Diime Piece and Andy Cochran win A Sudden Impulse $10K 4YO Open Western Pleasure
Diime Piece with owner Morgan Miller and trainer Andy Cochran. Photo by Shane Rux Photography, courtesy of WEC-Ocala.
Diime Piece has only made a few appearances in her four-year-old career so far, but when Cochran Quarter Horses has shown the feminine, gleaming, black mare, she presents a picture of the perfect example of the modern western pleasure horse.
The $10,000 NSBA 4YO Open & Limited Western Pleasure at A Sudden Impulse 2025 at World Equestrian Center – Ocala became the setting for her to shine again as the Open Champion with Andy Cochran for Morgan Miller, bringing home $2,220.
The 2021 AQHA black mare by Machine Made and out of Shez Slippin Around (an RL Best Of Sudden daughter), raised by Bret and Candy Parrish, has plenty of eye appeal, explains trainer Andy Cochran. “She’s got a lot of ring appearance – she uses her ears good in the pen, and she’s soft to look at,” he says. “She’s beautiful!” agrees her owner, amateur Morgan Miller.
They haven’t shown “AJ” very many times yet, and as a three-year-old, it was in a bosal, says Andy. “She showed here in the maiden as a three-year-old, then we got her, did the NSBA World, the Congress, and the World Show, and here, so we’re just kind of getting started. We’ve only shown her in the bridle two or three times.”
Photo: Cody Parmenter Photography.
Also as a three year old, AJ added to her winning repertoire with Andy with titles like the 2024 NSBA World Champion in 3 Year Old Novice Horse Western Pleasure, and Reserve Champion in BCF Three Year Old Open Western Pleasure. Andy and AJ followed with a 2024 Congress Championship, as well as the Southern Belle and NSBA Reserve, in the 3 YO Open Western Pleasure Maturity, and a Congress Championship in L1 Western Pleasure. Then at the 2024 AQHA World Show, Morgan and AJ earned a Bronze Championship in the L2 3YO Non Pro Western Pleasure Stakes.
The future looks bright for AJ, who will continue on to Kentucky for The Premier, then to the NSBA world Show, but today, it was fun for everyone to showcase AJ’s talent and eye appeal in the Grand Arena at WEC-Ocala. “It’s always a plus for the public and the judges to look across there and see a horse like her looking through the bridle,” says Andy. “This was one of my better rides in the bridle with her, and it was pretty easy for her today.”
Was it fun to win in The Grand Arena? “Yes, ma’am,” says Andy.
“As an owner, it was a lot of fun to watch,” agrees Morgan. “As a wife, it was really fun to watch!” concurs Katie Cochran!
Results for the $10,000 NSBA 4YO Open & Limited Western Pleasure at A Sudden Impulse 2025 at World Equestrian Center – Ocala:
Open
Champion: Diime Piece with Andy Cochran for Morgan Miller -$2220
Reserve: The Drinkz R On Me with Katy Jo Zuidema for Lyle Hanson -$1200
Third: City Limit Signs with Aaron Moses for Starland Ranch -$900
Fourth: Certainly Persistent with Jay Starnes for Richard & Betty Jo Carr -$600
Fifth: Forever Twisted with Katie Green for Ditty Up LLC -$450
Limited
Champion: Sundi Bar Hopper with Devon Meshach for John Zuidema Jr – $1280
Reserve: The Chrome Shoppe with Austin Gooding for Michelle & Sheila Bauer -$800
Third: Code Her Blue with Noah MacAskill for Jenny LaGrange -$600
