Around the Rings at the 2023 QH Congress – Wednesday, Oct 18th

Next in the Amateur Showmanship with 122 teams, Eric Mendrysa experienced a win that was surprisingly emotional for him, as that’s not his norm, he explains, but he’s wanted this since he was 12 years old.

“I’ve been trying for this for a long time, I’ve been reserve here and reserve at the World Show, and I’ve never quite made it to the winners’ circle in the showmanship, so this is a huge feat for me,” he says.  Eric explains Boferd felt a little rough warming up and they had a little bobble in their prelims, but he went out and showed amazing.  “So you never know what’s going to happen out there, and I couldn’t have asked him to be any better in the finals.”

He explains what he believes made the difference this year was actually less practice.  “Less is more with this horse, and I think in the past years I’ve overdone it, and when over-practicing, he’s one step ahead of me. But today he was with me every single step and he did everything I asked . He was slow and soft and pretty, and I loved every piece of it today. He felt amazing.”

Boferd, Eric adds, is the biggest personality he’s ever had in a horse, with habits like swinging the chain around for two hours after he’s done showing and annoying everyone around him.  “It drives everyone nuts, but he has to do it, otherwise, he’s not going to show good,” he says, and while Eric was explaining, Boferd tried to grab the interviewer’s phone!

Notably, Eric also won the class in a simple halter with limited silver that was more masculine looking – one he borrowed from barn mate Chesney Watkins. He shows in a very simple show saddle for horsemanship and he decided to follow suit for showmanship, too.  “I think I’ve got to go buy one or buy this one off Chesney now as I think it has some luck on it!”

Moose was recently honored as NSBA Horse of the Year, and Evie explains she was in shock because she didn’t think a youth horse had ever won that title.  “For him to win that, I was in awe and in shock. He’s earned it so many times over, he’s amazing.”

Results for their class:

1

Paige began showing “Rudder” in 2022, and he’s the first horse she’s had after a 10-year break from competition.

She notices a difference now, and she says going to college changed her perspective;  she also now appreciates horses that have buttons!  “Taking a break and then coming back – there’s much more to horse showing than you realized before, and it makes you that much more grateful for the opportunity,” Paige reveals.

Though she showed APHA as a youth, she says the transition to AQHA was pretty easy because she a lot of the girls she rode with in college showed AQHA.  “Everyone has been very welcoming and it’s a really fun environment – the energy is really good as well,” she says.