Photos by Kirstie Marie, Shane Rux & Courtney Borton Ament
CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW
IN SUNNY FLORIDA: BIG PURSES DRAW COMPETITORS 16-21
By WEC Staff
Photos by Shane Rux
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He’s big. He’s beautiful. He’s greatminded. He comes from a family of successful show horses.
And now, at just 2 years old, He, himself, has two Quarter Horse Congress Championships and a Reserve Championship to his credit.
It’s safe to say that Shannon Walker’s bay stallion by Its A Southern Thing out of Krymsun Belle is living up to his name – Boifriend Material. But they call him Hollywood.
a 2018 sorrel mare, is a successful Western Pleasure and all-around contender with over $60,000 in lifetime earnings.
Boifriend Material is well on his way to surpassing that.
Hollywood’s dam earned over 1,500 American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) points, four Quarter Horse Congress Championships and two Reserve Congress Championships. She also claimed an AQHA World Championship title, two AQHA Reserve World Championship titles, three National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) World Championship titles and a Reserve NSBA World Championship. Teamed with Walker’s daughter, Mallory Vroegh, Krymsun Belle captured a Congress High Point Youth 15-18 Championship and AQHA Superiors in Showmanship, Horsemanship, Trail and Performance Halter.
When it came time to breed Krymsun Belle, Walker selected Its A Southern Thing, a Reserve AQHA World Champion in Western Pleasure and AQHA World & Reserve World Champion in Western Riding.
Her first foal, It’s A Southern Belle,
At his very first show, the Quarter Horse Congress last month, Hollywood captured two Championship titles and a Reserve, earning more than $25,000. Teamed with Texas trainer Aaron Moses Hollywood won the Super Sale 2-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure, collecting a check for $9,027 and they were Reserve Champions in the Coughlin 2-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure winning an additional $10,629 plus $4,000 in Super Sires earnings. Vroegh also rode Hollywood to a win in the Congress 2-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure Stakes collecting another $2,625.24.
Hollywood was born in South Carolina under the care of Kristy Starnes.
“It is very hard for me to raise foals in Iowa with our nasty weather and I like to have them outside as much as possible,” Walker explained. “Kristy did an amazing job foaling him out and keeping him for me until the beginning of his yearling year.”
Like most foals, Hollywood went through many stages.
“One time I would love him and the next time I was like... oh my goodness s
Text Corrine S. Borton Photos Kirstie Marie, Shane Rux & Courtney Borton Ament
I hope he grows out of that,” she admitted. “But he turned into one of the most beautiful animals I’ve ever owned. His conformation now as a two year-old stallion is more than I could’ve ever hoped for.”
Hollywood spent his yearling year with Missouri trainer Mike Tivoli, who taught him to longe and fit him up for the NSBA Yearling Sale in August and the Congress Sale in October.
“Going through the NSBA and Congress sales was about eligibility,” Walker explained. “I wanted him to be eligible for every possible thing – both sales, the Super Sires and Premier programs and the NSBA Breeders Championship Futurity and Stallion Incentive Fund.”
When it came time for a saddle, Walker turned to Moses.
“Aaron had It’s A Southern Belle in training and got along well with her so he was our first choice to work with the stud,” she said. “I was very adamant. I didn’t want to show him early in his career, even though he was eligible for the sale stakes at the NSBA World Show. I wanted to give him every opportunity to grow up and mature so we waited until the Congress. It was a decision we made with Aaron’s help.”
Since the Congress lasts such a long time and Hollywood was entered in so many classes, his team had to pick and choose in which he would actually compete.
“He started off so strong with a win in the Super Sales Stakes and the 2-Year-Old Non-Pro,” Walker said. “I think it is a very big testament to Hollywood’s mind and Aaron‘s training ability to have a non-pro show a 2-year-old stud. Studs aren’t easy for anyone but we were beyond excited to win the non-pro twos at the Congress this year with him.”
It was a dream come true to win the 2Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure, especially with the stallion that they raised.
“He was right there for me every step, but I also had to be prepared to ride every step,” she explained. “He is so easy and good-minded. I’ve never had the opportunity to have one so laid-back that you have to push every stride and it’s really fun.”
Vroegh feels his strength is that he is extremely equal to the left and to the right.
“I’ve never ridden a horse so wellrounded in his pleasure career,” Vroegh said. “He trots better than anything I’ve ridden. It is truly an honor to get to ride and show this
horse, and I am so looking forward to his 3-year-old year when he is even bigger and stronger.”
Vroegh said Hollywood will show at the AQHA World Show this month with Moses and then get a long, well-deserved break before showing in 3-year-old open events with Moses and non-pro classes with Vroegh and hopefully move into the versatility by the end of his 3-year-old year.
“Our long-term goal for him will be to show his 3-year-old year and then possibly stand to the public in 2027,” Walker said. “Hollywood is 16 hands tall as a 2 year-old with excellent conformation and soft legs so we feel like he will be an excellent breeding stallion.”
In addition to Boifriend Material, Walker will also have Cool Sultry Lady showing at the AQHA World Show this year in Green and Junior Trail. The 2021 black mare by RL Best Of Sudden out of Cool Krymsun Lady, will be Vroegh’s all-around partner next year.
Vroegh will show Made Of Money, a 2020 bay mare by Machine Made out of Huntin A Tune, in Level 1 NonPro and L3 Amateur Horsemanship, Showmanship and Trail there as well. They won the L1 Horse Non-Pro Showmanship at the Congress and placed fourth in L1 Horse Non-Pro Horsemanship. They also won the Green Non-Pro Horsemanship at the NSBA World Show.
“We leased her at the beginning of the year from Ben and Rachel Schoepf and we could not thank them more for letting us show her,” Vroegh said. “She has been an incredible mare that has only kept gaining on her wins and abilities with time.”
