Laura Gilmer

Any horse trainer would be thrilled to say that their customers have won the AQHYA World Show eight times. But to have won a specific class eight years in a row, that would be impossible, right? Think again.

You've heard the saying, "All good things must come to an end." In this case, that includes the incredibly successful youth show careers of 19 Year-Old Lindsey McMullen and Katie Jo Jones who are competing at their last Youth World. Additionally, it is more than likely the last show together with their horses, Huntin For Money and Mostly Chocolate.

Bailey Mierzejewski of Mt. Sterling, Ohio is wrapping up competing at the AQHYA World Show with her new horse, Some Hot Potential. But right before leaving for Oklahoma City, Bailey competed at the Madison County Fair and showed a horse, heifer, dairy cow, goat, lamb, hog, rabbit, and a duck. All her hard work preparing paid off because she won the competition and was named the 2011 Grand Showman of Showmen.

In the final segment of our Winning Strategy series, Team SmarPak rider, Jason Martin of Highpoint Performance Horses, discusses some tips of how to improve your western riding at the major shows. Martin has won the World and Congress over 30 times in this class alone and is largely considered to be the master showman of western riding. He has shown two of the greatest western riders of all time--Harley D Zip and Vital Signs Are Good.

I recently judged at a show put on by Rock Star Horse Show Management in Culpeper, Virginia, and I have to say it was one of the best shows I have had the opportunity to judge. Rock Star treated everyone with the utmost respect and gave away outstanding prizes and gifts. It is their inaugural year of putting on shows they are writing the book on customer service. They definitely lived up to their name!

Lauren Crivelli of Visalia, California truly epitomizes today's all-around exhibitor. She attends the California State University at Fresno and is majoring in AgBusiness. She is also getting ready to show six horses at the AQHYA Youth World and will be competing in seven different events.

According to World and Congress Hunter Under Saddle Champion trainer, Kim Reynolds of Fairfield, Florida, to win at the big shows you must have a horse that has potential and talent.  That being said, Reynolds has some very helpful tips and suggestions of how to set yourself up for success at the big shows.

GoHorseShow would like to congratulate multiple world champion sire, Zippo Jack Bar (Zip) for being inducted into the 2011 NSBA Hall of Fame as a breeding sire. This 1983 sorrel stallion by Zippo Pine Bar out of Fair Eyed Jackie produced over 230 performance foals that garnered lifetime earnings of 21,603 points in all divisions.

Horse trainer Dave Miller of Oneco, Connecticut has a cautionary tale for all trainers out there. After the Last Chance Super Quarter Horse Show in Buffalo, New York, one of his green hunters spooked in the trailer and broke the rubber bungee cord that tied the horse inside the trailer.

With the Youth World and Congress coming up, GoHorseShow thought it would be fitting to relive some memorable moments from these colossal shows. We talked to Broc Clark, who is widely remembered as the youth doing cartwheels in the middle of the arena at the 1990 World and Congress after winning the Youth Showmanship with Forged Impression.

In light of the recent tornadoes and flooding that have destroyed many farms in the horse industry, GoHorseShow.com thought it would be nice to feature horse trainer, Amy Smith of Falmouth, Maine, who recently overcame tragedy in her life. Find out more about her inspirational story.

Simons Show Horses of Aubrey, Texas has an outstanding group of 14-18 youth ready for the APHA Youth World coming up later this month. Head trainer, Sara Simons, is well known for turning world and futurity champion western pleasure horses into outstanding all-around winners.