Many Reserve World Champions go largely unnoticed because the World Champion tends to get all the glory. But, do you consider second place the first loser? This quote was said by the famous race car driver Dale Earnhardt. Well, at GoHorseShow.com we decided to ask four Amateur Reserve World Champions that very question.
Our November GoMag cover, Courtney Jetelina and her horse, Deelivered were Reserve World Champions in the Amateur Horsemanship, Jeff Johns and I Gotta Good Name, were Reserve World Champions in the Amateur Trail, Brynne Tincher was second in the Amateur Hunter Under Saddle with Pass the Tequila, and Jeff Habighorst and A Kid By Design were Reserve World Champions in the Amateur Aged geldings–behind his wife who won the class with RPL My Te Cheerful.
Let’s find out what they thought about winning a Reserve World Championship.
Courtney Jetelina
Jetelina recently relocated to New Jersey, so, she has been unable to show her horse for the most of the year. She managed to go to two horse shows and luckily got her last point to qualify in the Horsemanship the final day of the Big A Circuit.
When asked whether she was excited about her Reserve World Championship, she says, “Of course, I was in total shock, so, it took a while for it to sink in. I went in there hoping for the best, and my pattern couldn’t have been any better. I was very proud and excited that I got second considering my warm up going into the finals was horrendous.”
Courtney says she was having trouble hitting her marks and coming down from a hand gallop to a walk. “I think I was over thinking and overriding in the practice arena,” she said. “But, when I went in the pen, it worked out perfectly. I couldn’t tell you what I did to make it work, but I think I calmed down and just let it happen naturally.”
Jetelina’s trainer, Robin Frid, says that her strongest maneuver was the hand gallop to the walk which was odd because she could never hit it in practice. “I told her she needed to figure out a cue or figure something out before she went in,” he said. “But, luckily her pattern was very technically correct and she pulled it off. She is a very beautiful rider with a ideal body type who hold her legs in the correct position. She is also very dangerous in the pen. She has the potential to win and is always in the hunt, but, she just hasn’t won the big one yet.”
Jetelina has been training with Frid since she was 12 years-old. With her current horse, Dee, she has placed, 5th, 4th, 3rd, and now 2nd in the Horsemanship at the World Show. “No, she isn’t going to try it again,” Frid says and laughs, “We are currently looking for her a new horse that is a little bigger so she can do the equitation.”
Frid said that he was excited that Courtney was Reserve. “At this point in my career, I am very thankful for anything we get. I definitely was not disappointed that she got reserve. Considering the trouble she had in the warm up, I am glad she pulled it all together and pulled it off and was ecstatic with the results.”
Jeff Johns
Jeff Johns of Paradise Valley, Arizona is part of a family that is considered horse show royalty at this point in their careers. Jeff’s mother, Susan Johns, owns and shows some of the top horses in the country including Majestic Scotch.
Luckily, Jeff and his brother, Trevor, get to show some his mother’s horses, and they have garnered quite a few accomplishments in the show ring. Johns just received the Reserve World Championship in the Amateur Trail with long time owned and loved member of the family, I Gotta Good Name, known affectionately as Sampson. Sampson is a past winner of the Senior Trail at the World Show with Jim Searles aboard.
When asked what he thought about Tim Kimura’s finals pattern, he said, “It was crazy hard. I’m glad that Tim stepped it up this year–where some of the past years the Trail was judged more on movement than the ability to execute tough obstacles. I was right after the girl, Sara, that ended up winning and I didn’t hear her tick anything, so, I was already nervous going into the arena. I ticked some of the last poles so I didn’t think I would win a trophy. But, then, when I was eighth on my other horse, and, we knocked over the pole at the gate, I thought I might have a chance to be up there.”
There was only a half point difference between first, second, and third place. “I honestly thought I was going to get third because I saw Caroline Gunn’s go right before I went on my other horse. I was very surprised and thankful for getting second since there wasn’t much difference between 1st thru third.”
Johns says that he will probably continue to show Sampson unless he has to fight his brother, Trevor, who may want to show him next year. “My mom says she has too many brood geldings, but he is a special horse and will probably have a permanent home at Kim and Deanna Searles Ranch when he is retired from showing.”
Jeff Habighorst
Well, Jeff’s wife Wendy has pretty much gotten all the glory this year with her father-in-laws horse, RPL My Te Cheerful, where she was the Congress Champion in the Amateur Aged Gelding as well as being Amateur Grand Champion Gelding. Wendy also just won the Amateur Aged Geldings at the World Show. Her Husband, Jeff, was second behind her at both the Congress and the world with his father, Vern Habighorst’s, other top Amateur Aged Gelding, A Kid By Design.
GoHorseShow.com decided that Jeff needed to be recognized a little bit more for his success this year. When asked how Wendy got the better horse, Jeff, obviously a gentleman, says, “I wanted her to do better than me, and the horse that she showed is a lot easier to show than the one I picked. We had some friendly competition, but it was a fun day for Wendy to win and for me to be second.”
When asked what he likes about his horse, A Kid By Design, he explains that, “He is so pretty and shows good once he is in the pen. He is real bright and has a great presence. My father is lucky to have two great aged geldings”
Habighorst adds, “Ted (Turner) does a great job preparing the horses and work so hard to get them ready. We really appreciate all his time and effort.”
Jeff, whose family owns and runs Blue Ribbon Saddlery in Cave Creek Arizona, says that he and Wendy don’t plan on showing anymore. “We just did it for fun and for our young daughters to see us show. But, we are homebodies and like to stay close to home.”
The Habighorst’s flew to Cloverdale, Indiana and the Texas Classic to get qualified. It was the first time in eleven years that Jeff had set foot in a show arena. His horse, A Kid By Design, is currently leading the nation in the Aged Geldings, and he said that this year was a lot of fun, and it was great to share it with his father, wife, and two girls, Jacey, 4, and Jordan who is 20 months old.
“I never expected to get Reserve at the World Show because there were a lot of nice horses in the pen. Everyday is a new day and you never know what may happen and where you might end up. I was lucky to end up second and thankful to have the opportunity to show such an outstanding halter horse.”
Brynne Tincher
26 Year-Old Brynne Tincher is no stranger to the show ring. She has been showing since she was a little girl and grew up in the industry. Her father, Brent Tincher, is a top trainer and AQHA judge. Brynne has definitely picked up some of her father’s riding talents. She enjoys taking young western pleasure and hunter under saddle prospects and turning them into winners.
This year was Brynne’s first time to show in the Amateur Hunter Under Saddle at the World Show. She showed, Pass the Tequila (Brielle) to a Reserve World Championship in the Hunter Under Saddle. This 5 year-old gray mare has a gorgeous trot and canter, and Brynne says this mare likes to keep her on her toes. “I had a great ride and loved showing her. I never expected to be second, and I was very excited we did so well.”
Brent Tincher, Brynne’s father, says that she trained this horse’s mom and that she was also an outstanding show horse. “I believe Brynne had the horse that could win the class, but am I disappointed, of course not, there were some outstanding multiple world champions in the class, and I was proud and thrilled she did so well.”
Fun Trivia:
One fun fact we learned was that Pass the Tequila had a full twin sister in the finals. Colossal Asset and Allison Kasten were 13th in the Amateur Hunter Under Saddle finals. Colossal Asset was from the same flush during an embryo transfer. The two twin sisters are pictured together in the picture shown at the left.
