2011 AQHYA Reserve World Champion Horsemanship rider, Katie Jo Jones, has started a new phase of her show career. Known for showing in the all-around events during her youth career, now an amateur, she is competing in the amateur and non-pro hunter under saddle classes with her new horse, IE Ibeagoodone (Freckles). Jones is currently under the guidance of Joy Wheeler, who will be showing the mare in the Junior Hunter Under Saddle.
“Freckles is four and we bought her at the Rita Crundwell online sale. We did not know much about her except she was fourth in the Congress Masters Hunter Under Saddle as a two year-old,” says Jones, who got involved with horses due to her mother, Eloise, and considers her a huge mentor. “We were looking for a hunter under saddle horse all last year, and when Rita’s horses were offered for sale, we just picked her out and decided to try and buy her even though we had never seen her before.”
Jones continues, “We couldn’t have gotten got any luckier. Once we got her home, she was so sweet and kind that we decided to buy two of her full siblings in the live auction. I will be showing her full brother, Raise Em Good, (Roscoe), in the three year-old non pro this summer. The siblings are all by Good I Will Be and out of IE On The Raise.”
Currently, the Burlington, North Carolina native is working on getting Freckles qualified for the AQHA Amateur World this year in Amateur Hunter Saddle, and, now that the mare has her ROM, Katie will also be showing her in performance halter mares.
“I really just love horses,” says, Katie Jo, who is currently attending Furman University and eventually wants to become a CPA. “Showing is kind of like an addiction for me. I just love the adrenaline rush and thrill of being in the show pen. No matter if I have a good or bad ride I enjoy showing what I can do.”
Since Katie Jo aged out of youth in 2011, she has taken a break from showing to focus on school, but says she really hasn’t been able to stay away.
“When I was in youth, I showed in the all-around events, but I always wanted a hunter under saddle horse to show at some of the futurities. After we sold my all-around horse, Mostly Chocolate, in October of 2011, we started looking for a hunter under saddle horse. Even though it has taken us a while to find a few we like, I am lucky enough to have a couple to show this year!” (pictured left with Freckles)
Look out for Katie Jo and Ibeagoodone in the amateur, Raise Em Good in the three year-old events, and if everything goes as planned, she hopes to debut her two year-old hunter under saddle horse by Allocate Your Assets, Al Be Luking Lovely, at the NSBA World Show. We wish her the best of luck!
CLICK HERE to check out her ad in the April issue of GoMag
