GoHorseShow has learned that many proven and talented horses were privately sold and went home with new owners after the 2016 AQHA World Show. Typically, the majority of top-level riding horses are bought and sold at the Quarter Horse Congress in October rather than the World Show. However, this year was different with a large number of talented and high profile stock being exchanged in Oklahoma City.
Although it has been speculated that the delayed spike in sales occurring at the Congress was partly due to the impending Presidential election, what we do know is that many nice horses were sold at the AQHA World Show and we are here to give you the lowdown on each sale.
SO GOOD TO B ME
Blake Weis is one happy 
trainer. He returned from Oklahoma City to Moberly, Missouri with a back-to-back Superhorse title for Snap Krackle Pop. Additionally, he was able to keep recently crowned AQHA Junior Trail World Champion, So Good To B Me, also known as “Robin” in his barn after his recent sale. Robin was purchased by Caroline Cavallo from barn mate Tanya Relander.
“I have been watching him on and off all year because he is in the same barn as my show horses. Blake Weis kept saying that he was something special and as I watched him win the Junior Trail at the World Show, I realized that he was more than right because Robin has only been doing the trail for less than a year,” says Cavallo.
The beautiful bay 2011 gelding is by Batt Man out of the mare, Good Baby Hotrod by Hocus Pocus Hotrod. Caroline hopes to fulfill her dreams of winning the trail at the World Show and Robin could be just the horse to do so.
“We were out at dinner one evening talking about what I wanted my future horse to be, and it was mentioned that other people were looking at Robin. I simply said, Wait! What about him for me?” says Caroline.
After this revelation, Cavallo rode the horse the following day and immediately fell in love. “His unique personality and wonderful movement over the trail poles got me hooked. He is such a friendly, unique and overachieving horse,” she says.
Blake agrees that Robin has a big personality by saying, “He tries really hard and it’s almost like having a dog rather than a horse. He’s got so much style to everything he does that it makes him really fun to show,” he says.
Being the friendly horse that he is described as, Caroline says that he is always in your pocket looking for treats. “He even drank some champagne after his big win,” she shares.
As for Robin, Caroline plans to keep him in training with Blake and Kendra Weis to learn the all-around events. “I hope to show him in the trail, western riding, horsemanship and showmanship in the future. We are all very excited about learning new events together as a team,” she says.
RR MAGICAL MOONLITE
Already proven as a 2016 AQHA World and Congress Champion in the Western Pleasure arena, RR Magical Moonlite was purchased by Debbie Martin of Piketon, Ohio from Jamie Watson of Goshen, Ohio. The four-year-old bay gelding is sired by Only In The Moonlite and out of the mare, The Mouse Is Talkin by Sweet Talkin Chip. “Mouse” will be under the guidance of Ty and Karen Hornick in Jamestown, Ohio.
“We are so excited to have this talented horse in our barn,” Karen told us. “Not only is he a great pleasure horse, but they have started the horsemanship, showmanship and changing leads on it as well.”
The accomplished gelding began his career in late October 2014 at the Congress Masters Western Pleasure and brought home a third place finish in the class his first time shown.
“We sent him to Brian Cox as a two-year-old, and, after the Masters, we brought him home and let him grow up. Each year he just got stronger and better and became such a cool horse,” says Jamie Watson’s daughter, Lacy.
At the 2016 Congress, Mouse won several prestigious classes including the Junior and Amateur Western Pleasure. At the AQHA World Show, Mouse’s trainer Ashley Lakins (pictured right) piloted the gelding to win the Junior Western Pleasure. “He is absolutely the most fun horse that I have ever shown. He has so much personality, and he is such a happy guy. He loves his job,” says Ashley.
Debbie’s granddaughter, Kylee Wiseman (pictured left with Ty and Karen Hornick) will show this gelding in the Youth 13 & under classes in 2017.
“This is going to be a great journey and I love him already,” says Kylee.
HP PRIME TIME
It isn’t every day that someone can buy a horse that is already “giraffe-proof”, but Kaleena Weakly did just that. Kaleena purchased HP Prime Time, also known as “Cooper” from Highpoint Performance Horses during the World Show. The flashy two-year-old red roan gelding is sired by VS Flatline and out of the proven mare, Goodygoody Gumdrops who is by Zippos Mr Goodbar.
“He’s got great size and beautiful, slow legs. He’s already showing us major talent over the poles and a beautiful lead change,” exclaims Kaleena about her exciting new prospect. “Also, a major selling point for me was his great temperament and kindness since I have a toddler. Plus, he’s a flashy roan and will stand out in the show pen.”
Kaleena is very excited about this young horse’s future and former owners, Jason Martin and Charlie Cole share in the excitement as well.
“Both of his sisters are Congress Champions and he has the mind, movement and looks to be just as special as them, especially in the great hands of Kaleena and Josh Weakly and their trainers, Jason and Jessica Gilliam,” Charlie Cole told us. “Kaleena has a knack for picking out great young horses and turning them into majorly successful show horses. We couldn’t think of a better home for Cooper.”
It is extremely evident that Kaleena can pick the future winners at a young age. She has had major success in the past with many different horses such as Sweet Movin Hotrod, Lopin For A Chex, and most recently, No Question Im Lazy (“Jethro”) who she recently sold to the Neiberger family.
“Jason (Gilliam) and I had been searching for a new young all-around horse since the sale of Jethro. While we were at the world show, he called me and told me I had to get to the outdoor arena as soon as possible to look at a horse. I really liked what I saw,” she says.
