Bella Erwin/Al E Hondro Win Hunter Hack at AQHA Youth World

By: Brittany Bevis

Isabella Erwin was in the irons of her gentle giant, Al E Hondro, to win Hunter Hack this evening at the 2019 AQHA Youth World Show. This is the 17-year-old’s first World Championship title. She does have a bronze trophy in this class from 2017, but she was hunting for a win tonight.

“I have a bronze one at home from Hunter Hack, and I was thinking,’ I can taste it!’ That was two years ago. It doesn’t feel how I thought it would. I haven’t had time to settle in and process it yet!”

Bella and “Al” have only been a team for one year, and they currently compete under the guidance of Chuck Briggs. In the barn, Bella and Al are known as the odd couple because of their size difference. “He’s 18 hands and I’m like 5’3″. It’s funny, because I’m the shortest member of our youth team, and he’s the tallest horse in the barn.”

Bella confirms that Al is quite the character and loves getting into things. “He acts like a toddler. He gets bored all the time. He needs constant stimulation from something or he will be all up in your face. In Hunter Under Saddle, he gets bored going around and around in circles. He really likes a challenge. He likes to challenge me, and he likes to challenge everyone else!”

Here at the show, Bella and Al will compete in Equitation Over Fences, Working Hunter, Hunter Under Saddle, and Equitation, but Bella’s favorite class is Working Hunter. “He knows his job so well, and that makes my life really easy. The one thing Chuck tells me is to have patience. I get all up in my head, and my thoughts go a million miles a minute, so he tells me that I have to slow everything down.”

The Reserve World Champion was Julia Furlong with Executive Hotrodder. Third was Ryan Dailey with So Blue For You. Fourth was Madeline Keyes with Classic Circle. Fifth was Chandler Runnells with Dance If You Wanna.