Around the Rings at the 2023 QH Congress – Saturday, Oct 14th
Saturday at the All American Quarter Horse Congress, the 11 & Under Youth Showmanship was a success for Kaylee Olds and Looking Willy Good, and when Kaylee won, her excitement was contagious. Why was this such an achievement for her?
“In 2023 it was Lilly (Jones) and me, and Lilly won it, so it felt really nice that it was us again,” Kaylee explains. “It was somebody I knew that I’ve had a lot of fun with, so it felt really good.” She says this was one of her better showmanship patterns she’s done with “Holly,” and even though there are still a few things she can pinpoint that she needs to work on, it was definitely one of her best. Is Holly going to get a lot of treats? “A whole bucket of them,” says Kaylee. “All the treats,” says her mom.
Results for their class, 11 & Under Youth Showmanship:
Myah Chaput and Prepare To B Shocked win Youth Showmanship 12-14 at Congress
Results for the Youth 12-14 Showmanship:
Her horse, Not A Average Joe, also known as Mr Handsome, has a fan club, she says. “Jonathan Miueller, and trained him, and he is the President of the fan club, , and his daughter, Addison, is the Vice President of the Joey fan club.
Results for L1 Select Amateur Horsemanship:
Then in a tough L2 & L3 Senior Western Riding class, Charlie Cole and Snap It Send It cinched the Congress Championship in the L3 with an impressive score of 251 for owner Julia Baskin. It was a special moment in the pen as placings were called, since his friend Sara Simons won the Reserve spot with the renowned Western Riding horse, Hez Blazin Trouble, also from a HighPoint Performance Horses.
Charlie explains they have had “Bailee” since right after the World Show last year, so it has been a year of figuring her out and getting with her. “We focused on the horsemanship a lot for Jules, and it’s been a little bit of an adjustment for both of us, but today, I loped off, and I was like – oh, we’re together, we got this.”
He says Bailee’s former trainer, Blake Weis, has been extremely helpful in the process. “The transition has been much easier because he’s been open with me and helped me,” Charlie explains. “He’s an amazing rider, there were some things I probably don’t do like he does, so I appreciate all the help he’s given me.”
As far as Bailee, Charlie has this to say: “I don’t think you can get a much more striking horse in the arena; she is just so eye catching and beautiful. She has great expression and movement, and you add that to her quality change. When I first watched the video of her and I watched her first change and I thought, I don’t know if I can do that! So it’s all her, she just has the whole package – looks, movement, and just way of going.”
He adds that Jason Martin came in to the show just to help him there, and the last three nights they’ve been practicing so he can watch everything Charlie does with the horses. “I’m really lucky he came to help me since he’s not showing this year.”
Results for L3 Senior Western Riding:
