“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude,” once said the great Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father.
Jefferson’s wise advice still rings true over 200 years later, even for competitors setting goals in the horse show world today. Because it’s no secret that a positive attitude is often the key factor for those who are champions in the show ring, too, and plenty of research and experts can back up the idea that your mental attitude, whether you’re a professional athlete or an all-around rider, is half the battle.
As our APHA and AQHA contenders begin competition this week, GoHorseShow.com wanted to know what is on their minds, and what goals they are setting for themselves and their horses. Read on as some show veterans and a few exhibitors that are new to World Show competition share their wishes for their rides when they aim for the brass ring. You might just be pretty impressed with their top-notch attitudes and well-wishes for their peers!
Cole Gower–I will be showing She Made It Happen in Amateur Showmanship and Trail and Design by Leaguer in Amateur Trail. My plans for this year’s world show is just to take it all in and have the best runs I can have with my horses. It will be my first year at the amateur world so I plan to just to keep calm and have fun in the new age category and all the new competitors. I wish all the best of luck to everyone showing at this year’s AQHA World Show!
Erin Bradshaw–I’ll be showing John Simon in the Amateur Trail and the Amateur Western Pleasure. He will also be shown in the Senior Trail and Senior Western Pleasure. I try not to stress myself out before the world show more than I already do so I try and not set ten million goals for myself. I find that I end up worrying more about the goals I set rather than making sure John and I are prepared. I really just don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Not many people own an active breeding stud and I feel like the studs have more focus put on them to do well, especially at the world show; that in itself is added stress.
Alyssa Hinchman–This year I am showing my horse Impulsive Lite in the Showmanship, Horsemanship, and the Western Riding. Terry Cross is showing him in the Senior Western Riding and Trail. This world show and every world show I always remind myself to ride my horse and to do our very best. A top ten, top five, or top three finish is always one of my goals to achieve. I am constantly searching for that perfect ride and achieving that golden globe dream.
Ashley Hadlock–This year is a very unique year for me. I will be showing Touched N Moonlite in the Horsemanship and my trainer, Ryan Cottingim, will show him in the Junior Western Riding and Trail. I bought Regis at the end of February of this year. He was green and had never done any pattern classes. I never imagined we would have been qualified and couldn’t be any more excited. After my last youth world, I had to put showing on the back burner due to school, so this will be my first world show as an amateur. As cliché as it sounds, I am thrilled to finally be able to compete at the world. Knowing my horse has only been doing the all around for a little over six months, I am honored to have the opportunity to give it the best we’ve got.
Amanda Wallinger–Heading into my first APHA World Show is exciting and nerve racking. A dream of our family was to own and show some of the best halter horses in the industry, and our dream is coming true with the help of our trainer Olin Parker. My goals are to represent Olin Parker Show Horses, and of course make my parents proud. I hope to meet fellow horse enthusiasts, and of course smile and have fun. Good luck to everyone!
Rebecca Fussell–I just feel like there is so much to say! I have only been showing my horse, Good Ridin Machine, since January, and, in April, I decided to try and qualify for the world in the hunter under saddle since he was green in the pattern classes and we were in the process of teaching him new classes, so it was good that I was still in Novice. This is actually the first time I have qualified and I have been in horses all my life. So I can definitely say I’m going to be taking it all in this trip. I would honestly be thrilled if I made the finals. I can’t thank my trainers, Terry Cross and Stephen Stephens, enough for finding my horse and knowing he would be an excellent partner for me.
Anneene Miller–We hope our mare, Suddenly A Cool Lady, will do very well. The Junior Western Pleasure will have many really good horses in the class so the competition will be very tough. We wish all the competitors good luck, and again, just hope we have a good go and a great finish!
Michelle Sloan–This year I am so excited to show Only Roses Will Do in the Classic Amateur All Around Events at the 2014 APHA World Show. We have hit the ground running since the first of the year, and I can honestly say with all of the showing and practice, I feel completely prepared and confident going into the show. My goal is to make my trainer and family proud, as they are the true reason why I get to enjoy doing what I love. Buckles, ribbons, and an occasion to celebrate are all just icing on the cake.