Made Of Money has been learning all of these events as a green horse,
“While she won the Showmanship at the Congress, we felt like one of her biggest accomplishments was her top 10 placing in the L3 Amateur Horsemanship,” Vroegh said. “That’s an extremely salty class for a green horse to make the top 10. After we are done showing her at the world show this great mare is offered for sale and I can’t wait to see someone go on with her and enjoy her as much as I have.”
In addition to owning and managing these decorated show horses, Walker owns and operates Show Horses by Shannon out of Avis Farms.
“We have a completely heated facility in an arena big enough that we can set up a trail course and still work other patterns,” she said. “A lot of time Mallory’s horses are with trainers down south because she lives in Dallas, Texas so she can ride often. Made Of Money has stayed with me in Iowa so it’s been really fun for Mallory and I to get to work together again and also it’s a testament to the mare that they don’t get to practice as much as we would like.”
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Boifriend Material is pictured on the opposite page and this page (top) with Mallory Vroegh after winning the 2-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure at the Congress last month. Below that, Vroegh is pictured with Made of Money, winning the L1 Horse Non-Pro Showmanship at the Quarter Horse Congress this year. Blake Weis is pictured (bottom) with Cool Sultry Lady, after being named Champion Green Trail Stakes at the EMO Celebration.
Horses, riders compete for big purses at The Championship
find your rhythm and flow through it.”
For the second consecutive year the formidable Trail team of Blake Weis and Hot Lopin Lily captured the prestigious title of Champions of the $100,000 NSBA Senior Trail Finals and a check for $40,000 at The Championship Show, held at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Florida.
Seventeen of the nation’s top Trail contenders navigated the challenging course designed by Tim Kimura and built with the assistance of Garry McAllister and the WEC Crew. Weis and Lily, who is sired by RL Best Of Sudden out of Shes A Lopin Machine and owned by the Cavallo Family, were up for the challenge scoring a 248 on the course which featured more than 80 poles.
“I thought it was super fun,” Weis said. “ It flowed so nicely. The poles were high this year, last year they weren’t, so I really enjoyed the added challenge. The walk poles at the end were pretty tricky, especially because they had the plants right there. The whole course was very challenging, but it allowed you to
Caroline Cavallo expressed her gratitude for the talented 2017 mare.
“She’s a horse of a lifetime,” she said. “We could have never imagined she has gotten this far with what we’ve done with her and what Blake has done with her. We are just so blessed to have her and have Blake. She is a total unicorn.”
The mare is just as meaningful to Weis.
“She has been exceptional since she was a baby,” he said. “I foaled her out and have had her pretty much her entire life. She was foaled at my mom’s farm in Missouri. She’s a part of the family. I showed her dam and was Champion with her mom. She’s such a special horse. She’s spicy, but that’s what is so special about her. She has that edge and that look, and she knows when it’s a special occasion.”
Sara Simon rode The Batchelor, a 2017 sorrel gelding sired by How Bout This Cowboy out of Shes Blazing Cool, owned by AK Performance Horses, to the Reserve Championship with a top score of 241.5. Action at The Championship
Text World Equestrian Center Photos Shane Rux
started on Sept 8 when Texas trainer Bud Lyon rode They Not Like Us to a win in the $35,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Ranch Riding to kick off the annual event which ran through Sept. 15 and featured a wide range of classes approved by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA).
Lyon bought the sorrel gelding, sired by Electric Snow and out of Lil Night Rider, as a yearling as an investment and started training him as a 2-year-old. But since then his wife, Kim, has claimed him as her own.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to make money off him now,” Bud said. “He might just cost me more. But, winning this class helps offset that.”
They Not Like Us has self-carriage, expression and athleticism, qualities Lyon looks for in a Ranch class contender.
“He’s very trainable, which makes him a perfect candidate,” he said. “When we first saw the pattern, we thought it was going to be a little too challenging for our young threeyear-olds, but it was just right. It allowed the judges to weed through the exhibitors and place the horses based on their performance. That’s always what you want, in my opinion, you don’t want to leave it to a test of subjectivity, you want the best horses to shine and earn that merit, which I think this pattern allowed them to do.”
The Lyons took 33 horses to the WEC for the Championship Show.
“When we heard about the opportunities here, we were excited,” Bud Lyon said. “Ocala is recognizing Ranch Riding, which is becoming the most popular western discipline. This kind of prize money is new for us, and WEC is setting the standard for our discipline’s future.”
On Sept. 9 rail competition took center stage when Florida trainer Shannon Curl-Holbin piloted Ten Kinda Southern to victory in the $10,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure collecting a check for $2,220. Ten Kinda Southern, sired by Its A Southern Thing out of KM Perfect Ten, is owned by Gumz Farm Quarter Horses LLC.
“I started showing him this year. We’ve had him since he was a yearling, and
Blake Weis is pictured on the opposite page (top) guiding Hot Lopin Lily to a win in the $100,000 NSBA Senior Trail and Bud Lyon shows They Not Like Us in the $35,000 NSBA 3Year-Old Ranch Riding. On this page Shannon Curl-Holbin and Ten Kinda Southern are named champions in the $10,000 NSBA 3-YearOld Open Western Pleasure.
we broke him out for his riding career,” said Curl-Holbin. “He was so good when we broke him. Usually, it takes some time to figure out what the horse is going to do, but with him, we knew pretty quickly that he was special.”
Ten Kinda Southern made his show debut by winning the Virginia Maiden 3-Year-Old & Over Western Pleasure last spring.
“We’ve won everything we’ve been in so far,” CurlHolbin said. “The thing about a streak is that at some point, it has to end. But, we are going to try to keep the momentum going. He’s just such a great horse. He’s so big, and I think that’s what is so striking about him. His lope is his money gear; he’s so slow-legged, fancy and exotic. We are very excited about him.”
