As Open exhibitor Tim Finkenbinder led Shes Stylish to the front of five judges’ lineups, Bob and Joyce Cassata of Double C Acres in Morganton, North Carolina, shared hugs and cheers with their friends and family. Minutes later, the couple danced through the arena alongside their flashy mare. One unanimous world championship is phenomenal, but “Gracie’s” win in 2-Year-Old Mares is her third in 2019—making her the newest horse to claim the prestigious Scarlet Print award at the APHA World Championship Show in Fort Worth, Texas.
“It’s just fantastic [to win the award]; it’s unbelievable,” Bob said. “God is so great, and we are just so proud and thankful.”
The Scarlet Print Award is presented in honor of Scarlet Print, a 1991 overo mare who earned 10 world championships in only four years. She was owned by Michelle Engle of Bakersfield, California, who established the award after the mare retired from the show ring in 1995. To win the award, a mare must win world championships in Youth, Amateur and Open halter classes in the same year; Gracie won Youth 2-Year-Old Mares with Georgia Cook of Cypress, Texas, and her Amateur class with Bob. She is the third horse owned by Double C Acres to achieve this feat, and her 2019 title is the family’s seventh Scarlet Print Award.
Bred by Kelley Deignan-Stone of Sanger, Texas, Gracie is by Hes Stylin and out of Roses N Heir (QH); though the mare’s ownership has changed several times in her young life, Kelley kept finding herself drawn back to Gracie, and she encouraged the Cassatas to purchase the mare.
“[Gracie’s] got a home for good now,” Bob said.
Kelley says the mare’s combination of stellar conformation and feminine features set her up for supreme success.
“There are very few mares who are as strong across their top, as long and correct in their croup, and as strong-hocked as Gracie who also have so much femininity,” Kelley said. “She’s such a feminine, correct mare with all the stuff you want; she’s got the cake and the icing on top.”
Gracie has a quiet mind to boot—the 2-year-old’s Youth handler, the Cassata’s great granddaughter Georgia, is just 7 years old. Though Kelley and partner Adam Wainscott have spent plenty of time preparing Gracie for a pint-sized exhibitor, the horsewoman says Georgia’s dedication is impressive.
“Georgia is not just any 7-year-old; she’s passionate about her horses, and this horse loves ‘her’ kid,” Kelley said. “Adam and I have worked really hard to make sure that Gracie’s mind is right for her child, but it’s also taken a lot of practice and work from Georgia to show this mare.”
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Undoubtedly overcomes uncertainty to conquer the Breeders’ Trust Non-Pro 3- & 4-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes
Jody Brewer and Undoubtedly practically floated down the rail to win the Breeders’ Trust Non-Pro 3- & 4-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes on September 22 at the APHA World Championship Show in Fort Worth, Texas. But there was a not-so-distant time when the flashy gelding’s show career wasn’t quite so certain.
Owned and bred by Jody and Elizabeth “Spike” Brewer of Wilson, North Carolina, “Benjamin” is a 2016 brown tobiano gelding by No Doubt Im Lazy and out of Shes Inviting. The couple waited to start showing the talented colt until his 3-year-old year, but Spike says a pasture injury and additional complications during healing further delayed training until nearly July.
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Jay Starnes takes the prize with Never Had I Ever in 2019 APHA World Show Breeders’ Trust 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes
A quiet mind, natural ability and a lot of talent—that’s what it took for Jay Starnes of Manning, South Carolina, and Never Had I Ever to win the $10,005 paycheck in the 2019 Breeders’ Trust 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure Stakes.
“She’s an easy horse—she’s not a hard horse to work with,” Jay said. “My favorite about working with 2-year-olds is that they are a little more honest sometimes, but it can be hard to get them mentally prepared to show with everything in the arena and on the rail. She’s shows like a seasoned show horse at just 2 years old.”
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Non-pro halter exhibitors cash in on $166,000 with APHA’s Platinum Breeders’ Futurity classes
For Paint halter enthusiasts, platinum is synonymous with paychecks, and for good reason: five APHA Platinum Breeders’ Futurity classes paid out nearly $166,000 to non-pro exhibitors on September 20 at the APHA World Championship Show in Fort Worth, Texas.
Lucrative paychecks draw excited exhibitors, resulting in an 92 percent increase in entries over 2018.
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All Ways Lazy battles back to win the 2019 Breeders Trust Non-Pro 3- & 4-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes
All Ways Lazy has kind of become known for epic comeback stories, and 2019 was no exception. Returning to the World Show two years after his inaugural Breeders’ Trust Stakes win, “UConn” was back and better than ever; he captured the championship title and $4,446 in the 2019 Breeders’ Trust Non-Pro 3- & 4-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes with Emily Fick, keeping his winning streak “all in the family.”
Bred and owned by Lyn Fick of West Grove, Pennsylvania, the 2015 sorrel overo gelding by Lopin Lazy and out of Its All Fancy won the 2017 Breeders’ Trust 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes with trainer Erin Fick, Lyn’s daughter, in the irons. Just weeks before that class, UConn became cast in his stall and sustained a serious injury to his right fetlock that left his connections unsure of whether or not he’d be well enough to show. But the tenacious gelding rallied, recovering quicker than expected and capturing the first major win of his career.
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Laura Spell and All Time Vandal win the 2019 APHA World Show’s Breeders’ Trust 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes
With a long, floating trot and demanding ring presence, All Time Vandal and Laura Spell of St. Louis, Missouri, proved to be a dynamic team in the 2019 Breeders’ Trust 2-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes. A 2017 sorrel overo stallion by All Time Fancy and out of Charismatic Kate, “Graffiti” secured a $10,110 paycheck as the winner of the Open Division of the class.
Bred by Sharene Greer of Riverside, California, Graffiti was purchased by Allie Littlefield in October 2017 from Lisa Beth Novacek. Allie brought Graffiti to Laura and Wade Spell in January 2019 and they got to work right away to prepare the stallion for his upcoming show career. Graffiti earned a number of championship titles at the 2019 NSBA World Championship Show, and Laura says the stallion’s willing attitude and natural ability has helped established Graffiti as a talented performer.
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