Adelaide Moncrief and Steady Spirit jump their way to the all-around honors.
Adelaide Moncrief of Fort Worth, Texas, came to the 2010 AQHA World Championship Show planning to enter the events she enjoys and do as well as she could. She never dreamed she would be the 2010 Farnam All-Around Amateur with her bay gelding Steady Spirit.
“I just wanted to do the best I could,” Adelaide told The American Quarter Horse Journal after hearing the news about her win. “This far exceeded what I ever thought was possible. It’s just icing on the cake.”
Adelaide and “Danny” were entered in all the over-fences events: amateur hunter hack, amateur working hunter, amateur equitation over fences and amateur jumping.
Their week started with hunter hack, Danny’s least-favorite event, where they won the reserve champion trophy. A friend mentioned to Adelaide that she could be in contention for the Farnam All-Around Amateur Award, but it wasn’t part of Adelaide’s thought process.
“I didn’t think that far ahead,” she said. “I was going to try to do my best in the moment.”
The rest of the over-fences finals were grouped November 12, with equitation over fences first. Adelaide wouldn’t have changed anything about her ride.
“I got reserve and was ecstatic,” she said. “I think that made me very relaxed for the working hunter. I felt really good about (working hunter) and had no idea I’d win, just because there are so many horses out there and great riders.”
With only the jumping to go, Adelaide had clinched the title, though she still didn’t know it. She credits her success to Danny.
“He loves showing, and I think he knows he’s a champion,” she said. “He does his job and is happy to do it. He’s a one-of-a-kind horse – my dream horse, I think.”
The Farnam All-Around Amateur receives $15,000 plus $1,000 in Farnam products, a WeatherBeeta blanket and an original Lisa Perry bronze.
The top five for 2010 are:
1. Adelaide Moncrief of Fort Worth, Texas, and Steady Spirit
2. Meghan O’Malley of Medina, Ohio, and A Chanceof Blueskies
3. Whitney Walquist Vicars of Cleburne, Texas, and Dress This
4. Lauren Eichstadt of Greenville, Pennsylvania, and Its My Lucky Detail
5. Christine Sceets of Baytown, Texas, and Intangible Award
