Russ Kimbrell and My Legs R Sensational Win APHA Masters Amateur Sr. Western Pleasure

By: Brittany Bevis

Russ Kimbrell and his 6-year-old mare, My Legs R Sensational, have won a Western Pleasure World Champion title in the past, in 2010 to be specific. However, the pair just recently reunited two weeks ago when he purchased “Megan” back from the family he had originally sold her to.

“Originally, I had her, and I sold her to Brett Sander’s family,” he says. “Then, Brett said she was done with youth competition, and she was thinking about selling her. Our agreement was that I would have first rights to get her back again.”

“To come back two years later and win again is really nice. It’s kind of a bittersweet thing, because I think we’ve sold her again, and I just got her back two weeks ago.”Not only does Megan excel in the Western Pleasure pen, she has also achieved APHA Superiors in Showmanship, Trail, and Hunter Under Saddle. What Kimbrell likes best about his horse is her sweet personality.

“She’s very loving, and she knows her people,” he says. “She’s almost like a dog. She’s that sweet and that loyal.”

It’s been a rough road here at the APHA World Show for Kimbrell. He had originally planned to compete in additional classes, but a severe case of the flu kept him out of the show pen, until tonight.

“I had the flu so bad when I got here,” he says. “I had signed up for other classes, but yesterday was the first day I was able to stand up long enough to come ride.”

Assisting Kimbrell with preparing Megan for her class today was trainer Katy Jo Zuidema. “She picked her up at the Appaloosa World, and she’s ridden her ever since. She’s really made so much of a difference for me. I’m a typical amateur; I kind of go in quick with my legs sometimes and scare them, and she says to be softer and slower. She says, “The next move you’re about to make, think about it, and slow it down by half.'”

Now that Kimbrell is about to find himself horseless once more, after selling his Quarter Horse at the recent All American Quarter Horse Congress, we wondered what his plans are for 2015.

“I think we’re going to try a younger one and maybe do Futurities,” he says. “I think we’ve already found one…”

Masters Amateur Senior Western Pleasure-

1-My Legs R Sensational/Russ Kimbrell

2-Inthesweetshop/Marylyn Caliendo

3-Radicalized/Susan Prince

4-Shez Eye Candy/Daranne Folino

5-Sensational Gentlemen/Leona Martz

6-Lopealicious/Leslie Watkins

7-Sheiks Winning Colors/Belinda Crisp

8-Sleepin In My Socks/Kevin Smith

9-Don’t Try This At Home/Taunya Momberger

10-Timeless Assets/Coleen Bull