Sure Am Hot’s former owner, Jenna Dempze was in for a pleasant surprise when she was recently browsing the NSBA website. Jenna was looking at the rider lists to see if she still qualified as a $2,500 Open Rider class when she saw the list for all time leading money earning horses.
“I always like to see who’s on the list and to see if any of my horses or my previous horses are on it,” Dempze says. “I was totally shocked that Sure Am Hot (Waylon) was number one! I thought he might be top-ten because of being the Reichert Sports Medicine Champion, but he’s never won the World or the Congress, so, it never crossed my mind that he’d be number one.”
Sure Am Hot leads the prestigious list with over $159,249.55 in all-time futurity earnings. In addition to winning the 2008 Reichert $100,000 Equine Sports Medicine Challenge; Waylon won the Southern Belle as a Three Year-Old and Four Year-Old in the pleasure and western riding; NSBA Breeder’s Cup Futurity as a two, three, and four year-old; NSBA World as a two, three, and four year-old; Tom Powers as a three year-old; The Little Futurity; Reserve Congress Champion as a Two Year-Old; and Two time Reserve AQHA World Champion as a Two Year-Old and in the Junior Western Pleasure.
Dempze believes Sure Am Hot is comparable to many of the top horses on the list like, A Certain Vino (Vino) and Vital Signs Are Good, despite the fact he has never won the World or Congress.
“I get the same feeling watching him as I do Vino or Vital Signs when they come loping down the arena. He has all the talent and charisma that the other horses do, and I think this is just the start of his super stardom and he is just five years-old,” Dempze says.
Dempze says that she misses him terribly. “I was just telling Gil (Galyean, her trainer) over the weekend that I missed walking into the barn and seeing his head poking out over the stall door. If he wasn’t eating, he was looking out the front of his stall door, almost like a greeter in the barn,” Dempze fondly remembers. “I miss being able to just jump on and lope him around, a few rounds on him can brighten the worst of your bad days. He has a one of a kind personality. He is super sweet but also mischievous; he is always thinking.”
His new owner, Katsy Leeman showed him at the Florida winter circuits and was circuit champion in the youth pleasure their first show together. This new duo are also qualified for the youth pleasure and youth western riding at the 2011 Youth World.
“I am so proud of the team they make, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them. I also couldn’t have asked for a better home for Waylon. I know that he has a forever home, and they will love him as much as I do,” Jenna says.
Dempze concludes her thoughts by saying that she was so blessed and appreciative to have had the opportunity to own such a great horse. “I have my parents Gary and Sue Dempze to thank as well as everyone at Gil Galyean Quarter Horses for helping my dreams come true and for putting Waylon at the top!”
Here is the list of the Top 10 on the All Time Money Earning List
Click on this link to check out all Top 100 listed. You can also check out the All Time rider’s lists as well.
Top Ten All Time Money Earning Horses
1) Sure Am Hot: $159,249.55
2) A Certain Vino: $151,459.99
3) Certainly Inspired: $145,580.02
4) One Lazy Investment: $139,251.29
5) Invest N Vital Signs: $137,979.27
6) Vital Signs Are Good: $125,201.22
7) Good Luck Girl: $113,748.46
8) Hot Ones Only: $100,838.38
9) A Slow Burn: $100,000.00
10) Cool Krymsun Lady: $96,723.17
NSBA Photos © Larry Williams
