Non Pro Jenna Dempze has been bringing home the hardware this futurity season with her three pleasure horses including six wins at the Reichert Celebration. Dempze is ready to add a bronze trophy to her winnings with the Congress coming up in a few weeks.
This year, Dempze is showing Heatin Up The Chips (Julia) in the Non Pro Maturities and Amateur Western Pleasure, and her new mare, KM MIlliondollarbaby (Millie) in the Three Year-Old Non Pro Classes; as well as her home-bred gelding, Gotta Certain Touch (Chevy), in the Two Year-Old Non Pro events.
At the Reichert, Jenna won the Two Year-Old Non Pro Western Pleasure Stakes Class with Gotta Certain Touch, winning $10,000. KM Milliondollarbaby won all her classes, including Jenna’s boyfriend, Denton DeBuhr, winning the Intermediate Open Three Year-Old Western Pleasure and the Open Color Three Year-Old Western Pleasure. Jenna won the Three Year-Old Non Pro Color, the Three Year-Old Non Pro NSBA SIF and the Three Year Old Non Pro Mary Carole Heckaman Memorial Class with Millie.
Dempze saw the flashy three year-old at the NSBA World Show in Tulsa just a few weeks ago and purchased her from the Masterson Farms. KM Milliondollarbaby is by RL Best of Sudden and out of the mare, Winnie Three Bars.
“We really love her,” Jenna says. “Millie is very laid back and sweet, and she is very easy to prepare and an honest horse. I think she is very pretty and flashy in the pen. When you see her showing you can’t help but watch.”
The striking blonde from Wisconsin considers her two year-old, Chevy, her first child. “He is the first baby that we’ve raised. He is out of my old show mare, Gotta Touch This, and by Certain Potential,” Jenna reveals. “I fell in love with him from the minute he was born. He is so sweet and has tons of personality. He is really pretty and often gets mistaken for a filly. Chevy has helped my achieve more of my horse showing goals. I’ve always wanted to win the Tom Powers Futurity and the Non Pro Stakes at the Reichert. He helped me achieve both, and it is more special because he is one that I raised.”
Dempze and her four year-old mare, Heatin Up The Chips, have been a team for almost a year. The mare by Blazing Hot was purchased from the Starnes last year at the Congress.
“It’s actually a crazy story how we got her,” Dempze recalls. “Gil always has his eye on the look out for me for nice horses. I had been on the hunt for a two year-old but the day before the Three Year-Old Non Pro, he came to me and said I found you the one and you can show her tomorrow but you have to act now. I didn’t even take a test ride–I just trusted Gil. It worked out great, I made the finals of the first go and finished third in the Three Year-Old Non Pro finals and later on finished 10th in the Amateur Pleasure.”
“Julia is a lot of fun to ride and she has a big personality. I’ve enjoyed a lot of success with her this year and I’m looking forward to showing her this fall,” Jenna says.
Dempze mentions that her favorite aspect about showing is the challenge. “To me, it is never easy. I enjoy working hard and seeing progress each show. I especially like the younger horses because I enjoy seeing them learn and progress through the year–it’s very satisfying to see them go from ranch loping in January to loping around on a full drape in June.”
Dempze looks forward to showing all her horses at the Congress. “I love my horse show family. I think it is a unique relationship that we all share; we are fierce competitors but at the end of the day can be great friends as well. It makes the sacrifices that I’ve made in other parts of my life worth it,” says Jenna. “I get to share in this experience with other people who understand and share my passion. I like to thank my parents and everyone at Gil Galyean Quarter Horses. They make it possible to live my dream!”
GoHorseShow wishes Jenna luck at the Congress and World Shows!
Click here to view Jenna’s ads in the October 2012 issue of GoMag
Photos © Shane Rux and Impulse Photography
