The final Wednesday at the 2021 All American Quarter Horse Congress saw Trail futurities, Youth and Amateur Select classes as well as Western and English futurity events.
Bruce Vickery Sweeps The Four-Five Year Old and Three Year Old Trail Stakes
It was quite a day for trainer Bruce Vickery. He guided two of his horses to the highest scores in the Open Three Year Old Trail Stakes and the Four and Five Year Old Trail Stakes Wednesday morning. He earned both the Congress Open and Limited division titles in both events.
Bruce began his winning streak with Wouda Coulda Shoulda, a gelding he has been showing successfully for owners and breeders Ken and Laina Banks. “Woody is such a great horse,” Bruce said of the gelding. “You always know he’s going to be good. You know he’s going to march around and not look at anything, and he won’t spook. He has so much try. In the four and five year old class, the 4 and 5 poles had some height to them and there were lots of angles that you had to maneuver.”
Woody and Bruce also won the Southern Belle Breeders portion of both the Open and Limited Open divisions of the class, earning more than $6,000 in total earnings for all portions of the class.
In the Three Year Old Trail Stakes, Bruce showed Wine After Whiskey for owner Carrie Warren. Winning both the Open and Limited Open portions of the class, Bruce won just under $3,000 for the two division championships.
“I loved the pattern today, and I found it super challenging. The obstacles themselves had a lot of maneuvering to them also,” he said. “You had to manipulate your path through them.
“This is just an amazing horse and is really one of my heart horses. We only started showing in Trail July 1st at the Big A to just put some miles on, and we were circuit champions. We’ve only shown about four times between Big A, NSBA World Show, Ocala and here. I’m just blessed to have some great horses.”
Emma And JD Win Youth Hunter Under Saddle 12-14
Emma Dejong has been a quick study of her gelding, A Midnight Cowboy. “I’ve only had JD since June,” she said. “He was so different, and we had never seen anything like him. Jennifer Goss went to Alyse Roberts’ place to see him and she said we should get him.
Emma and JD had taken a break from showing to let JD get healthy. “He got really sick after the NSBA World Show and he was at Ohio State Veterinary Hospital for a while,” Emma said. “I just got him back a few days ago, and I just rode him for the first time in a month a few days ago.”
The break, however, didn’t stop this duo. They navigated their split and a finals to earn the Congress championship. “He was really good,” Emma said.
Evie Doles And Moose Win Youth Hunter Under Saddle 15-18
Evie Doles has had one year to get to know her show partner, If Im Honest, and now it seems, they have become a team. Evie showed the five year old gelding to their second Congress championship of the 2021 Congress.
“We won the NYATT Hunt Seat Equitation the other day, so this is our second Congress win,” Evie said.”It’s just incredible. He is the best horse. He has the best mind. He’s so calm, and yet he’s also the biggest goofball. He will do anything for treats. He’s a very willing horse, and he’s never said no to anything I’ve asked of him. He’s kind of like a big dog in a horse’s body.”
Evie and Moose had a great go in the finals. “Moose was amazing. He listened to everything I did and rounded up, and navigated the traffic really well,” she said.
Clara Ashlock And Bud Win Youth Level 1 Western Pleasure 13 & Under
It was a unanimous decision among the judges to award Clara Ashlock and her horse Made In The Dark with the Congress championships in Youth Level 1 Western Pleasure 13 & Under.
“I’ve had Bud for a year or two,” Clara said. “He’s really fun to ride. I just show in Western Pleasure, and I’ve been showing in it for four years now.”
Clara did a lot of her own preparation for her Western Pleasure class since her trainer, Aaron Moses, was injured a few days ago and unable to ride her horse. “We practiced a lot, and I practiced a lot just before we showed,” Clara said. “There was a lot of traffic in my first split, but in the finals, I rode a little bit harder.”
Betty Jo And Pippa Win Amateur Select Western Pleasure
A few days ago, Betty Jo Carr watched Gil Galyean win the Congress with her mare, Knockin It Out. Today, it was Betty Jo’s turn, and she and Pippa left the arena as Congress champions in the Amateur Select Western Pleasure.
Mallory And Got What I Got Wine Two Year Old Non-Pro Stakes
Mallory Menard showed her two year old mare, Got What I Got, to win the Two Year Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure Stakes, realizing a long-time goal. "I had won the Limited Non-Pro division of this class before, but I had always wanted to win the Non-Pro," Mallory said. "So being able to do that is pretty special.."
Got What I Got, known as Annie, is by Mr Sherlock Holmes and out of a Hot Impulse mare. "Annie was part of a group of horses we bought two years ago, when she was on her mother's side. "I told Jason (Ducharme) that he could do whatever he wanted to do with the rest of the horses, but that filly wasn't going anywhere, and we kept her.
"She knew she was special from the beginning. She just had a presence to her, and she bossed everyone around, like she was the queen. She's beautiful, and she's a great mover."
Mallory was pleased with how Annie handled the Congress. "She was a maiden and showed for the first time on Monday in the first go of the Coughlin, and she was reserve champion in it the other day," she said. "I've had her with Aaron Moses for the past two months, and so when Aaron got hurt, it was a little stressful to get her ready myself again, but with the help of friends, we made it happen."
Mallory, who likes to bring her own young hoses up through the ranks each year, will show Annie at the 2021 AQHA World Championship Show, and then Annie will be offered for sale. "It's my favorite part to bring along the young horses," she said. "I have several yearlings waiting on me, so I have a lot of work when I get back home., and it will be time for this year's crop to find great new homes."
Everyone Knew The Whos Who After Two Year Old Maiden Win
Danny Desmond picked out The Whos Who from a field from breeders John and Beth McNichol last fall, and turned the gelding into a Congress champion in the Two Year Old Maiden Western Pleasure Futurity, presented by Coughlin Automotive in memory of Susan Scott.
“When we bought him, my dad, my cousin and I bought him together, so it’s been a family thing,” Danny said. “I’m the only one who’s ever been on him. He’s been super honest from the beginning. He is tall, and he just always wanted to be trained. He’s taught me a lot. He’s a ‘yes sir’ kind of horse, and he’s very special to me.”
Wayne and Judy Davis bought the horse just a few weeks ago and he will be going into the barn of Katy Jo and Tim Zuidema for their son JR Pickard. Danny was able to show Conway in the finals. “He didn’t make any mistakes, and this was just the second time he’s been shown – the first being in the first go for the class,” Danny said. “He was great. He made it really easy for me in the class.”
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 24. To view the complete show schedule, show results or view the live video feed, please visit www.quarterhorsecongress.com.
