Around the Rings – 2024 Arizona Sun Circuit – Thursday, March 7th
Kent Ray Taylor and Snippity Snap, photo by Kirstie Marie Photography
Thursday at Arizona Sun Circuit, Kent Ray Taylor had an incredible day, first by winning L3 Amateur Select Horsemanship with Snippity Snap, and in the evening, winning the L3 Amateur Select Western Pleasure with the legendary Never Have I Ever.
Earlier in the show, he demonstrated his versatility by winning the Amateur Select Reining with Xtra Wimpys Catalyst, who also won the L2 Senior Reining with Craig Schmersal.
We talked with him between his horsemanship and western pleasure classes, and he says that the pattern for the L3 Select Amateurs was definitely demanding. “The most challenging part is there are a lot of maneuvers in kind of a small square footage, so you just get going, and you have to turn, have to angle, break gaits, and Boo did a good job today, so I was excited.”
Kent Ray says that the class is one of his favorites because “every pattern is different, and you really have to connect with your horse. Not only do you have to ride well, and present well, you have to stay connected and ask for maneuvers. It’s a challenging class, which makes it fun.”
He showed as a youth and an amateur many years ago, and he took a long break, he admits, and was thrilled to come back. “My goal was to win the Youth World in Horsemanship, which I did, and I won as an amateur, and I wanted to keep that streak going,” he explains. “I’m super excited.”
Also in the Western Pleasure Youth pen, Georgia Cook showed Line Up Behind, a multiple World, Congress, and futurity champion whose reins were handed to her this year by her dad, JR Cook.
They won Youth Western Pleasure 13 & Under in their second show together Thursday morning at Sun Circuit in Arena 4. “I started showing him at Tampa (for the Gold and Gulf Coast), that went really well, I showed him the first half and the second half, and I ended up Circuit Champion,” Georgia says.
“I’m very excited, he’s a really fun horse to show,” she explains. “I get to give him a lot of treats after he’s done showing and riding. He likes the crispy barn treats – he likes treats a lot!”
We asked Georgia if she was nervous taking over her dad’s World Champion. “I was a little nervous at first, but then I started having fun with him. We just clicked. I like that he’s really easy and he’s a really fun horse to show in general. I’m going to take him to Youth World.”
Friday, Georgia will also show her horse Lazy Illusion, aka “Deon,” in Showmanship, and her English horse, Lukes Like Money, aka “Superman,” in Hunter Under Saddle under the guidance of Cole Baker Show Horses.
Thursday, we caught up with Christine Harrison, who rides with Clint Ainsworth. Together, Chris and Moonlight Potential won the L2 Amateur Select Trail on Wednesday!
See their EC TV interview here:
Christine Harrison and Moonlight Potential win L2 Amateur Select Trail at Arizona Sun Circuit
Also on Thursday, Morgan Miller, who rides with Empyre Show Horses, won her L1 Amateur Horsemanship class with No Question Im Lazy, aka “Jethro.” Horsemanship is a new event for Morgan, and she discusses how she prepared for the class, including strategy for a simple lead change.
Morgan Miller and No Question Im Lazy win L1 Amateur Horsemanship at Sun Circuit
Libby Wilhelm of Maestas Show Horses grabbed the top spot in her L3 Youth 14-18 Horsemanship with Moonlightin despite a storm rolling in during the class. The riders had to redo their pattern under the covered arena! See what Libby had to say about her challenging pattern made even tougher by a fast-moving storm!
Libby Wilhelm and Moonlightin win L3 Youth Horsemanship 14-18 at Arizona Sun Circuit
When the circuit winners in Western Riding were announced on Thursday, it was Xxtreme, owned by Heidi Rasor, who won the circuit in Junior Western Riding at Arizona Sun Circuit! Check out this fun video of Xxtreme and Reid Thomas from EM Design & Photography!
Xxtreme and Reid Thomas win the Junior Western Riding Circuit at Arizona Sun Circuit
See more candid photos from Thursday below:
