Hey, everyone! My name is Alexis Miller and I’m here in Fort Worth at the AjPHA World Show with my trusty partner, Thanks For Zip En Me. This is our fifth world show together, and we will be showing in everything ranging from the over fences to the ranch riding. I have ridden with Tom and Leslie Lange for the past five years, and about two years ago Jeff Mellott joined the T&L Quarter Horses team.
We’ve been working hard to prepare for this show with my paint “Winston”, and I can’t wait to get into the John Justin arena again. Best of luck to everyone showing here in Texas. I will be doing a picture of the day every day from the show, so stay tuned for more pictures from the show.
Final Picture of the Day – Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Lauren Gralla and A Sudden Legacy has a fabulous second world show together. For the last two years, they have been High Point 13 & U, and this year reserve high point western.
The Gralla family purchased “Cheeks” from Desarae Gilley before last years world show, and the duo have been unstoppable since. They are currently the #1 13 and under team in the nation.
Lauren and “Cheeks” captured world championships in hunter under saddle, horsemanship, trail, showmanship, western riding and were reserve in the equitation. Lauren’s most significant win of the show was the horsemanship, as she did not get a buckle in that last year, and it was her goal to this year.
Lauren would like to thank Wade and Carly Parks for always pushing her to be her best, and the best horse ever, Cheeks!
Congratulations, Lauren, I hope you hold that number 1 spot, and good luck in your first year of 14-18 in 2017!
Picture of the Day #7 – Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Kassandra Jones and Chasinthesensation have had a “sensational” final youth world show together. Early this morning, the duo dominated the 14-18 Youth Trail finals with four firsts and a fourth.
This is the second year in a row that they’ve won their trail class here at the AjPHA World Show. They were also reserve in the 14-18 Youth Showmanship a couple days ago, the toughest class of the show.
Kassi is now under the guidance of Julian Harris of Topline Performance Equine. The duo were Julian’s first world champion team as a trainer, so congratulations to Julian as well!
Kassi told me, “I was very excited about this win because I worked all summer to come back even stronger than last year. Winning a class like the 14-18 Youth Trail two years in a row was in my wildest dreams. I couldn’t be more proud of Slick. She is my once in a lifetime horse.”
Way to go you two, and good luck in the horsemanship preliminaries tonight!
Picture of the Day # 6 – Sunday, July 3, 2016
Texas is known for its high temperatures and humidity, and it’s certainly been a hot week in Fort Worth at the AjPHA World Show. The stands had quite a few people in them while the 14-18 Showmanship preliminaries were running, a large class of nearly sixty and the largest of the show.
Despite the hot exterior temperature, lots of jackets, sweatshirts, blankets and long sleeves could be spotted in the John Justin Arena. The extreme air conditioning feels good for about 15 minutes, and then the jackets start coming out. At least the arena is kept cool for the exhibitors!
Picture of the Day # 5 – Saturday, July 2nd, 2016
June 2nd was full of speed, cattle and ranch events at the AjPHA World Show. The largest class of the day was the Youth Ranch Riding, which my friend Ally Fink and I competed in.
Last year, we were both in the top three. I won and Ally was third, and this year, she won and I was reserve. It was fun that we switched spots and rode another victory lap together.
Ally and her horse Gallant Zippo, aka “Gilly” were the #1 14-18 team last year, and they will also compete in the trail and western riding later this week. She is also here with her new partner, My Finest Moment (AQHA: MWS Lace His Zipper) for the 14-18 all around events. Ally and “Stretch” will be at the All American Quarter Horse Congress in October.
On top of that, she is also going to be attending Texas Christian University this fall to ride on the equestrian team. Congratulations on the win today Ally and Gilly, and best of luck at the rest of the show!
Picture of the Day # 4 – Friday, July 1st, 2016
Alysia Nielson had a dream come true on Friday, June 1st here at the AjPHA World Show. With her new partner BMQ The Jig Is Up, she captured the world championship in a deep pen of 14-18 Hunter Under Saddle horses. Though Alysia is no stranger to success, this was her first world championship.
As a multiple reserve world champion and even number one, 13 and Under in the nation a couple years ago, a world championship was something that had eluded the hard-working youth. Her tall sorrel English horse is also quite accomplished in the show pen, with multiple world and reserve world championships in hunter under saddle.
This win is particularly special since the duo have only been together since October. Congratulations Alysia, I hope you have many more wins with your new horse. Watch for her and “Ziggy” in 14-18 all around events for the rest of the week and the hunter under saddle and equitation at the AQHYA World Show. Thank you to Ally Fink for taking this picture and sending it to me!
Picture of the Day # 3 – Thursday, June 30, 2016
Ashley Aden and her longtime partner, Reddyformycloseup, had quite the day at the AjPHA World Show on June 30. In their first class of the day, 14-18 Working Hunter, Ashley and “Preston” laid out a beautiful Hunter round to bring home the world championship, along with the Elegant April Memorial Award.
The duo had an impressive five firsts and one second to take the class by storm. But this isn’t their first working hunter win, the duo has won this class at the world show for a couple years in a row. Not only was she crowned a world champion, but she also had top fives and top tens in all her other jumping classes.
Ashley and Preston are under the guidance of James Saubolle of Elite Show Horses for the all around events, and Mason Lyon of Lyon Performance Horses for the over fence classes. Best of luck at the rest of the show Ashley!
Picture of the Day # 2 – Wednesday, June 29, 2016
For the picture of the day on June 29, first time AjPHA World Show attendant Victoria Leen and her new parter, Hez Reddioactive, are being featured. Victoria just bought “Harley” back in November, and they’ve already had a fabulous summer together. Just a couple weeks ago at the Pinto World, they brought two world championships, one reserve and several top fives. We wish this new dynamic duo the best of luck this week at the Paint World Show, and IÂ hope she has an awesome experience her first time in Fort Worth. Watch for them in the Novice and 14-18 All Around events!
Picture of the Day # 1 – Tuesday, June 28, 2016
To kick off the 2016 world show, one of this year’s APHA World Show judges and pattern designer David Denniston put on a Ride The Pattern clinic. During the clinic, volunteers worked each individual pattern by age group while David talked through it. He worked through the fine points of the patterns and showed how to really exhibit the pattern in the best way possible. This gave exhibitors the chance to watch their pattern and hear from one of the judges what they will be looking for.
I love that APHA does this for their youth and thank you, David, for being so helpful. It is a great learning opportunity. I wish everyone the best of luck again here at the AjPHA World show, remember to be confident and have fun.