Mallori Bordic piloted Win In Doubt, a bay gelding sired by No Doubt Im Lazy out f Best Served Hot, owned by Sriya Chandrupatla, to a win in the Limited Division of NSBA 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure class.
A total of 11 competed in the $10,000 NSBA 3-YearOld Open Hunter Under Saddle but it was Sara Simons and Stephanie Mohindra’s A Top Gun, sired by Required Invitation out of Ms Silver Sensation, who rose to the
“We raised him,” Simons said. “I showed his mom, and he’s really special because of that. He’s won a lot of things for us this year – probably close to $40,000 in earnings. He has such a great expression. You can help a horse move, but presence is something they either have or they don’t, and he has such a unique expression about himself that really stands out.”
Simons noted that A Top Gun is even more laid back than his dam, Ms Silver Sen-
“I kind of joke that he’s like a plow horse,” she said. “You would never know
Jennifer Reams piloted Dancin N Sleepin, sired by Too Sleepy To Zip out of Dancin For A Buck and owned by Sarah Hooks, to a win in the Limited Division of that class.
In the $10,000 NSBA Maturity Open Western Pleasure Rusty Green rode Start Ur Engines to a win, collecting a check for $2,220. The 2018 bay gelding, sired by Machine Made out of Momma Knows Best, is owned by Yvonne Robeson.
“He’s a nice horse,”
Green said. “We bought him a year and a half ago for Yvonne, who’s from California. He takes really good care of her. He’s the same for her as he is for me in the pen. He’s got a personality of his own, but he’s a trooper and such a nice guy.”
The Limited Rider title went to Jon J. Allen III and Monkey Cee Monkey Do, a 2019 bay gelding sired by Gone Viral out of Breezy Version, owned by Brenda Lombard.
Bud Lyon returned to the winner’s circle on Sept. 10 winning the $10,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Ranch Riding with 13 entries aboard Kalyn Sanders’ palomino gelding, CBK Lyle Loves It, sired by Smart And Shiney out of Hiadas Lil Mavis.
“I got Lyle’ back in May,” Lyon said. “Kalyn and her significant other, Josh Murphy, raised him and asked if I thought he might be a candidate for the Ranch classes. I watched him for about five minutes and said, ‘Yup, that’s a candidate.’ He can be quirky and doesn’t like traffic, but the talent was undeniable. This is now his third futurity. We’ve been first, third, and now first again. He’s certainly turning into a fun show horse.”
In the $10,000 NSBA All Age Non-Pro Ranch Riding. Becca Schaffhauser piloted her family’s 2022 gelding Name Brand, sired by Gunnatrashya out of Dun It Doll, to victory with a score of 235.
“We call him ‘Frog’ because my mom said his eyes look like Kermit the Frog’s,” Schaffhauser said. “We’ve had him since he was a yearling, and he’s really been a family horse. We’ve all shown him. I was so happy with the pattern today. I finally got all of my pieces together, and getting over the extended lope logs was a big win for me.”
Not to be outdone by her trainer, Amy Drake Gumz guided Ten Kinda Southern to wins in both the Open and Limited divisions of the $10,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure.
“He’s been such a blessing this year and very appreciated by the judges,” Gumz said. “A lot of times, high-performing Open horses aren’t always suitable for Non Pros, but he’s been perfect for me. I’m so excited to get to show him alongside Shannon (Curl-Holbin).”
At home, the gelding is affectionately nicknamed “Adam.”
“Depending on his mood, he can be ‘Awesome Adam’ or ‘Adam Levine,’” Gumz admitted. “He has his little quirks, but overall, he’s very easygoing, though he will do some sketchy stuff for cookies.”
The $10,000 NSBA Maturity Open Hunter Under Saddle took center stage on Sept. 11 when nine horse-and-rider combinations competed for top honors. Ultimately, it was Keith Miller aboard Susan Merkatoris’ In Pats Honor, sired by Sig nature Of Honor out of One Hot Jazzy, who took home the win and a check for $2,220.
“We have had him since he was a yearling, coming 2year-old, and he’s 5 now,” Miller said. “He is a total goofball. He is full of personality, super beautiful, and knows it. He has a big trot and soft canter, and a great expression. I think he has a very exotic look, and those are the things that set him apart.”
Maryah Cugno and Southern Wise, sired by Its A Southern Thing out of Ima Wise Zipper, owned by Brian & Angela Stanhope, claimed the Limited Division title in the Maturity Open Hunter Under Saddle.
Curl-Holbin and Ten Kinda Southern returned to Arena 1 that evening to claim yet another victory, this time in the $10,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old & Over $2,500 Limited Horse
teen horse-and-rider combinations vied for the champion title.
Colton Pylman guided Hot Impulses, owned by Kate Upton, to a win in the class earning a check for $10,000.
The 2018 red roan gelding, sired by One Hot Chocolate out of Impulse Be Good, impressed the judges with a top score of 232.
“This one I’ve had the chance to show a handful of times, and for the most part, he’s been very good for me, but usually he is Becky (George’s) mount,” Pylman shared. “I am the limited rider, and Becky said I can tell my limited status goodbye after this.”
Pylman credited the horse’s talent with helping him stand out in a tough class.
“This was a great pattern, and I think it really set him apart because he is so big and lofty and he’s soft to the ground. I had two hits—maybe it was me, maybe it was him being a bit lazy, I’m not sure—but it was a great pattern and super fun to show,” he explained. “The last trot serpentine was a bit difficult because there was a lot of guiding and the poles were high, but he was great through that. I couldn’t have asked him to be any better.”
Open Western Pleasure, earning an additional $3,700.
Gumz was thrilled with the success.
