The Tom Powers Christmas Challenge Futurity, which began on Wednesday, has had a successful two days so far as the show winds into the weekend.
Wednesday saw Performance Halter, Longe Line, Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure and Combo Trail and Western Pleasure classes as well as the conclusion of the American Roan Horse Association world championship classes, with more Longe Line, Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure classes on Thursday.
Dean Oliver’s Trifecta
Dean Oliver and his mare Enchanted Lexus completed a trifecta of Tom Powers championships at the 2020 futurity. On Wednesday, the duo won the Maturity Intermediate Non-Pro Western Pleasure and Novice Amateur Western Pleasure, and came back on Thursday to win the Maturity Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure.
Dean raised the four year old mare, known as Bella, who is by Machine Made and out of RLS Lexus Lady. “I still think I’m dreaming,” he said after Thursday’s win. “It’s just incredible. I’m so happy to be here in this great facility, enjoying the great weather and showing in some tough classes.”
Bella almost went to a new home at the beginning of 2020. “Jay Starnes and I had decided to put her up for sale when we were in Venice (Florida) this winter,” Dean said. “We did so well with her there that my wife Alicia told me we shouldn’t sell her. So I talked to Jay, and we kept her, and here we are.
“What I love about her is that she profiles so well. Her ears are always up and she’s so strong. She’s just special. I had hoped she would be a great one from the moment she hit the ground. Without Kristy Starnes and my wife, none of this would be possible.”
Nancy Ditty’s Super Champion
Nancy Ditty and her mare, Forever Kool, proved that talent can be consistent throughout the years. The pair were recognized as Tom Powers Super Champions after winning the unparalleled Powers championships in Non-Pro Yearling Western Longe Line in 2017, the Two Year Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure Futurity in 2018, Three Year Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure Futurity in 2019, and now the Maturity Non-Pro Western Pleasure in 2020.
“It’s just amazing,” Nancy said of her mare, whom she calls Pumpernickle. “She never gets flustered, and she’s always right there. I don’t think I’ve ever had an easier horse to ride and show.”
By Machine Made and out of Forever N Ever, Pumpernickle is one of two show horses out of that mare at this year’s Powers Futurity.
Pumpernickle’s half sibling, Flat Out Kool, won the 2020 Super Sires Non-Pro Yearling Longe Line, earning a $5,000 pay check.
Known as Tally, the yearling mare is out of the same dam, Forever N Ever, and by AQHA stallion VS Flatline. “She reminds me a lot of Pumpernickle,” Nancy said. “This is just her second time off the farm, and she just acts like she’s been doing this all her life."
In fact, Nancy started Tally on the Longe Line in the spring, but the filly developed an eye ulcer before the NSBA World Championship Show and did not get to show. “I had sold the yearling I was going to show in the Super Sires, and when I found out the show was moving to Ocala right near where I live, I pulled her out of the field and got her ready.
“The Super Sires is such a great program. There aren’t many places where a Non-Pro can win these kinds of payouts. We love it!”
Repeat Powers Champions
Better B Best Lukin made a clean sweep of the Hunter Longe Line classes at this year’s Tom Powers Christmas Challenge. On Wednesday, Bob Kennedy returned to the show ring after a 25 year absence to show the filly in the Non-Pro Hunter Longe Line on Wednesday, winning the class. “It was a lot of fun,” Bob said. Better B Best Lukin is by Good Better Best and out of a Luke At Me mare.
On Thursday it was Kathie Kennedy’s turn in the Open Hunter Longe Line, and she and the filly also took the win. “Bob wanted to do the longe line, and so we went to Leslie Bacon’s and picked her out,” she said. “She’s so good minded. She trots really well and she lopes phenomenally.”
The filly recently sold to Steve and Jennifer Reams. “We’re very excited for her future,” Katie said.
Chris Holbin and The Candy Mann, showing for April Brandt, were another duo who earned repeat Tom Powers Christmas Challenge awards. The pair won the Three Year Old Limited Open Western Pleasure on Wednesday, and returned to win the Three Year Old $2,500 Limited Horse Western Pleasure on Thursday.
