The new year has brought an influx of horse sales and new teams debuting in 2017. Top youth competitor Natalia DeVencenty of Vineland, Colorado has added a new face to her show lineup. This year, AQHA Reserve World Champion, Hot Lady Born Lopin, “Dixie”, will be shown by Natalia in the western riding and trail.
The 2009 bay mare is the result of the magical cross of Blazing Hot and Born Lopin, who is one of the greatest producing daughters of Zippo Pine Bar. In 2015, Hot Lady Born Lopin was the AQHYA Reserve World Champion in the Horsemanship with Carli Pitts. Over the past few years, Dixie has had multiple events added to her repertoire.
At the 2016 Congress, DeVencenty started looking for a young all around prospect and tried a few horses at the show, but nothing worked out. When her horse, Chex Is The Choice made the Senior Western Riding finals at the 2016 AQHA World Show, Natalia convinced her parents to take a trip to Oklahoma City.
“When we arrived in Oklahoma City, my trainer, Kelly McDowall, had a few horses lined up for me to try out. We were about to leave the show for the day when Kelly called me and told me that he had another one for me to try,” Natalia recalled. “I headed to the arena, and when I got there, I recognized that it was Dixie. In 2015, at the AQHA Youth World, I was third in the Horsemanship finals and Carli was Reserve World Champion on Dixie (pictured right). I definitely recognized her when I saw her. I rode her and immediately texted my mother that I loved her. We went home and started thinking about it.”
The family made the decision that, before they could buy a new horse, they would have to sell Natalia’s “A” circuit hunter jumper, Charles.
“I just couldn’t stop thinking about her, and, after the new year, I texted Carli to see if she was still for sale and, gratefully, she was. We called Brad Pitts the next day and cut a deal. We decided that we just had to have her, and we would figure out the details later,” Natalia said.
This wouldn’t be the first horse that the DeVencenty’s have purchased from the Pitts’. In 2012, Natalia bought her very first western horse, KM Boalicious, from Brad and Carli Pitts. “It’s kinda crazy that we bought Meatball from them, and now five years later, we are buying another one of Carli’s horses,” Natalia told us.
Natalia is understandably excited about her talented new mare. “Dixie is different tha
n anything I’ve even ridden before,” she said. “She has amazing maneuverability and does exactly what you tell her to do. One thing I really like about her is when you tell her to extend her trot or lope, she extends and stayed extended until you tell her to slow down. I love that about her. She is beyond fun to ride, and I’m very excited for this new challenge.”
“I think the thing I will miss the most about Dixie is the way she feels when you’re riding her. She’s naturally talented with a big heart,” Pitts says. “I’ve never ridden a horse with such a pretty extended lope. She taught me so much about the showing and training process. She is the best horse I’ve ever had, and I’m glad she’s going to such a great home.”
Apparently, Kelly McDowall, Natalia’s trainer, has always loved Dixie. Kelly agreed with Carli’s assessment and told us that he does love, “everything” about the mare. “You can wind her up for the 14-18 events or wind her down for an 11 and under or Select rider. She is just really easy to ride, and I’m excited to have such a nice mare in the barn.”
It really is no surprise that Dixie is as talented as she is. Blazing Hot and Born Lopin is considered one of the most magical crosses in AQHA history. This cross produced Born To Be Blazing, 2004 AQHA World Champion Two Year Old Western Pleasure and 2005 Congress Junior Western Pleasure Champion; Hot Lopin Louise, 2005 NSBA Horse of the Year and Congress Champion; Lady Born To Be Hot, Multiple Congress Top Ten placer; Star Born Blazing, Congress Top Ten and World Show qualifier; and, A Slow Burn, 2010 Congress Masters and 2010 AQHA Reserve World Champion Two Year Old Western Pleasure, to name a few.
“I would also like to extend a special thank you to Brad and Carli Pitts, my parents, Gary Hawkes, and my amazing trainer, Kelly McDowall for making this happen!” Natalia says.
Funny side note, when word got out about the DeVencenty’s new purchase, McDowall felt obligated to post on Facebook that Natalia’s trusty all-around gelding (pictured right) is not going anywhere.
“To all of the faithful all around horse shoppers that have been inquiring, Natalia DeVencenty has a new toy but her awesome mount Chex Is The Choice is not for sale or injured, he is fat and happy and anxiously awaiting his next horse show! Thanks for ALL of the inquiries!!”
As of now, Natalia and Hot Lady Born Lopin are planning the to make their debut at the Prairie Classic in Oklahoma City at the beginning of February.