“This is what you dream for,” she said. “We knew he was going to be special, but we didn’t know he was going to be this special. I raised the stallion, Its A Southern Thing, and I’ve owned KM Perfect Ten for many years, so it’s the best of both worlds to have the mom and dad.”
The highly anticipated $40,000 NSBA Limited Rider Senior Trail was featured in Arena 4 on Sept. 12, where fif-
After winning the $10,000 NSBA Maturity NonPro Hunter Under Saddle over in Arena 1, Jana Leigh Simons and her own Gimme Ur Best Stuff, sired by RL Best Of Sudden out of This Version Glows, shifted gears at the end of the day to give their go at the Trail track. The 2019 gelding showed his all-around talents once again with Simons in the irons to land the Reserve Champion title in the $40,000 NSBA Limited Rider Senior Trail with a score of 232.
Sixteen horse-and-rider combinations entered Indoor Arena 4 for the $25,000 NSBA Open Junior Trail later in the day. Blake Weis of Pilot Point, Texas, piloted Mary Alice Neilson’s Made For Naturdays, sired by Machine Made out of KM Little Bit Of Me, to the win with a top score of 242. The win was worth $5,100.
“The pattern was very hard,” Weis said. “The last trot obstacle was really difficult because it was high and tight. The judges were also sitting right there by the fence, which made it distracting for the horses, so they really had to focus. My other horses were good, but struggled in some places. For him (Made For Naturdays), it was so easy. He’s the type you just sit there and kick. He’s just a cool guy and so talented.”
Sara Simon is pictured on the opposite page (top) riding A Top Gun to a win in the 3-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle. Below that (left) Becca Schaffhauser and Name Brand ing in the All-Age Non-Pro Ranch Riding and Rusty Green Start Ur Engines, winners of the Open Western Pleasure Maturity. On this page (top) Colton Pylman guides Hot Impulses to a win in the $40,000 NSBA Limited Rider Senior Trail. Below that (left) Keith Miller and In Pats Honor competing in the Open Hunter Under Saddle Maturity and Elizabeth Yoder showing SS Wrecking Ball to a win in the $50,000 NSBA Senior Ranch Riding. s
In the Limited division, Clint Ainsworth claimed the win aboard Alyssa Barbour’s 2020 gelding Straight Line Breeze, sired by VS Flatline out of Only A Breeze. While Trail competition was being judged in Arena 4, Western Pleasure took center stage in Arena 1 on Sept. 12. The day opened up with Nancy Wilkerson teaming up with
Forever Twisted to win the $10,000 NSBA Maturity Non-Pro Western Pleasure.
Forever Twisted is sired by Gone Viral out of Forever Kool and according to Wilkerson the 4year-old bay gelding is always happy.
“I’ve never seen him mad or angry, and he always shows with the best expression,” she said. “that’s what I love about him.”
Known as “Pretzel” in the barn, Forever Twisted overcame a difficult start in life.
“He was born to a recipient mare who kicked him to the curb, so we had to get a nurse mare,” Wilkerson explained. “In the womb, he laid odd, which gave him a fishhook nose, so he couldn’t nurse or drink from a bottle. I actually had to bowl feed him. He just looked like a little pretzel with his long legs. I think anyone else wouldn’t have put so much time into him, but I did everything I could. I even put him in a back pasture because I wasn’t sure he was going to have a show career, but then he blossomed into this amazing horse.”
Yvonne Robeson and Start Ur Engines won the Limited Division of the Maturity Non-Pro Western Pleasure.
Closing out the day’s featured classes in Indoor Arena 1, Jana Leigh Simons of Dallas, Texas, topped the $10,000 NSBA Maturity Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle with Gimme Ur Best Stuff.
“I’ve owned him for a while,” she said. “I bought him at a NSBA sale and won a bunch of sale money with him when he was three.
Jana’s sister, Sara helped her turn him into her All-Around horse.
“He’s always been a talented Hunter Under Saddle horse,” Jana said. “When I saw that they added a bunch of money in the Hunt Seat, I thought maybe let’s give this a go again, and it turned out well. He’s just such a neat horse.”
In the Limited Non-Pro division, Kimber Mitchell of Frisco, Texas, rode her own Dreaming Bout You, sired by Mr Sherlock Holmes out of Ima Bodacious Dream, to victory.
On Sept. 13 some of the week’s most anticipated classes took center stage. In addition to the $100,000 NSBA Senior
Trail held under the lights of the WEC Grand Arena, the $50,000 NSBA Senior Ranch Riding was featured in Indoor Arena 5. Additional highlights included the $10,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Non Pro & Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle, the $2,000 NSBA Open Hunter Derby, and the $2,000 NSBA Non Pro Hunter Derby. Earlier that afternoon the spotlight was on the $50,000 NSBA Senior Ranch Riding, where 30 talented horse-and-rider combinations gave it their all over a challenging pattern. In the end, two riders managed to score a 253, but in the way of tie, it was Elizabeth Yoder and Alexius Dorsey’s SS Wrecking Ball, sired by SG Frozen Enterprize out of Xtra Ruby Step, who came out on top, earning the NSBA tro phy and a check for $12,500. Despite the demanding pattern, Yoder trusted SS Wrecking Ball every step of the way.
“I was able to call on him where I knew I could,” she said. “I was a little worried about the side pass because I thought that was the toughest part of the pattern, where it could get anybody. The extended trot to the extended lope is
on a score of 250.5, and fourth with his own Chillinlikeavillain (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Oaks Steady Star) on a 248.
In the $10,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Non Pro & Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle, 10 vied for the champion title, but it was Stephanie Mohindra of Pilot Point, Texas, and her own gelding A Top Gun, sired by Required Invitation out of Ms Silver Sensation, who came away with the win, along with the Limited Rider title.
She and her husband bought the gelding when he was three months old, out of the pasture at the Simons Ranch in Texas.
