novice Horse slot class has brought her closer to the front of the class.
“She gets better every time we show her,” Rusty said. “She’s doing really well.
Cody Squared: Parrish and Conover Named Intermediate and Limited Champions
Cody Parrish piloted the Parrish family’s Fiire N Ice to a fourth place finish in the class behind the tied co-champions, earning the Intermediate champion award and $1,000 in addition to the $3,500 he earned in the Open division. The duo were coming off double wins at the A Sudden Impulse Futurity in the Open and Limited divisions of the Three Year Old Maiden Western Pleasure two weeks ago.
“I’m really proud of him,” Cody said of the stallion. “In some ways it’s hard to show him that second time, because you don’t want to mess up. He was very good. He just takes everything in stride.”
The stallion known as Kona had a cheering section in the crowd. “He’s pretty good looking, so he knows how to attract the ladies,” laughed Cody.
Earning the reserve Intermediate rider award was Blake Britton, riding KM Slot Machine for owner Libby Trucco.
“It’s really been a team effort because Jessica Duffy, Aaron Moses and I have all ridden him, but I sort of took him over at the end of December. He has a lot of natural talent, and bringing him to this point has been a lot of fun. He’s really a great jogger and he can lope both directions. He was really good in the class, and it feels awesome to get this win.”
Conover’s boss, Aaron Moses, approved. “Cody has done a really good job bringing this horse along, and it was great to see him do well,” Aaron said.
Saturday’s classes at the Madness include Pleasure Driving, a full selection of Trail including the Green Junior Trail Futurity, Non-Pro Trail Futurity and Senior Trail Futurity, as well as the Dad’s Walk Jog class and the Equine Chronicle 3 & Over Maiden Horse Slot Class. The Madness continues through Sunday, May 16. For additional information, please visit anequineproduction.com, visit the SOQHA Facebook page, or view the Show Tracker app for updates.
