9 minute read
COLOR BREED CONGRESS: COMPETITORS VIE FOR TITLES IN PtHA, ApHC, PHBA, ABHA & NSBA CONTESTS
Exhibitors travel to Tulsa to compete in variety of events
Text Corrine S. Borton & Bianna Huggins Photos Jeff Kirkbride
There were many times throughout Amy Brosch’s journey to the 2022 Color Breed Congress that she came close to backing out. There’s the distance to travel from her Florida home to consider, especially with a yearling. Costs and the time away from home are always factors.
“Long and short of it – I’m a chicken,” Brosch said. “With having only done a couple shows in a few years, I lost my confidence. I was afraid I would be wasting all the time, money and effort.”
But Brosch has a strong support system, which includes her husband, Jon, and the rest of her family; Texas trainer Anthony Leier; her friends and many people who have encouraged her on Facebook. And she had something else very special - iBlonde (Pearl), a full double, AQHA/APHA yearling filly by iStyle out of Double Platinum. Luckily, Brosch pushed through all those doubts because when she packed up and left the 2022 Color Breed Congress, a show exhibiting four separate horse breeds simultaneously, Nov. 4-12, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she took back home with her plenty of hardware.
Exhibitors at the Color Breed Congress, sponsored by the the Pinto Horse Association (PtHA), compete in classes for PtHA, Palomino Horse Breeders of America (PHBA), Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC), American Buckskin Registry Association (ABRA) , National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA), Ranch Horse Congress and Long Ear Congress.
Brosch and Pearl won the PtHA Non-Pro Yearling Longe Line, Stock Type and the corresponding NSBA honor. Leier was also Reserve Champion in the PtHA Open Longe Line Stock Type, claiming Reserve NSBA honors as well. They also placed fourth in the Cash Challenge Yearling Longe Line, Stock Horse Type.
“ It was all her,” Amy said. “I was exceptionally nervous. It had been so long since I’ve shown and I’ve never actually shown her before. She is just so exceptional that she won us our class despite her mom being rusty. She has a front leg like I’ve never seen, and can jog a hole in the ground.”
Brosch purchased Pearl from then owner Geni Addicott, after Leier claimed a Reserve Championship in Open Western Yearling Longe Line at the Palomino World Show in July.
Brosch has shown horses all of her life but for the last few years she has been sidelined for a variety of reasons, including the purchase and renovation of a new farm in Howey In The Hills, Florida.
But she has had a penchant for golden horses ever since she was a child.
“My first Quarter Horse was a Palomino,” she explained. “We bought her as a yearling and I grew up with her. She is still alive and kicking at 28 years old.”
Brosch is always attracted to talented horses with color and Pearl is a full
double AQHA/APHA and is registered with the PHBA as well as the PtHA.
“Combine that with her amazing legs, looks and a great mind, and I think she is an extremely rare find,” she said. “I haven’t been this excited about one since I won the Quarter Horse Congress with Pretty Assets in the Hunter Longe Line in 2014. I think she has the potential to be a similar kind of horse, color edition.”
Brosch says Pearl has a big personality and she’s never owned a horse who loved people as much as she does.
“She will leave her feed or anything she’s doing to come give you a kiss or cuddle,” Brosch explained. “She’ll run up to you in the pasture. She can be so lazy the majority of the time, have to drag her around to do anything, but very occasionally she will get the zoomies, like the first day at horse shows. But the majority of the time, she is a push to go sort. She isn’t afraid of anything and has the most wonderful ground manners.” Brosch has had Pearl home with her since just after the Palomino World Show and has put a whole lot of work into her since, one reason she says she was so intimidated to show. “Anthony put a great foundation on her and he trusted me to take her home and have her ready for this,” she explained. “He helped me out at this show and we wouldn’t be here without him. Heck, I never would have made it into the pen. Pearl is on her way back home with me for the winter and now it’s time to decide what to do for her 2-year-old year. I am extremely excited for her future.”
Jordan Jones, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma didn’t travel as far to attend the 2022 Color Breed Congress, but she and her show partner, Bigtime Fancy, made the trip count. Together they won the PtHA Amateur Junior English Showmanship Class with 16 entries.
Jones says Bigtime Fancy is a horse who has lots of personality. He wants to please, but things do have to be his idea most of the time.
“He’s a quirky one, and it’s taken some time to figure those things out,” Jones said. “He loves being the center of attention and loves to be loved. He’s always giving us a good laugh with his shenanigans. He gives a really sassy side eye too.”