“He was born and raised on their property, out of one of their really good mare, Silver Sensation,” she explained. “We’ve had the opportunity to own three of her babies. I knew when Andrea Simons called me that he was going to be a really good one. I remember the day we went to see him, it was raining that day, and we trucked up in the pasture in the rain, Andrea and I did, and she said, ‘This is the one you need’, and I was sold.”
Now, three years later, the gray gelding has grown into the easy-going partner she hoped for.
always a hard maneuver, too, but he was perfect and was right there with me the entire time.”
Bud Lyon also turned in a score of 253 to take the Reserve Champion title in a way of tie aboard Rancho Verde LLC’s Alpha Black. He went on to claim third with Lane Kail’s Winn Like Flinn (In Like Flinn x Prettiestfaceintown)
“He’s just so laid back,” Mohindra said. “We tease around the barn that he is super pokey, almost like Eeyore the Donkey from Winnie the Pooh. That’s his personality all the time, and it’s nice to own a horse with that much personality and that much talent on top of it.”
Out in the over fences arena, Tyler Haney dominated the $2,000 NSBA Open Hunter Derby, sweeping both the Champion and Reserve Champion titles. Haney piloted Morgan Miller’s 2017 gelding Hows That For Ya (Hot N Blazing x Queen Of The Blues) to the win, and secured second aboard Hesa Frequent Flyer (The Mile High Club x DGS Indylacious), a 2019 gelding owned by Kate Upton.
In the $2,000 NSBA Non Pro Hunter Derby, Bella Vass rode Kristen Crowe-Rajan’s Westminsters Dancing In The Moonlight (Untouchable x Orissa M) to claim the victory. The rest of the Championship show featured a full slate of AQHA classes. For additional information visit www.worldequestriancenter.com. ttt
Pictured on the opposite page (counterclockwise from top) Nancy Wilkerson riding Forever Twisted to a win in the NSBA Non-Pro Western Pleasure Maturity; Bud Lyon and CBK Lyle Loves It; some of the many prizes awarded at The Championship; and Tyler Haney riding Hows Tat For Ya in the Open Hunter Derby. On this page (counterclockwise from top) the picturesque Wold Equestrian Center in Ocala; Amy Gumz and Ten Kinda Southern, ; an exhibitor saddles up for some practice; and Jana Leigh Simons pilots Gimme Ur Best Stuff to win in the Maturity Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle.
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Texas competitor gets extra thrill competing with a horse she raised
Text Corrine S. Borton Photos Shane Rux & Becky Ruehl
Texas physician and Amateur competitor Sarah JacksonVance has experienced a lot of success with open futurity horses – like Jus Be Good and Big Game Changer, to name a couple – out of her family’s own mares. But looking ahead she says she hopes to compete, and be successful, in the amateur division with a horse her family bred and raised.
“One of our most exciting aspirations is to campaign a stallion futurity horse in 2026 that we bred and raised — Seize The Grey, named after the D. Wayne Lukas-trained horse that won the Preakness,” said Jackson-Vance. He is out of my heart horse, Stealing the Prise, and sired by Its a Southern Thing.”
But it’s been a long time in the making.
Jackson Vance grew up in West Texas and started riding at the age of three.
Her first horse show was at the Taylor County 4-H Horse Show, where she showed a grade gelding named Quasar in Halter and Speed events. It was there that she met Marilyn Jackson Crowe, who would become her best friend and the person responsible for helping her become deeply involved in showing and breeding Appaloosas.
“My first official show horse was an AQHA mare named PJ Brazos Belle, whom I purchased from Melinda Harris Montgomery,” she explained. “I showed Belle in 4-H competitions as well as at local AQHA shows.”
Jackson-Vance also had the opportunity to show Appaloosas and a Quarter Horse owned by Crowe’s family. Together they showed an AQHA mare named Val’s Little Gal, who became the dam of Mr. Valentine Zip, a horse JacksonVance raised and showed successfully in ApHC competition.
She is also the dam of the paint stallion, I Got Charisma. Later on, Jackson-Vance purchased Solar Charge, an allaround gelding, from Crowe, completed his Superior title, and continued showing him in ApHC events as a young adult.
Following her graduation from Winters High School Jackson-Vance earned an associate’s degree in nursing from Angelo State University, in San Angelo, Texas in 1997; bachelor’s and master’s in nursing from the University of Texas, Health Science Center, in San Antonio, in 2000; and a medical degree from UT Health Science Center in 2008. She did her Emergency Medicine Residency at the University of Arizona in 2011 and earned both an MBA and master’s degree in healthcare administration and leadership from University of Texas, Dallas in 2024.
“I continued to ride horses throughout college, although I didn’t show during that time,” Jackson-Vance said. “I was a member of the Student Nursing Association and the Biology Club. In medical school, I kept up with running and continued riding occasionally. During my residency, I attended barrel races and also started riding English again after I repurchased Mr. Valentine Zip who I sold when I started my medical school journey.”
Today Jackson-Vance is an emergency medicine physician and the Emergency Medicine Medical Director at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, Texas.
“In my role, I evaluate and treat medical and trauma patients of all ages in the emergency department,” she said. “I also oversee the physician group, which includes managing scheduling, ensuring compliance with government regulations, improving emergency department throughput, and
Sara Jackson-Vance is pictured on the opposite page (bottom right) with Hubbout Another and (inset) with Boys Move Over. On the opposite page (left to right, across the top) Amber Hanson Pickard and Jus Be Good, winners of the 2024 Congress 3Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle; Jackson-Vance on vacation with husband, David, in Venice, Italy; and Jackson Vance showing showing Stealing The Prise. On this page, Jackson-Vance at the Slate Theory Wine Cave during a release party in Fredericksburg, Texas.
maintaining patient satisfaction. Additionally, I am responsible for physician recruitment, hiring, and staffing.”