Already proving that he will be a major up-and-coming competitor, Brad Ost showed Cooper to a top-five placing in the Coughlin 2-Year-Old Limited Western Pleasure at this year’s Congress.
“Charlie and I kind of laughed when they were looking at him. We said he’s exactly the type of horse that we typically look at to buy, and surely, in a couple of years, we will be trying to get him back,” says Ost.
Kaleena has the same plan with Cooper as she has had with her other horses; show in the trail futurities and start adding the all-around classes as he shows his talents. “I’m sure showmanship is in his near future,” says the AQHA World Champion Showmanship exhibitor.
HEZ PRETTY EXTREME
By Extremely Hot Chips and out of the mare, Rolls Her Assets by Protect Your Assets, the 2012 sorrel gelding was bought by Joanne Garnett of Lincoln, Nebraska from Parris and Carolyn Rice. Affectionately known as “Bert”, Parris and he were recently Reserve World Champions in this year’s Amateur Horsemanship at the AQHA World Show.
“Bert is an incredible athlete and soul. He has this ability beyond his years to lock into you and feel exactly what you want as soon as you ask for it. It makes for an amazing feel when you ride him and allows him to be able to give you everything he has. My mom and I both feel so thankful that we got to be a part of his greatness,” says Parris.
The feeling must be mutual for new owner, Joanne Garnett as she also describes riding Bert as a ton of fun. “I first saw Bert show at the NSBA World Show when I happened to turn on the computer to watch a friend show and Bert was showing in the trail. I loved him instantly. I called Jeff Mellott and told him to find out if he was for sale. I got to try him out at the Scottsdale Fall Classic, and I think we rode him for two hours. He was so much fun to ride, I just didn’t want to get off!” says Joanne.
Joanne is no stranger to great horses, as she also owned So Much Potential, A Sudden Illusion and Kat Man Shine, to name a few. She even goes on to say that AQHA World Champion Kat Man Shine and Bert have a very similar feel, “They are so alike in so many ways. It just felt like I had ridden Bert forever!” says Joanne.
Though it was love at first sight, Joanne did have to wait to purchase the gelding until after Parris showed him at the AQHA World Show. “I loved him so much that I knew it would be worth the wait! He is now headed to Colorado with Jeff and Leslie (Lange) and I hope to go out and ride him in a couple of weeks,” she says.
Joanne and Bert plan to make their debut together this winter showing in Florida in the Select Trail, Horsemanship, and Showmanship.
Lastly, Joanne would like to thank the sellers, Parris and Carolyn Rice for the opportunity to ride such a great horse. “They have done an exceptional job with him and I hope that I can do half as good a job with him as they have! I am so happy that Parris was Reserve World Champion with Bert and now she has something very special to remember with him,” she explains.
The feeling is also mutual with Parris as she adds that she was very fortunate to own Bert for the time that she did. “Chris and Melissa Jones had done a great job with him when we bought him at the beginning of his three-year-old year, and my mom did such an amazing job getting him prepped for the all around events. We know that he and Joanne will do amazing things and are thankful he’s going to such a great home!” says Parris.
SO DANG LAZY
The gorgeous black 2010 gelding, So Dang Lazy, also known as “Leroy” was bought by Lynn Leedy of California from Caroline (Gunn) Rogers and Janet Gunn at this year’s World Show.
“We are so thrilled for them,” Caroline told us. “We have been so blessed to have Leroy in our family for the past two years. He has so much heart and both Jason (Gilliam) and I regularly talk about how much fun he is to show every time you take him in the pen. We know they will love him as much as we do!”
Leroy is an AQHA World and Congress Champion in the trail events and sired by Lazy Loper and out of the mare, Good Special Miss by Zippos Mr Goodbar. Leroy and Caroline won the Amateur Trail at the 2016 Congress with an astounding 241.5 score, and her trainer, Jason Gilliam was 2016 Reserve World Champion in the Senior Trail.
In 2017, he will be shown in the Select Trail with his new owner, Lynn Leedy, as well as in the Senior Trail with trainer, Lyn McArthur.
“As a trainer, I have been blessed over many years with wonderful horses and their owners. I am honored that Lynn Leedy has chosen to purchase Leroy and bring him to me,” said trainer, Lyn McArthur. “He is the epitome of what is truly great in a quarter horse. He has excelled at the shows and has touched the hearts of many in a very short amount of time. His beautiful and his kind soul reminds us how lucky we are to share our lives with these great horses.”
As for Caroline, she and her mother, Janet, have a coming four-year-old named, Just Becauz Im Lazy that Jason Gilliam will be showing in the Junior Trail. “I will be taking a little break from horses for a bit until Jason says he is ready for me,” says Caroline.
However, she will keep busy with her job as a Development Officer for Mays Business School at Texas A&M as well as helping her husband with their purebred Angus and Red Angus operation in Bryan, Texas. “Our lives are not boring, to say the least!” she laughs.
While Leroy has certainly made a great impression on his new owners, he will also be missed by many of the lives that he has touched already. “Leroy is a one-of-a-kind competitor. He gives his heart every time and never says he can’t. We are proud of his accomplishments for just being six,” says Jessica Gilliam.
Though he will be missed, Jessica also includes that she can’t be happier for Leroy to go to California with Lynn Leedy and Lyn McArthur and hopes they enjoy him in their barn as much as she and Jason have.
Too cute not to share… Watch Jessica and Jason Gilliam’s children and Caroline Rogers’ niece and nephew, Shayne and Caleb, as well as Kaleena and Josh Weakly’s son, Jax, say goodbye to sweet Leroy at the World Show.
We would like to wish all of these new owners the best of luck in their new endeavors with their equine partners.