“We bought him as a two year old and started him but had planned to show him his three year old year,” Chris said of the gelding by VS Flatline and out of Miss Candy Machine. “I did most of the work on him myself, and I guess we can say he peaked at the right time. Macy Brandt and he were third at the AQHYA World Show and I was reserve with him at the NSBA World Show.
“He was a great horse for me to train to make the transition from doing the All Around to concentrating on Western Pleasure. He has such a pretty top line and he profiles really pretty too."
Im Slow Blue, owned by Mark Owen and shown by both Mark and trainer Anthony Leier, was also a double Tom Powers champion, winning both the Non-Pro and Open Color Longe Line. The stallion is by VS Code Blue.
First Time Champions
A number of exhibitors won Tom Powers futurity classes in their first appearance at the show.
Stephanie Kallenberger and Lazyz Black In Black came all the way from California to win the Three Year Old Novice Horse/Novice Rider Hunter Under Saddle. “We just got him in April, and we had only been to a few local shows before coming here,” Stephanie said. “My trainer, Liz Baker, said she thought we were ready, so we came here."
The gelding, known as Toga, is by The Ultimate Of Lazy and out of BSB Elegant Leaguer. “He’s very playful, but he has a big heart,” Stephanie said. “We are concentrating on the Hunter Under Saddle, but we’ve started to work on Equitation too."
It may seem like Allie Littlefield’s stallion, All Time Vandal, has been around a long time because he has shown and won a number of APHA world titles, but ‘Graffiti’ is only three years old, and he and Allie went through their paces to win the Tom Powers Three Year Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle.
“He was the only Paint in the class, so he had to be good,” laughed Allie. “We had never been to the Tom Powers before, and we’re really enjoying it. This was a very nice class of horses.”
Graffiti will head to the breeding barn after the first of the year, but Allie plans to return to the show pen after his breeding duties are completed. “He will have a busy breeding season, but he’s still rocking and rolling, so we will keep on showing,” she said.
“We’re excited to see his first babies on the ground in 2021. I can’t wait!”
Gil Galyean may have catch rode Im Vicki Vale for Megan Holtmeyer and Arturo Maestas, but it was the first time the Appaloosa mare had competed at the Tom Powers. “We really haven’t got to show her very much,” Arturo said.
“She showed at the ApHC World Show a year ago, and then she didn’t show again until at this year’s ApHC World and then here. We’re getting ready to start her on Trail and Western Riding so that she can begin her All Around career. We love her. I tell Megan that she’s never leaving me.”
Hunting For Champions
Becky Schooler piloted Its A Northern Thing for Sarah Merkatoris to win the Three Year Old Limited Open Hunter Under Saddle. Known as Eskimo, the gelding is by Its A Southern Thing. “We bought him as a late yearling, and showed him a little bit as a two year old,” Beckey said.
“He is so big, he lopes like a Western horse. He is really sweet, and curious, but he’s sensitive, especially for a gelding. He’s done really well with his owner, Sarah. We have him for sale.”
Skye Miles may have changed owners over the summer but he stayed in the barn of Carly and Wade Parks, and Carly rode him to win the Maturity $2,500 Limited Horse Hunter Under Saddle.
“This is just his first full year being shown,” Carly said. “He won the AQHYA World Show with Natalie Vargo, and then sold to another of our customers, Cindy Schrader. He was reserve at the NSBA World Show. He’s green, but he doesn’t feel like a green horse. He’s actually a barn favorite.”
By Iron Enterprise, ‘Luca’ is out of A Walk In The Sky. “I actually brought him here to Ocala to ride around to prepare for Equitation so he would be ready for Cindy to show in Tampa at the end of the month, but since we were already here, we late entered in him the Maturity Limited class.”
Other Tom Powers futurity champions included Al Fool Ya and Haley Hartman, Maturity Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle; Line Up Behind, JR Cook, winning the Three Year Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure and a Harris work saddle; She Isa Crowdpleasure and Robert Fowler, Maturity Limited Open Western Pleasure; Yall Hashtag This, Aaron Moses for Brent and Kate Bamford, Maturity $2,500 Limited Horse Western Pleasure.
The Tom Powers Christmas Challenge Futurity continues through Sunday, December 20, at the new World Equestrian Center Ocala. To see the show schedule or view the daily live video stream, please visit www.tompowersfuturity.com.