Jackson-Vance met her husband, David in medical school and bonded over a mutual love of music and concerts. They live on a 170-acre ranch near Christoval, Texas, about 10 minutes from San Angelo, Texas, where they raise sheep and horses. When not at a show they enjoy traveling and touring wineries. Since returning to the show pen Jackson-Vance has worked with both Amber and Dwayne Pickard and Callie Rouse and Jeffery Gibbs.
The first Quarter Horse she purchased, with the help of Nancy Sue Ryan, Chuck Briggs and & Colt and Brittany Andrews, returning to AQHA competition as an adult, was Luke Here Honey. Since then she has been associated with such decorated horses as Stealing The Prise; Al About It; Boys Move Over; Big Game Changer, Jus Be Good,
In March Jackson-Vance purchased Hubbout Another, a 2018 bay gelding by Hubba Hubba Huntin out of These Irons R Dancin to show in Amateur Select Hunter Under Saddle and Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle maturities.
Big Game Changer, a 2019 bay mare by Good Better Best out of Artfully Blazing is Jackson-Vance’s Equitation partner. And she owns Im Al About It, a 2022 bay mare by Good Better Best out of her own mare, Al About It. She has been shown in 3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle classes this year by Amber Pickard and Jackson-Vance hopes to show her next year.
She also owns Stealing The Goods, 2023 gray mare by Good I Will Be out of her former show mare, Stealing the Prise. She made her show debut in the Congress Maiden 2Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle with Calli Rouse in the irons and Jackson-Vance hopes she will develop into her future allaround partner.
Jackson-Vance says she’s motivated to compete by the deep bond and interaction she shares with her horses, as well as the social connections that come with the show environment.
“It’s a complete escape from my everyday life,” she explained. “The horses allow me to focus entirely on the moment. I especially love the feeling of traveling on a great Hunter Under Saddle horse – that ground-covering stride feels like flying.”
Amateur Profiles are part of InStride Edition’s editorial content. If you know someone who would make a good subject for an Amateur profile email Corrine Borton, Editor, at: CorrineBorton@InStrideEdition.com.
PRE-PURCHASE EXAMS by Katherine Jarve
While not required by law, these certificates provide protection to both buyers, sellers
Purchasing a horse can be a risky business. Even seasoned horse owners have likely bought a horse that turned out to be a “dud” at some point. While pre-purchase exams are totally voluntary and not required by law, they are highly recommended and provide a certain level of protection to both buyers and sellers. Most insurance companies will require a veterinary certificate attesting to the health and soundness of the horse.
So what does a pre-purchase exam entail? The exam is typically a single day assessment of the overall health and soundness of the horses. The level of detail and scope of the exam will largely depend on the intended use of the horse and what is important to you as the buyer. For example, if a broodmare is being purchased, you would want to determine if the mare is fertile or breeding sound. On the other hand, if you are buying a performance show horse, you will want to know if the horse is sound and free of lameness issues. Before the pre-purchase exam, you should have a detailed conversation with the examining veterinarian about the expectations, costs, and intended use of the horse.
name of the parties involved, as well as all abnormal or undesirable findings discovered during the examination and their opinions as to the significance of these findings.
Rather than giving a passing or failing grade for a pre-purchase exam, veterinarians will evaluate the risk associated with the purchase of the horse’s intended use. They will not be able to make any guarantees for the horse’s future health, but simply an evaluation of the horse’s current health and soundness. The veterinarian will discuss with you the importance of his or her findings so that you can decide whether to purchase the horse. There are many reasons, such as past personal experiences or even a horse’s proven show record, why you may decide to make a purchase even with risky conditions or pass on a horse despite a clean bill of health.
The level of detail and scope of the exam will largely depend on the intended use of the horse and what is important to you as the buyer.
As stated, the nature and extent of the pre-purchase exam should be discussed with the veterinarian. Typically, you will want the following:
• Review of past medical records. Ask the seller to release the horse’s past medical records and provide them to the veterinarian. The records will provide information about the horse’s past medical history and any injuries or chronic conditions it has been treated for.
• Clinical examination. The veterinarian should perform a hands-on assessment of the horse’s overall condition, including eyes, teeth, heart, lungs, and musculoskeletal system.
• Dynamic evaluation. The veterinarian should perform visual assessment of the horse at a walk, trot, and lope or canter. If the horse can be ridden, then it should be done under saddle. This may detect subtle lameness or other vices.
• Review of imaging. X-rays, ultrasounds, or other advanced imaging should be provided to the veterinarian or obtained to rule out any undetectable unsoundness or investigate any suspected problems.
• Perform lab tests. Blood should be drawn and tested to assess overall health and to check for certain genetic conditions. Blood tests can reveal any drugs in the horse’s system that may be masking lameness or behavioral problems.
• Written report. The veterinarian should reduce the findings to a written report, which includes the horse’s identifying information, the time, date and place of the examination, the
Of course, a pre-purchase exam is not required, but it is highly recommended from a legal standpoint. The primary purpose of the exam is to provide the potential buyer with information about the horse’s health, which allows them to make an informed decision about the purchase. Generally, a buyer can back out of the sale if the exam reveals issues that make the horse an unsuitable purchase or if there is a contingency in the purchase agreement that allows for such a decision. The buyer’s ability to abandon the purchase and under what terms will depend on what was agreed upon beforehand.
Importantly, a pre-purchase exam also provides the seller with legal protections that are sometimes overlooked. The exam documents and identifies any known issues were disclosed to the buyer prior to the purchase. This can be used to the seller’s benefit later on if the buyer attempts to rescind the sale or bring legal action.
