Alissa Boersen & Hot Nuff To Glow
Tuesday saw Congress champions ranging from Showmanship, to Western Riding, to Western Pleasure, Hunter Under Saddle, Horsemanship and Equitation as the show continues through its final week at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Showmanship Champs
The Celeste Center saw a full morning of Youth Showmanship, as both age groups of Level 1 exhibitors were put through their paces.
Alissa Boersen and Hot Nuff To Glow took home their first Congress championships in AQHA and NSBA Level 1 Showmanship 13 & Under. "We call him Johnnie, and I've had him since he was five years old. He's 11 now. We pretty much do the All Around events," Alissa said.
After working the pattern in an initial split, Alissa and Johnnie performed the pattern again in the finals. "The first pattern was pretty good," Alissa said.
"I was most concerned about the 45 degree turn, because he doesn't always want to finish his pivot, but he came right along with me. I used to not like Showmanship - Horsemanship is actually my favorite class - but I started to like it more after we got him. It's my first Congress championship, and it feels amazing."
In the 14-18 Level 1 Youth Showmanship, Lydia Brahler showed Sure A Hot Krymsun to the AQHA and NSBA win. "I've been showing for a long time. I think this is my fifth year," Lydia said. "My horse Rudy is ten, and I've had him since he was two. We got him from Shannon Vroegh."
Lydia had a big cheering section of fellow exhibitors. "She is the happiest girl and she always congratulates everyone else," said one competitor.
Like Alissa, Lydia earned her first Congress championship and reflected on the win. "I'm shaking," she said. "It feels amazing. Rudy is not an easy horse, so that makes it more special. I'm so thankful to Brad Kearns. He's taught me so much, and to become much more confident. I'm really blessed."
On the Amateur side, a father and daughter duo each won Level 1 Amateur and Level 1 Select Amateur Showmanship titles. Kaylee Swanigan showed Ima Cool Lookin Man to the Level 1 Amateur win, while her father Brian Stanhope showed Good To Be Here to their second Congress championship in the AQHA and NSBA Level 1 Select Amateur Showmanship. Brian and his horse won the Level 1 Select Amateur Horsemanship on Monday.
Hunter Under Saddle Winner
In the Three Year Old Limited Open Hunter Under Saddle, Stacy Huls piloted You Could Be Next to the win for Sandra Morgan, who is leasing the stallion. "I bought him as a yearling, and he's just an amazing animal," Stacy said. "He gives it his all every time. He's got the brains and the movement, he has it all."
"I was attracted to his movement and his personality," Sandra said. "He's like a giant dog, but he's so great legged. It's truly a team effort too, because Stacy has him on the West Coast in the spring and Paul and Tami Thurston have him on the East Coast in the fall."
Courtney Brockmueller & Good Better Best
Hot Hunters
Two Hunter Under Saddle stakes and futurity champions were named on Tuesday. Courtney Brockmueller piloted Nancy Sue Ryan's stallion, Good Better Best, to win the Three Year Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle Stakes as well as the Southern Belle Breeders division of the class.
The stallion marked the third generation of Nancy Sue's breeding program at Show Stop Farm. "He got hurt last year, so he really just got started this year," Nancy Sue said. "We didn't even start him until February, and he spent part of this spring in the breeding shed. He is the all-time best minded horse I've ever had."
"He had to wait but he was so worth it," Courtney said of the Good I Will Be son. "I'm so happy for my mom. He's so stunning that you just can't help but look at him, and he's so much fun to show."
Lydia Brahler & Sure A Hot Krymsun
Clay Arrington & Get Radical In My RV
Jane Humes & Cool Cruzin Lady
Stacy Huls & You Could Be Next
Bella Rosa & One Dynamic Krymsun
Taylor Searles & Hereicomeagain
Western Pleasure Winners
Taylor Searles flew in from her college, Auburn University, to win AQHA and NSBA Youth Western Pleasure 15-18 aboard Hereicomeagain. "I came in from a college equestrian meet on Saturday night," Taylor said. "I'm glad I got to show, even if I had to miss school."
Taylor spoke of her four year old mare, who is known as Chloe. "She's just so talented. She's willing to do anything you ask. She is honest and very natural, and you can show her on or off the rail," she said.
"We've showed her some in Trail and Horsemanship, so I think she'll have a career as an All Around horse. I'm excited for her future. I have to thank Rusty and Katie Green, my parents Deanna and Jim Searles and Kathy Tobin, because they were all a big part of this."
Clay Arrington showed the other two year old owned by his grandparents, Vickie and Ronnie Kent, named Get Radical In My RV, to win the Limited division of the Two Year Old Maiden Open Western Pleasure Futurity.
"I'm still processing this," Clay said of the win. "This two year old is special. He's by Radical Rodder. I believe they are good horse horses. Once you get them to come around, they make great show horses."
Known as Amos, the colt earned three firsts and a second on the judges cards in the class. "I do start most of the horses myself, but I get a lot of advice from some great people from Aaron Moses to Casey Willis and Blair Townsend to Gil Galyean. I'm blessed to be surrounded by great people and get to work with these horses every day."
KM Sudden Fried Chicken, shown by Blair Townsend for Masterson Farms LLC, won the Southern Belle Breeders division of the Two Year Old Limited Open Maiden Western Pleasure Futurity.
Pattern Perfection
Three additional pattern class champions were also crowned on Tuesday, including Western Riding, Horsemanship and Equitation events.
Blake Weis showed Cool Cruzin Lady to win Level 1 Western Riding for owner Jane Humes, with a score of 225. "She's just a baby at three years old," Jane said. "She held her own against all the more broke horses. I'm really excited about it because I picked her out at last year's AQHA World Show. It gives me faith in my skills, because I learned how to pick prospects from Jason Martin."
"She's so good minded," added Blake. "It's so easy for her. Plus, she'd rather be out doing something than in her stall, so it gives her another class to do. We just started with her at the Red Bud in June, and qualified for the World Show at the Big A."
Bella Rosa and One Dynamic Krymsun added another Congress title to their accomplishments for 2017 when they won the Level 1 Youth 14-18 Horsemanship, and the moment puts a cap on Bella's Novice career.
"Horsemanship was the last class that I was still Novice in," Bella said. "It was a great way to end our Novice career."
The duo performed their pattern in a split, and then reworked the pattern as part of the finals. "We did fix a few things in the finals," she said. "He doesn't have a flying lead change, so we just did a simple one. He didn't want to break down, but then he came right back to me, so it was good."
For Karen Tegner-Manseth, the Level 1 Amateur Select Hunt Seat Equitation was one class that she too had remained Novice in. She and her horse Definitely A First, won the class across the board with four firsts under the judges, and earned Karen her first Congress championship in AQHA and NSBA divisions.
"It's not my favorite class," she said. "I really love Showmanship. My horse, 'Tag,' had never done English until I got him two and a half years ago, so we've come a long way. It's pretty exciting to win a Congress champion title."
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through October 29. To view complete show results or learn more about the show, please visit www.quarterhorsecongress.com.
