Grant Johnson and Hes Pretty Good (Gordon) have had an amazing Congress this year. Johnson’s trainer, Joni Nelson, won the Green Trail on Gordon October 18 and Johnson took home the win in the Novice Amateur Trail on Thursday with a clean run and a score of 230.5. These two wins are the first Congress Championships for the Johnson Family.
“It was incredible to have two wins on the same horse in the same year,” says Johnson, who lives in Mobile, Alabama. “I showed at the March to The Arch, the Big A, and now the Congress, so I haven’t ridden Gordon that much this year. It was a great feeling because this day is the six year anniversary of the passing of my father.”
Johnson continues, “My father picked out Gordon for us ten years ago, and we have all placed and done well on him–so he is really special to us and has a forever home.”
According to Johnson, the 13 year-old gelding is a big baby and spoiled rotten. When we asked if he thought he had a chance of winning, he said he hoped he had a chance to place in the Top 10. “We had great practices before the class,” Grant says. “It seemed like everything was coming together at the right time. I was sitting in the stands and my friend, Christie Arrington, came up and said it looked like I had it. They now post the scores on the wall after 15 or so runs, and I looked to be the high score. It was an incredible feeling.”
His trainer, Joni Nelson, of Iowa told GoHorseShow that she was really proud of Grant. “It was unbelievable for Grant to win his class on the six year anniversary of his father’s passing. He hasn’t shown him much, but Gordon is a great horse, and Grant is a great rider, a great friend, and belongs to a fantastic family. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.”
Be sure to check out Hes Pretty Good’s ad in the Congress issue of the GoMag by clicking here. Gordon is currently leading the nation in the Senior Green Trail!
