Andy Cochran Wins First AQHA World Title With Made In The Shade in 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure

By: Brittany Bevis

We’ve had the chance to talk to two first-time AQHA World Champions thus far here in Oklahoma City, Ashley Lakins in Junior Western Pleasure and Deanna Searles in Senior Trail. Now, Andy Cochran has added himself to the list with this afternoon’s win with Made In The Shade in 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure.

“I’ve been Reserve once with Show Diva in 2009, but I’ve never won before,” Andy says. “It feels good.”

Andy was in the saddle of “Mikey” this afternoon as part of the Rusty and Katie Green Crew for new owner, Natasha Blanchard. Mikey was purchased at the All American Quarter Horse Congress just weeks ago from Taft Dickerson Show Horses. “We just bought him at the Congress, so we’ve only had him for two or three weeks. We were kind of deciding who was going to show which horses, and I got lucky enough to show him. It worked out good.”

Andy was pleased that he had the opportunity to share the spotlight in the winner’s circle with his friend, Rusty Green, who rode Whatilikeaboutyou to a Reserve Champion finish for Capital Quarter Horses, LLC. Katie Green placed seventh aboard Johnnie On The Spot, also for Capital Quarter Horses. “That worked out good being on the same team! Rusty and Katie picked this horse out real early into the show, so there was something that grabbed the eye about him. Obviously it worked, because now he’s a World Champion.”

In Andy’s opinion, it’s Mikey’s show ring presence and steady topline that helped clinch the win. “He’s a big, strong horse. He doesn’t move his head and neck, and he uses his ears a lot. He has a lot of presence in the pen.”

“You need to have a strong and willing horse this time of the year. They’ve been to the Congress for three weeks and been shown. Then, they’ve got to come home and sit for a bit. Then, they have to get ready again. It takes a special horse to get here.”

Now that the Green Team has concluded a very successful showing, taking the top two spots in 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure, Andy has big plans for this evening. “We”ll probably have a few beers, laugh, turn up the music, and pop the champagne!”

Results:

1- Made In The Shade/Andy Cochran

2- Whatilikeaboutyou/Rusty Green

3- Extremely Late/Jay Starnes

4- Cool Cruzen Lady/Colt Andrews

5- Invee Me/Ashley Lakins

6- Made The Ladies Look/Gil Galyean

7- Johnnie On The Spot/Katie Green

8- Full Drape/Dawn Baker

9- Daddy Doesn’t Know/Brian Baker

10- Moonlite Maddnez/Aaron Moses