Every world champion has a great story, and the American Quarter Horse Journal has captured a few of the stories behind those crowned during Bank of America Amateur Week at the 2010 AQHA World Championship Show. Here are some highlights to get you started:
–Physical challenges: Willys The Boss survived a trailer accident just a month prior to carrying Dean Holden to the win in amateur cutting. And multiple roping world champion Apache Blue Boy almost died of an infection just two weeks ago – but he carried Mike Row to the amateur headingworld championship.
–Mental challenges: Kara Oldford and Im Shy But Deluxe came back from a bobble in the horsemanship finals to win the showmanship– her first year of amateur competition.
–Repeat champs: Sharnai Thompson and Hot Ones Only returned to win amateur hunter under saddleand pleasure driving; Meghan O’Malley and A Chanceof Blueskies returned in amateur hunter hack; and Jessica Johnson and Royality In Blue in amateur hunt seat equitation.
–Breeding success: Trent Tobin of Fredericktown, Ohio, won both the amateurand junior pole bendingworld championships on his homebred mare, Redneck Daisy. Trent also won third in amateur poles with another homebred, Redneck Mariah. (Both are by his stallion, Redneck Jet.) Rita Crundwell of Dixon, Illinois, won amateur performance halter stallionswith Execute and won several halter world championships with his get, too: weanling mare Execute Pretty, weanling stallion Execute A Score and 2-year-old mare I Execute Class.
–First-time world championships: Sarah Yaglowski and Zip It By Me in amateur trail; Jim Sancken and How Do Ya Like Menow in amateur 3-year-old geldings; Allen Hartness won the 2009 breakaway and returned to win the 2010 tie-downon Zan Dozen; and Susan Drawdy and Hes So That won amateur yearling stallions– both at their first World Show.
Stay tuned to the exciting start of the Open Division of the AQHA World Show. Many of these horses will be back to compete this week.