Jennifer Kyle –Thank you so much for asking! I will be showing my six year old gelding, This Is Why Im Here in Showmanship, Horsemanship, Hunt Seat Equitation and Western Riding. My ultimate goal, like most people headed to the world show, would be to bring home a trophy. That being said, I would love to make the finals in my events. My horse has come a long way since we got him as a four year old and it would be so exciting for our work to be rewarded in that way. The caliber of horses and riders at the world show is amazing, so I feel lucky to be qualified and competing with them.
Jeff Johns –This year at the World Show, I’ll be showing Heza Radical Zip and Lopin For A Chex in the Amateur Trail and More Radical and Lopin For A Chex in the Amateur Western Riding. My goal is the same as every year and that is to ride to the best of my horse’s and my own ability. So much of the world show is out of my hands, like the judges’ opinions and pattern obstacles etc. that the only thing I can really worry about and strive for is to ride my best and not make any mistakes. This year will be slightly challenging for me as two of the three horses I’m showing are still learning new techniques and don’t have tons of experience showing. Unfortunately, I had a third horse qualified in the trail this year but at the Congress we found out he had a minor injury. While he is still sound, we decided to lay him off for the rest of the year to prevent anything from getting worse and allowing him to heal properly. This is my seasoned and trusty trail horse, I Gotta Good Name. We have had the pleasure of owning and showing him for almost 13 years and he has done so much for us including most recently winning the NSBA World Show in Amateur and Senior Trail as well as Reserve AQHA World Champion in the Amateur Select Trail this year. I think people put too much pressure and emphasis on having to show at the world show every year, but my philosophy is there is always another world show, but our horses are priceless and irreplaceable.
Megan Ryden–My goals this year are to just have clean rides and make all my finals. My horse, Mikey, unexpectedly had to have surgery early in the year and we just assumed the World Show would be out of the question. However, he came through it all like a champ and healed quicker than we thought he would, so even though we may be a little rusty, being able to show him at the World Show already has me on Cloud 9.
Ali Grusha–This will be a first trip to the AQHA World Show for my horse and me. I will be showing First Class Style aka Carlos in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle, Trail, Showmanship, Horsemanship and Equitation. Carlos had just started his show career last year and this has been a very successful show season including a great Congress. We are hoping for the same success at the World show. I’m hoping my horse arrives healthy (we are traveling from Pennsylvania) and we have a fun experience. My main goal would be making the finals in all of my classes.
Russell Mueller–My horse’s name is Fools Rush N and we will be showing in Showmanship and Western Riding. My goals and aspirations at the World Show are the same as every other show – to have a great ride. The problem comes with that it’s not “just another horse show”. So then it revolves around managing the pressure and the nerves so that my horse and I can go have a great ride and let the chips fall where they may.
Katie Johnson–I’m just happy to be here showing and hope for a clean ride with no mistakes. We’ve done everything we can to prepare, the rest is out of our hands. I will be showing my horse, Touched Softly, in the Amateur Western Pleasure, and my trainer, Kyle Defreece will be showing in the Junior Western Pleasure.
Tina Freeland–As I think about my World show goals for this year, I know I am going to have a really hard time topping last year’s 2013 world show. I earned an 8th place with Boston Aggravation in amateur performance halter and I received the World Championship in Amateur Three Year-Old Geldings with Indefinable. I had a fantastic world show last year in the halter pen and this year I hope to have some success in the riding classes at World. This year I plan to show Boston Aggravation in Amateur Trail, Amateur Ranch Pleasure, and Senior Ranch Pleasure. I know those classes will have large numbers and tough competition. My goal is to bring our best and have great rides, and I aspire to make the finals. The World Show is my all-time favorite show. Good luck to everyone at World!
About the Author: Delores Kuhlwein, a freelance
equine writer, shows and breeds American Paint Horses and American
Quarter Horses together with her husband, Mark, in Glendale, Arizona.
Delores began sharing her lifetime love of horses through writing in
2011 after retiring from 15 years as an educator. In addition to being
active with her local regional Paint Horse club and the American Paint
Horse Association, she manages two family-owned businesses. Her favorite
activities are showing her beloved mare in amateur events, and traveling
with her husband and two dogs.