Katherine Jarve is a partner at the Marlton, New Jersey law firm of Jarve Kaplan Granato Starr, LLC. She is licensed in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and maintains a practice in personal injury and civil litigation, including equine related issues. Katherine spent her childhood competing on the national AQHA show circuit. This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. Questions, comments or suggestions can be e-mailed to kjarve@njtriallawyers.com.
ASTHMA by Dr. Laurent Couëtil
What research tells us about understanding mild-moderate equine Asthma
If you’ve ever been involved in caring for horses, you know that respiratory health is a major focus. One term that’s becoming more recognized is mild-moderate equine asthma (mEA), previously known as inflammatory airway disease.
This form of asthma affects a significant number of horses and can impact their well-being and performance. So, what do we know about diagnosing and understanding it? A recent review aimed to answer just that by evaluating the evidence supporting the current definition.
What Is Mild-Moderate Equine Asthma?
mEA is part of a spectrum of respiratory conditions in horses, differing from severe forms like recurrent airway obstruction (or "heaves"). It doesn't involve increased breathing difficulty at rest but is marked by signs like coughing, poor performance, and specific inflammatory changes in the airways.
The Core of the Review
Researchers set out to assess the quality of evidence backing the diagnostic criteria for mEA. They analyzed 45 studies, covering data from over 6,000 horses worldwide. These studies were mostly observational and varied greatly in how they were conducted, which posed challenges in drawing universal conclusions.
Key Findings
randomized methods.
Why This Matters
The study underscores the need for standard practices in diagnosing and reporting on mEA. Such consistency would not only help veterinarians in making more reliable diagnoses but also aid in future research that could improve treatments and outcomes for horses.
Conclusion
Understanding mild-moderate equine asthma is still evolving. This review provides a foundation for future studies to build on and points to the importance of standardized methods. As horse owners and caretakers, staying informed about ad-
mEA is part of a spectrum of respiratory conditions in horses, differing from severe forms like recurrent airway obstruction (or "heaves"). It doesn't involve increased breathing difficulty at rest but is marked by signs like coughing, poor performance, and specific inflammatory changes in the airways.
Cough and Mucus: There was consistent evidence linking coughing and increased tracheobronchial mucus.
Cough and Cell Analysis (BAL Cytology): Associations were found between coughing and certain cell types in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), a procedure that collects fluid from the lungs to check for inflammation.
Performance Issues: Diagnosing mEA based on performance was more complex, often reliant on subjective measures such as trainer opinions.
Lung Function: Evidence linking BAL results or mucus with lung function was inconsistent, suggesting more research is needed to confirm these relationships.
Challenges Highlighted
The review noted significant variability in how studies defined and measured mEA indicators. This lack of standardization made it difficult to conduct meta-analyses and draw broader conclusions. Additionally, many studies faced limitations like small sample sizes and potential biases due to non-
vances in veterinary medicine helps ensure our equine companions receive the best possible care.
Note: This article is based on the research of Dr. Laurent Couëtil and the Equine Sports Medicine Center. Read the research: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2022.105865
Dr. Laurent Couëtil is a professor of large animal medicine and the director of both the equine research programs and equine sports medicine center at Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Couëtil’s research interests lie in exercise physiology, equine respiratory diseases, and pre- clinical animal models of human respiratory diseases such as asthma and emphysema. Dr. Couëtil serves on the scientific advisory boards of several pharmaceutical and biotech companies and is a consultant in the area of translational research in respiratory medicine
BUZZ
A HOLIDAY HOMECOMING
(www.instrideedition.com)
(IN) LIFE
Kentucky trainer Dillon Vaughn and Laska Anderson are engaged. Vaughn, the son of Jeff and Sheryl Vaughn, grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina and attended St. Andrews University in Laurinburg, North Carolina, where he was a member of the Equestrian team for four years. He owns and operates Vaughn Quarter Horses in Leitchfield, Kentucky. Anderson, the daughter of Wallace and Sissy Anderson, attended Texas Christian University, where she majored in History and English and was a member of the TCU Equestrian Team. She resides in Leitchfield, Kentucky.
Virginia trainer Steve Meadows has been named to the National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) Quarter Million Dollar Club. Meadows reached the milestone of winning more than $250,000 in lifetime NSBA earnings at the 2025 APHA World Championship Show. Meadows was named the 2018 AQHA Most Valuable Professional and is an AQHA national director. He is also a past president of the Virginia Quarter Horse Association. Meadows has been an NSBA and AQHA judge since 2004. He and his wife, Becky, and daughter, Noel, train together at their Staunton Virginia facility.
SUSAN FRIEDLAND’S MISTY PONY RETURNS IN NEW NOVELLA JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON
Equestrian author Susan Friedland invites horse lovers and readers to celebrate the season with “Misty’s First Christmas,” a new holiday novella inspired by the real-life relationship of Marguerite Henry and her beloved Chincoteague Pony Misty.
Friedland’s 49-page book imagines pony adventures that ensue when Misty escapes from her stall on Christmas Eve. Guided by faith, hope, and the pluck of a dapple gray field hunter, Marguerite sets out on a daring, snowstorm ride to find the lost foal.
“Misty’s First Christmas” takes place in Wayne, Illinois, the village where the weanling filly from Virginia moved in 1946 to serve as Marguerite Henry’s muse as she wrote her bestseller Misty of Chincoteague (Rand McNally, 1947).
“As a girl, I learned to ride on borrowed horses in the fields and trails of Wayne, where Misty once lived,” said Friedland. “After spending two years researching the life of Marguerite and discovering the back story of her relationship with Misty for Marguerite, Misty and Me, my imagination galloped away with me, right into this Christmas story.”
With charming illustrations by Sarah Hickner, “Misty’s First Christmas” blends the simplicity of a classic children’s tale with warmth and nostalgia that adult readers will appreciate.
