Patience paid off for Jamie DeVencenty when she purchased her dream horse, the fancy red roan gelding Ima Savvy Investment (aka “Rudder”) at this year’s AQHA World Show. Indeed, the road to Rudder was filled with twists and turns, but that crooked road led DeVencenty straight to him.
Rocky Times in the Rockies
DeVencenty thought she bought her dream horse in 2022 when she purchased The Batchelor (aka “Scout”) from Katie and Rusty Green’s youth client Blakely Abbott.
DeVencenty explains, “He was a young, green horse, but I had big dreams for him, and I was really looking forward to showing a horse like him in all-around events.”
She gushes, “He was so big, beautiful, and talented. Scout was a real challenge for me, but I was just so in love with him that I enjoyed every moment sitting on his back.”
While things started well for DeVencenty and Scout, they took a turn when Scout began experiencing health issues.
“I was so in love with Scout, and we really built a relationship while rehabbing him at home, but my vet told me that she felt his body simply struggled to acclimate to our high altitude in Colorado. She essentially told me that, if I wanted to keep him healthy, I needed to move him back east.”
Upon her trainer, Kelly McDowall’s advice, Jamie decided to move Scout to Sara Simons in Texas in the hope that it would improve his health.
“Texas worked a miracle on Scout, and you could see that he felt so much better there,” DeVencenty admits.
“While Scout loved it in Texas, it was a struggle for me to ride as often as I needed to while maintaining our businesses and life in Colorado. I have so much love and respect for Sara, but I really wanted something closer to home…I just didn’t want to risk Scout’s health in the process.”
Scout’s solution came at last year’s World Show, when DeVencenty made a tough decision for his well-being at the expense of her own emotions.
She continues, “I got to show Scout in the trail at the World Show, which was a dream come true considering his prior health issues.”
“Ady Kallay, one of Sara’s youth clients in the barn, had been looking for a horse at the time, and I could see on her face that she felt a bit defeated because nothing had worked out. It really struck me that Scout might be the perfect horse for her. I mentioned to Sara that I didn’t really want to sell, but if I were to, it would need to be to Ady.”
Kallay ended up buying Scout from DeVencenty, and the rest is history – the pair went on to win multiple titles at the AQHYA World Show.
Finding the Right Fit
DeVencenty laughs, “So, Scout ended up with his perfect person, but I was left searching for that perfect horse for me – and that was another hurdle.”
“Thankfully, after looking with little success to find the right horse, Kelly suggested that I show Metamorphic (aka “Manny”), a horse I had been riding in his barn.
“Manny, despite being more of a western horse, was exactly what I needed in the moment,” Jamie smiles.
“Manny is very solid and honest. Riding and showing him really helped boost my confidence. Poor Manny had never shown English, but I love the equitation, and I decided we were going to go for it anyway. Manny was kind enough to pack me around – so he certainly earned his cookies with that.”
“I love Manny and plan to keep him to continue showing in the trail and western riding, which are his strengths. But, I continued to keep my eyes out for that dream horse that could fill the Scout-sized hole in my heart.”
Investing in Future Dreams
The stars aligned at the 2025 AQHA World Show when McDowall informed Jamie that Paige Rogers was looking to sell Rudder.
While at the AQHA World Show, Rogers and Rudder won the Championship title in Level 2 Western Riding as well as Reserve World Championship titles in Level 3 Showmanship and Horsemanship. Together, they were named overall Amateur High Point Champions.
DeVencenty recalls, “I think I rode Rudder for a total of twenty minutes, and it was the most fun I’ve had on a horse in ten years. He was so forward, willing, and talented. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I wanted him.”
She continues, “This was the first time in a few years that I felt that immediate connection with a horse. Sometimes lightning strikes, and this felt like my lightning strike moment.”
She laughs, “Kelly and Sara were both watching me ride him, and neither one of them said a thing. I figured we were either looking terrible, and I was living in la-la land, or we were great, and there wasn’t much to add. Thankfully…it was the latter!”
DeVencenty is looking forward to showing Rudder, whose name is perfect for Jamie’s aerospace empire, at the major shows in horsemanship, western riding, and equitation. McDowall will also be looking to add trail to Rudder’s repertoire.
Kelly is excited for this new team, saying, “Of course, I want them to be successful together, but, more than anything, I just hope that Jamie has a great time showing Rudder and getting to know him better in the coming year. I think they have a bright future to look forward to.”
Everyone at GoHorseShow wishes Jamie and Rudder the best in 2026 and beyond!
