By: Brittany Bevis
Claiming the first World Champion title of the morning here at the 2013 AQHA World Show was Amanda Wallinger-Rowan with Hey Coach in the Amateur Weanling Colts. This is Wallinger-Rowan’s first World Championship title and the first World Champion foal by her family’s stallion, Acoolest Touchdown.
“He is by our stud, Acoolest Touchdown, who is standing at Ted’s [Turner] this winter,” she says. “He is out of a Kids Classic Style daughter. We got him as an embryo, and we foaled him out. As soon as he was born, we knew he was something special so we had to send him down to Ted’s right away. He’s taken care of him ever since.”
Wallinger-Rowan’s little stallion “Coach” has been described visually as a mini-me version of Acoolest Touchdown. She is very excited that this colt is out of the first foal crop by her family’s stallion, and he’s a homebred to boot.
“He looks just like his dad,” she says. “His dad is doing a great job. We had four babies by him this year. It’s his first foal crop, and they all look just like him. He definitely stamps them.”
“As soon as Coach was born, he was standing up in a minute prancing around the stall. He looked at you and you knew he was something. He started acting like he was a stud at a week old! He had something in his personality I guess. He acts like a winner.”
It was apparent when Wallinger-Rowan entered the pen that she was representing Team Ted Turner with a well-fitting black pinstripe suit and an orange neck scarf. Several of Turner’s amateur competitors have been showing their support by including his trademark color scheme in their World Show ensembles.
“Ted didn’t even ask [for us to do that],” she says. “I just felt like it was kind of a team thing. Team unity I guess!”
Baby Coach will compete during the Open portion of the competition next week.
Although one might guess that this striking colt received his show name due to the football connection with his sire’s name, that isn’t the case. He was led today by a lady after all…
“He is named Coach after handbags of course!”
Amateur Weanling Colts–
1-Hey Coach/Amanda Wallinger-Rowan
2-Telling My Secretz/Melinda Clark (Intermediate winner)
3-Valentino/Lonn Smallwood
4-Justifyd/Kyle Parker
5-PF Credentials/J L Robinson
6-Kidz Live To Streak/Barbara Hoffer
7-Hy Fa Lootin/Dr. Gigi Wood Davis
8-SS Rampage/Stephen Shoultz
9-Playboys Intention/Leasa Haselden
10-TNR N E Major/Billy Franks