Jones first attended a Color Bred Congress in 2010 and has competed off and on ever since.
“I love seeing friends from different breeds,” she explained. “I grew up showing PHBA, so it’s fun to catch up with everyone, as well as, see new Pinto friends we’ve made across the U.S. It’s just a fun show all around. It’s pretty relaxed for a big show too, which makes it really enjoyable. It’s a great group of people and everyone’s always willing to jump in and help each other whenever needed.”
Texas trainer Shane Christensen also describes Radically Deputized (Daniel) as “quirky” too, but that didn’t stop the blue roan gelding by Radicalized from winning the PtHA Open Trail 6 & Over and the Cash Challenge TrailAll Ages All Divisions.
“I have been training Daniel for three years now. If he trusts you which he does me, he is great,” Christensen said. “He is amazing at Trail. I won the Pinto World Championship title on him this year and we have won the Color the past two years.”
Christensen has been attending the Color Breed Congress for several years now. He says it’s a fun show with lots of classes and the staff is great. s
ttt Pictured on the opposite page (top) is Amy Brosch and iBlonde winning the PtHA Non-Pro Yearling Longe Line, Stock Horse Type and (below that) Anthony Leier showing the filly in the PtHA Open Yearling Longe Line, Stock Horse Type. On this page, Shane Christensen shows Radically Deputized to a win in the Cash Challenge Trail and Jordan Jones and Bigtime Fancy complete their Showmanship pattern.
Christopher Dennis, of Jones, Oklahoma, has been showing Frozen Highnee, a liver chestnut ApHC mare by Gunner On Ice (AQHA) and out of Spotted Highnee (ApHC), in Ranch events, including Ranch Riding and Ranch Trail, since 2019 and he says since then she has earned the nickname “Ricky Bobby” because she’s either first or last.
“She likes to be very dynamic and allows you to really attack all the maneuvers, but sometimes we go too big and take ourselves out of running,” Dennis said.
But at the 2022 Color Breed Congress Frozen Hignee, owned by Christopher’s wife, Grace Owne, DVM, was all business, winning the Cash Challange Ranch Riding All Ages class with 22 entries.
Angel Baer, of Aubrey, Texas, says her show partner, Back Fleet Boy (AQHA and PtHA) is always ready and willing to go out and show and he proved that by helping Baer win the PtHA Youth Junior Hunt Seat Equitation with 12 entries.
Baer has owned the sorrel gelding by Fleet Machine and out of Zippos Fancy Playgirl for two years now and she says he is sweet, loves attention and treats.
“He’s very athletic and his ability to do patters is awesome,” she said.
Baer has been attending the Color Breed Congress for the past seven years now.
“I love that I get to see all the friends I have made while showing horses,” she said.
Sarah Konig, of Lowell, Michigan, showed Ultimate Fancy Now (Dolce) to a win in the PtHA Amateur Performance Halter Mares class with 19 entries. The APHA/PtHA bay overo mare is sired by All Time Fancy and is out of Ultimately Fancy.
Konig decided she wanted Dolce even before she was born.
“She was bred by a good friend and I was showing her-full brother six years ago at the Paint World Show. He is my heart horse and I just wanted to own another one just like him so I asked his breeder if I could have the baby. When she was born I got pictures and instantly agreed to buying her. She was a gorgeous baby.”
Konig describes Dolce’s full brother as having a heart of gold and the same is true of his sister.
Although she is very attractive and has turned out to be an outstanding show horse, Kornig says Dolce’s personality is what sets her apart.
Kornig’s family has been attending the Color Breed Congress off and on for many years now.
For additional information on the Color Breed Congress, presented by the Pinto Horse Association of America, including complete results from this year’s event, visit www.pinto.org.
ttt Christopher Dennis is pictured on the opposite page (top) riding Frozen Highnee to a win in the Cash Challenge Ranch Riding All Ages class at this year’s Color Breed Congress. Clockwise from that are: Sarah Kornig, showing Ultimate Fancy Now in the PtHA Amateur Performance Mares class; Angel Baer and Back Fleet Boy completing their pattern in the PtHA Youth Junior Equitation class; and a sample of the prizes at this year’s show. On this page (top) Jeffrey Gibbs showing Partylikeyoumeanit in the PtHA Open Western Pleasure, along with some candid photographs from this year’s show.