The book can be ordered on the author’s website at https://saddleseekshorse.shop/products/mistys-first-christmasa-novella or on Amazon. ON THE WEB
SLICK BY DESIGN
ALL-TIME LEADING BARREL HORSE SIRE LAID TO REST; PROGENY HAVE EARNED NEARLY $11 MILLION
Slick By Design, the No. 8 all-time leading barrel-horse sire, was humanely euthanized on Oct. 2, due to complications from laminitis, his owners, Highpoint Performance Horses, reported.
He was laid to rest on the Highpoint property in Pilot Point, Texas, in between American Quarter Horse Hall of Famer Acadamosby Award and Rods Last Ladybug, an AQHA world champion barrel horse and world champion producer.
The World Conformation Horse Association recently named Randy Jacobs as the 2025 “Be Like Bruce” honoree.
WCHA established this award to both honor and remember Bruce Walquist, a highly respected WCHA member and judge.
“‘Slick’ changed our lives and the lives of so many that he touched,” Highpoint posted on social media. “Slick put us on the map in the barrel horse world and allowed us to travel places and meet amazing people that we never would have met. Thank you, Slick, for the ride of a lifetime, you will be terribly missed.”
Slick By Design was a striking black
2007 stallion by Designer Red out of Dreams Of Blue by Dream On Dancer. He was bred by Allene Tatom of Conroe, Texas.
Slick holds the record for the fastest time, 13.48 seconds, ever run by a stallion at the Wrangler National Finals
Rodeo, which he qualified for three times. He also has the fourth-fastest NFR time overall, out of more than 4,350 runs from more than 29 years, according to the Highpoint website. Slick was the 2012 AQHA junior barrel racing world champion.
In his 4-year-old year, he won more than $47,000 in futurities, and according to QData, his lifetime earnings totaled more than $626,000, in a time before lucrative incentives were available. In 2013, he was the AQHA-Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association of the Year reserve barrel horse of the year.
His progeny have earned nearly $11 million across barrel racing, roping, pole bending and racing, with 2,200-plus AQHA-registered foals, and multiple world champions
ASSOCIATIONS
STRATEGIC OPERATING PLAN (IN) AQHA NEWS
The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA)recently released its new Strategic Operating Plan. Developed with input from members, staff, and the executive committee, the plan reflects both the mission and the vision for the future and will guide the Association’s priorities and decision-making over the coming years.
“This Strategic Operating Plan is more than a document—it’s a roadmap for how we will serve our members, preserve our breed, and advance the equine industry,” said Karl Stressman, CEO. “This plan reflects our members’ priorities alongside our commitment to the breed’s welfare, uniting our community and AQHA’s leadership in the equine industry.”
The new plan emphasizes these key themes:
• Member Experience – Enhancing engagement and services to deliver greater value to members.
• Breed Integrity – Preserving and promoting the unique qualities of the American Quarter Horse.
• Industry Growth – Supporting programs that expand opportunities in competition, ranching, racing, youth involvement, and international outreach.
• Organizational Sustainability –Strengthening financial health, technology, and staff resources to ensure long-term success.
With the supporting core strategies being:
*Invest in human capital and leadership development
* Enhance data capture & data management capabilities
* Explore future genetic tools, technologies and issues
* Expand AQHA’s international presence
* Deliver enhanced member value to drive membership growth
* Strengthen affiliate relationships, alliance relationships, shows and events
The full Strategic Operating Plan is now available for members and the public to view at www.aqha.com.
RAIL HORSE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED ORGANIZERS SAY FOCUS WILL BE ON OWNERS AND EXHIBITORS
Approximately 150 people attended an informational meeting Oct. 20 at the All American Quarter Horse Congress, designed to measure interest in the establishment of a Rail Horse Association (RHA). Then mission statement is to build an efficient leadership structure designed to effectively partner with other associations to develop the Rail Horse Association.
Founding members Ashley Lakins, Ray Alderman, JR Cook, Randy Jacobs, Blair Roberts, Charles Cannizzaro and Bill Cosentino made up a panel describing a member-driven association designed to foster growth of the rail horse, while striving to promote and protect correct movement in the equine industry focusing on all levels of exhibitors.
Lakins explained that the group’s intention is to focus on the owners and exhibitors. She said the RHA would be committed to listening to participants and encouraging participation in rail horse classes, by working to set the standard for quality of movement and judging and establish fair and accurate competition tiers for horses and riders. She said the group wants to work with other associations – such as the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) – and will focus on education, judging, innovative competition and responsiveness to exhibitors.
“Every member will have a voice,” she said.
Cook, whose family shows both halter and performance horses said it will be important for the RHA to try new things and not be afraid to throw out an idea that is not working and try something new.
“I believe everyone in this room and up at this table want the same thing,” he said. “We want to see the rail horse
industry grow. It has steadily decreased over the years and we need to change its projectory. Doing the same thing over and over is not going to change that projectory.”
Roberts added that from his perspective, it appears that the only people who can and will protect the rail horse division is the rail horse people themselves.
Jacobs, who has been involved with the World Conformation Horse Association (WCHA) since its inception in 2007 said had that organization not been established there might not be a halter industry today.
“The halter horse industry was in a bad way,” he explained. “If we didn’t start something on our own there might not be a halter class at these horse shows. We were in big trouble.”
The group started out with a few classes at the Congress and by piggybacking off of other events. In 2011 the WCHA hosted its first Breeders Championship Futurity and paid out $150,000. In 2025 it paid out over $1 million.
“The majority of our money at WCHA is paid to the amateur owner,” Jacobs said. “Those people pay the bills. That’s where the money has got to go.”
He sees the RHA doing the same to increase participation in rail classes. He explained that there is no plan to put on a standalone show for now but rather present classes at existing events.
The panel took questions from the audience ranging from leveling to purses. Afterwards Lakins said there was adequate interest to proceed and that they are working to get organized for an official launch early 2026.
