The final Monday of the 2023 All American Quarter Horse Congress saw several NSBA members taking home new hardware from the world’s largest single breed horse show.
It's very seldom that you'll find Kenny Lakins at a loss for words, but he had trouble putting words together to express how he felt about winning the Congress Junior Western Pleasure with the stallion Made Like No Other. It was an emotional win.
I've won every other class at the Congress, but I had never won this class until tonight," he said. "I've been second several times, but this one has been a long time coming. I have to be honest, I think that is probably the best ride I've ever had. It was darned near perfect. If I was going to win it, I'm glad it was with this horse."
The four year old stallion by Machine Made and out of Dont Skip Zips Version is known as Scotty, and was bred and raised by Melissa (Lisa) and Mike Wilkes. "The Dont Skip Zips Version is Mike's mare, and this is his baby," Lisa said of Scotty. This mare has also produced a reserve Congress champion today too - VS Retirement Fund, that Cindy Schrader shows, is out of her and a horse that we raised."
The team had to be patient with Scotty. He won the Congress Masters Western Pleasure as a two year old in 2021, but their plans to return with him to the 2022 Congress weren't in the cards. "He got sick last year and we weren't able to show him at the Congress. So we had to wait on him and show him this year. He's been showing all year, and he's been great. Kenny has done a phenomenal job with him."
Scotty and the reserve champion in Junior Western Pleasure, The Cooki Monster, traded places at this year's NSBA World Championship Show in the same class with Scotty earning the reserve award and "Cher" winning the NSBA World title.
Super Freek and Jamie English added to their Congress winnings on Monday when they were named Congress champions in the Three Year Old Limited Open Hunter Under Saddle Futurity.
“Jamie has just done a wonderful job with Roger,” noted Kelly Smith, who owns the gelding. “It’s been a long-term project, but it’s been a good ride. Jason English found Roger at Mark and Judy Zeitler’s running around in a field when they went to look at another horse.
“We were looking for a three year old, and he said what about two year old for next year. I went and saw him and I still wasn’t sure, but Jason was confident that this horse was the one we needed and we bought him. Jason has really been the force behind this horse. He called me one day and told me this horse was a ‘super freak’ and that’s what we should call him.
“This should make over $50,000 that he’s earned in the Three Year Old Hunter Under Saddle, which is unheard of. And it’s now my sixth win at the Congress with a Three Year Old Hunter
Avery Woody won her very first Congress championship on Monday with her 20 year old show partner, Hot Rageous Rodder. “He’s really sweet and he loves the Trail,” Avery said.
“I liked the pattern, and I especially liked the half trot half lope circle. We are showing in Showmanship too.
It was Avery’s second year to show at the Congress and first time Congress champion.
Jordan Macan was a busy girl on Monday in the Trail pen, but her hard work paid off with a Congress and reserve title with her horses, Al Of A Sudden and Hot Four Teacher.
“It’s been a crazy journey. I started out riding Zippo Romeo, then a few years ago I was reserve on Protect Me Honey. This is just a dream come true,” she said. “I’ve only had Al Of A Sudden for about three years. He’s such a good horse, he’s such a blessing.
“When you go out there, you have to leave it all out there, and keep showing no matter what.”
Justa Lazy Mouse and Colten Hansen earned their first Congress championship together in Level 2 AQHA Youth Trail 12-14, in Colten’s first ever trip to the Congress.
“Farrah is five years old, and we showed in Western Pleasure and Trail at the Youth World and Trail here,” he said. “We just started showing together this year. When I saw the pattern on paper, I thought the back was something we might need to work on. I really liked that we didn’t hit any poles, and we were patient.”
Colten was the reserve world champion at the AQHYA World Show earlier this summer. He planned to celebrate today’s win by going out to dinner.
Jessica Hanchett Botke and Double O Sevn won the Level 1 Amateur Hunter Under Saddle on Monday. “This is a three year old Lazy Loper that Scott Jones found. This is my second show with him, my first was at the NSBA World SHow. He’s got a great feel and he’s very fun to show.
“I took about a 14 year break and had four children. Scott reminded me how much fun it was to ride. We were in the first go and so we had to wait, but since he’s just three that was probably a good thing because I think he was a little nervous to show at night in there and he relaxed.
“In the final, there were a lot of nice horses out there, but he paid attention and listened and was well prepared. It’s fun to show when they work like that. This is my first Congress and my first Congress champion.”
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.
