Congress Champions Include Martin/Sleeptite, Yeager/Cracking The Code, Armbruster/Oops I Am Good,

By: Brittany Bevis

First up over in the Coliseum this morning, we had the opportunity to chat with Jason Martin, who rode Sleeptite to win Green Western Riding. The team scored a 231.5 to claim the win. “Brad” is a full brother to Cutelicious, a horse that also competed under the guidance of Highpoint Performance Horses for some time.

“He’s out of Zipped Tight, Donna Morgan’s mare,” Jason says. “We’ve had five or six Zipped Tight foals. This one was hurt as a two-year-old, and he was turned out to pasture. We got him as a green-broke, four-year-old, so he missed almost three years of riding.”

“He’s just really behind everybody else. He kind of has the mind of a 4-year-old, as far as his training level goes. He never did Western Pleasure, so he didn’t have any buttons. We had to start from scratch.”

It seems Brad is the perfect example of the type of horse that benefits from AQHA’s Green division. Jason explains. “It allows us not to push those horses that might not be ready. You don’t feel like they have to get something done during their Junior year,” he says. “I feel like, a lot of times, nowadays, we’ve taken a step back with a horse if it isn’t ready. Also, we’re paying a lot more attention to keeping horses green and keeping an eye on where they are in the training process. It’s really good for the horses.”

Earlier in the show, Brad placed third in Green Trail. He has yet to compete in Senior Trail. Jason describes this gelding as “very good-minded,” and he has hopes Brad will become a solid all-around horse in the future.

“He’s a little ADD, so he almost always shows better than he practices, because he’s in the ring by himself. A lot of horses are the opposite; they don’t like being in the ring by themselves. When he’s by himself, he takes a breath and can focus.”

The Reserve Champion in Green Western Riding was Charlie Cole with Lope Out The Doubt with a 229.5. Third was Kelly McDowall with Definitely A First with a 226.5. Fourth was Shannon Gillespie with First N Line with a 225.5. Fifth was Shannon Gillespie with BMQ The Jig Is Up with a 223.

In Novice Amateur Showmanship, Samantha Armbruster led Oops I Am Good to win her first Congress Championship title. The Reserve Champion was Katerina Mendel with Moves Like Cattwoman. Third was Heidi King with Icantakeagoodlook. Fourth was Amanda Carmichael with Remember Ima Loper. Fifth was Kelly Haugen with Invite Me To Unzip Me.

Samantha and “Hudson” have been a team for just a year and a half, and she’s been with her current horse trainers, Judd and Jennifer Paul, since July of this year. “I used to do Showmanship, but it’s been a while,” Samantha says. “I started again last year, because I knew how good of a Showmanship horse Hudson was. It was actually my least favorite class to do, but I thought at least I have a horse that’s good at it now, so I should be good at it too! Judd and Jen and I practiced, and practiced, and practiced. Jennifer has gotten me so much further. I wouldn’t be here without her. She’s awesome.”

All that practicing paid off today when Samantha led her 2008, 16.3 hand, black, Invitation only-bred gelding to win a 103 entry Novice Amateur Showmanship class. “Actually, he has the most points of any Invitation Only offspring. He was Thad O’Boyle’s horse, and he put all the points on him. He’s pretty special.”

Samantha’s favorite part of this pattern was the set up, because Hudson is always super speedy. “He’s always really good in his set up; it takes two steps and that’s it. That’s probably my favorite part, because I don’t have  to worry about it.”

“His big class, that we always do really well in, is Trail, so getting something in Showmanship is crazy. I couldn’t believe it. I came out and Jennifer told me, ‘I think you got a piece of it.'”

Later on in the show, Samantha and Hudson will compete in Novice Amateur Equitation and their favorite class, Novice Amateur Trail.

Last night, Dan Yeager rode his horse horse, Cracking The Code, to win Select Horsemanship in what turned out to be a bittersweet conclusion to a very difficult year. Last year, Dan rode his multiple World and Congress Champion gelding, Cee Money, to win Select Horsemanship at the 2015 Quarter Horse Congress. Sadly, earlier this year, Money passed away.

Uncertain if any horse would be able to fill the shoes Money had left behind, Dan was understandable heartbroken. While no horse will be able to replace Money, his new 4-year-old gelding, “Pistol,” is creating his own space in Dan’s heart.

“I had him last year as a three-year-old,” Dan says. “He was eventually going to take Money’s place, but it happened sooner rather than later. We started in April working on all-around classes. This is really special, because I won last year with Money. This year has been a tough year, and this certainly wasn’t an expectation of mine.”

For such a young horse, Pistol has surprised Dan at how he has taken to Horsemanship so quickly. “He was so good with all the elements of the pattern. As a young horse, I wasn’t so sure, but every element he did great. I particular liked our lope to walk transition, and the fast circle to our breakdown was good. Also, for a young horse, he’s gotten so good at his spins. He’s very attentive, and he likes his job.”

Later on this week, watch for Dan and Pistol in Select Showmanship and possibly Western Pleasure. Trail and Western Riding are on the horizon for the future.

The Reserve Champion in Select Horsemanship was Patrick Riley with Solo Invested. Third was Debra Sharp with SL Miss Alli. Fourth was Teresa Balkcum with Pawn Star. Fifth was Lisa Neiberger with No Question I’m Lazy.