There is no doubt that showing horses makes us very goal-driven individuals. While we all strive for success in everything we do, there is no shame in having a few horse show related bucket-list items that we would like to check off.
We asked some youth, amateurs, and open competitors from multiple breeds what their horse show bucket list items are. Many discuss trying something new in the horse industry, mastering their favorite class, carrying on a family tradition, raising a champion, and accomplishing a lifelong dream in the show arena.
What’s on your bucket list? Let us know!
Try Something New
Erin Bradshaw: Something on my bucket list is to ride a dressage horse. Not just an average one, though – like one of the super good ones. I’d want to do like 20 lead changes in a row.
Alexie Estrada: I’d love to show in the working cow horse at the world show. It’s something I’ve never done before. After watching the goes from my former TCU teammates like Sam Bayer, Chantz Stewart and Alexi Child, it looks like an absolute blast to show.
Ali Grusha: It’d either be showing the Wellington, FL winter circuit on a super fancy, AO (amateur/owner) hunter or running the rodeo road with Fallon Taylor and having an awesome barrel horse. Two total opposites, but I do love both of those events.
Taylor Burgess: Showing at the NSBA World Show has always been my dream.
Colby Ringer: I want to show in every discipline before I am too old to show any more. Everything from dressage to reining to jumping, all of it. My only no go spot is probably the cross country, though, that’s a little too wild for me!
Master a Favorite Class
Libby Collins: Probably the biggest thing on my bucket list is to be top 3 in the Amateur Trail at the APHA World Show.
Alexis Miller: My bucket list dream is to win an AQHA World Championship… preferably in equitation or horsemanship!
Heather Young: To win the AQHA honor roll and world title in the same year.
James Saubolle: My dream is to win the APHA Junior and Senior trail at the world show in the same year!
Katy Jo Zuidema: For the Western Pleasure, I’d love to win the Tom Powers Sale class. I’ve shown in it twice, placing 3rd and 7th. Tim has won it, his Powers buckle is still his favorite. Tom’s show is very near and dear to my heart. Michigan is my home state and I have never missed it since the day I was born, literally. I hope I haven’t jinxed myself now that I said that in print.
Anne-Marie Fortenberry: My two all-time favorite classes are Western Pleasure and Western Riding… I could do them all day and I had success in those two classes in my youth career so I’d have to say to come back and one day win the Classic Amateur Western Pleasure and the Classic Amateur Western Riding. That would make me one of the happiest girls alive! I absolutely love everything about western pleasure and western riding, it would be the ultimate icing on the cake!
Beth Case: I would love to win all my hunt seat classes at the Congress in the same year. That would be the Junior, Senior, Open 2s, Open 3s, Open Maturity, Masters 2s, and Green. I know it’s probably pretty impossible, but I’ve been very fortunate to have accomplished everything else I’ve wanted to do!
Carry on a Family Tradition
Dakota Diamond Griffith: I’d love to compete in NRHA which is something I have never done. It seems a little crazy because my Dad is the youngest rider to win the NRHA Futurity.
Elizabeth “Spike” Brewer: I would love my daughter Addison to compete in the lead line events when she is old enough and just have some interest in showing a horse. But, time will tell if she will have the horse bug or not. I just hope she finds some hobby/sport she can be passionate about and enjoy as much as I enjoy the horses. If it turns out to be the horses, that would be amazing.
Raise a Winner
Ally Fink: My horse show bucket list is the raise a horse from birth that eventually wins a world championship.
Tim Gillespie: Topping my bucket list would have to be to win a World Title or a big prize with one of the offspring of my all-time favorite horse, that passed away far too soon, Too Sleepy For Candy. She has six embryos that Susan Juroe raised. The oldest two will be hitting the show pen this summer and fall.
Accomplish a Lifelong Dream
Abbey Turner: I can answer that in a heartbeat, it’s been my goal since 1992 and the stars have just never aligned. Between family and job obligations, and switching horses, I’ve just never been able to get ‘er done. I’ve been on the Top 20 more times than I can count with five different horses. I’ve been as high as third place, with just seven points between me and the #2 horse. I would just LOVE to be #1, just once, before I have to retire.
Mark Mowbray: I would have to say that winning an AQHA World Championship is at the top of my horse show bucket list. I came close in 2013 at the AQHA Youth World Championship Show when my horse, A Good Storm, and I were named Reserve World Champions in the Performance Halter Geldings. That was definitely the best day of my life… mostly because it was with a horse that I had loved so much. I hope that I will get a chance to earn a World Championship sometime in the future.
Olivia Lee Turner: The main thing on my bucket list is to win a AQHA World or Congress title. I’ve had multiple top tens and even a reserve, but never actually won.
Chayna De Nicolo: I have many goals but the one thing I’ve set my heart on is to win the Gordyville Showmanship Shootout. Ever since I knew what it was, I have dreamed of qualifying for it, then placing, and, hopefully, one day winning it. I’ve shown in it many times, always with a horse I taught showmanship. I showed in it about five times before even placing. My late show gelding, Bruno, and I were sixth in 2008 after he spooked at a shadow on the ground. I showed a really green horse after that, and then went to college. Now, I show a mare we started ourselves, Onehot Shade Of Gray, “Graci” and we were fourth last year. The shootout is just something I’ve watched my showmanship idols compete in for many years… I hope to one day follow in their footsteps.
Kaleena Weakly: I’d love to win the amateur all-around at the Congress or the AQHA World Show.
Carli Pitts: Now that I’m an open rider, a goal of mine would be win an open World Championship. I’d also like to eventually be a member of the NSBA Quarter Million Dollar Club. I know it will take a while to check those two off my bucket list. With that said, a big goal of mine is to coach non pros to championship titles in the future.
Coleen Bull: I find that my bucket list has required several modifications since Timeless Assets has come to my life. The items I’ve already crossed off my list are way beyond anything I could have previously imagined for myself. I’d have to say my wildest dreams bucket list would include 25+ world championships for Tucson. That would put him at the top of the list for World Champion earners. I’d love to see him lead that list.
What is on your horse show bucket list? Let us know!
