Alexandrea Albright of Lockport, Illinois was not a household name when she arrived in Oklahoma City last week to compete at just her second AQHYA World Championship Show. However, with her nine-year-old chestnut mare, Best Gift Yet and trainers Melissa and Chris Jones by her side, she left with not one, but two coveted World Show trophies. The World Champion in showmanship and Reserve World Champion honors in horsemanship, it is more than safe to say that Alex is on people’s radar now.
“I never expected to have the outcome that I did,” Alex told us. “Being the last person standing in the arena has always been a dream of mine, but I knew the classes I was going in required perfect patterns to be able to achieve this dream.”
Alex and “Honey” had their breakout moment at the most opportune time, but according to Melissa Jones, their success on the big stage comes as little surprise. “Alex is very dedicated and a hard worker and she is also very detailed-oriented. The mare is the same way. I thought they had the potential to do very well here in Oklahoma City, but I had no expectations. Alex rose to the occasion and handled the pressure really well. Everything just seemed to align just right.”
Align just right, indeed. Alex’s dedication and hard work paid off on Tuesday when she and Honey were crowned AQHYA World Champion in the showmanship. The team scored a 90 or higher from all five judges in the finals, including a near-perfect score of 98 from one judge.
A few hours later she was back in the Jim Norick arena for the finals of the horsemanship, the largest class at the horse show with 167 competitors. After receiving a first, two second and two third place honors from the judges, they were named Reserve World Champion.
“Honey was with me every step of the way through both classes, and I couldn’t have asked any more out of her,” Alex said. “I knew that I had good patterns, but I also knew that many of the other exhibitors had beautiful patterns as well. Winning the Youth World is something that every exhibitor walking in that arena is aiming towards, and I am so blessed to say that I was able to achieve that. It still feels like a dream.”
Alex and Honey’s dream-like success is a great example of how the industry has room for, and welcomes, fresh faces. Alex has been showing horses since she was a young girl, but incredibly this is her second-ever AQHYA World Show.
“My first (AQHYA World Show) experience was when I was younger, but I only came then to bring my retired show horse because I thought he deserved to be able to walk through the Gateway of Champions once in his life,” Alex told us right after her wins. “I have had many struggles trying to get to the Youth World for the past few years, so I really just wanted to have the experience to be able to walk through the Gateway of Champions and have fun.”
Last September, Albright was matched up with Best Gift Yet due to an injury to her horse which kept her from competing at last year’s AQHYA World Show. Melissa and Chris Jones have had Honey in their barn since 2010 and her former owner, Jennifer Gallagher won the Novice Amateur Horsemanship at the Congress in 2012 before taking a break due to family obligations.
“Honey was just really hanging out at our barn,” trainer, Melissa Jones told us. “Then, when Alex’s other horse got injured, I asked Jennifer if she could lease her. Jennifer agreed, so Alex showed her once before the Congress and then ended up fourth in the 15-18 Youth Horsemanship. After the Congress, Jennifer told us she wanted to sell her, so the Albright family decided she should become part of their family.”
Best Gift Yet is by RL Best Of Sudden and out of 2008 AQHA High Point Senior Pleasure Horse and AQHYA High Point Western Pleasure Horse, A Gift So Good. Both Jones and Albright appreciate the mare’s desire to always do her best.
“She is one of the most determined horses I have ever met,” said Albright. “She is always trying her hardest to please everyone around her and never gives less than one hundred percent all the time. But at the same time, she is fun to be around. She loves to stick her tongue out when she is bored and will go crazy if she sees carrots. She is one of those horses that will always try to make everyone happy.”
Albright says she would like to thank her parents (Mom, Karen, pictured on left) for, “always letting me follow my dreams since I was four years old to now.”
She continues, “They have traveled everywhere with me to show horses, and I could never thank them enough for all the support they always give me. I would also like to thank Chris and Melissa Jones for always pushing me to be my best. I would never have been able to accomplish this without their years of hard work with me. Also, I would like to thank them for all of the support every time I walk into the arena.”
