Emily Drew Sweeps 13 and Under Over Fence Classes at 2013 AjPHA World Show Winning Four World Champion Titles
Prior to today Emily Drew had never won a World Championship title. Now, at the conclusion of day three at the 2013 AjPHA Youth World Show, she has four.
Drew and her colorful gelding, Cadets Honor aka “Poncho,” made a clean sweep of the over fence classes with consecutive wins in 13 and Under Working Hunter, Youth Hunt Seat Equitation Over Fences 18 and Under, Jumping 18 and Under, and 13 and Under Hunter Hack. And to think, going into the Youth World this year all she wanted was just one World Champion title.
Just last night, the pair earned a Reserve World Championship in 13 and Under Equitation and a top three finish in 13 and Under Hunter Under Saddle. With six classes down and five World titles earned Drew is off to an exceptional start, and she still has four classes left to go. Later on in the week she will compete in 13 and Under Showmanship, Horsemanship, Trail, and Western Pleasure.
“When we got Poncho, he never jumped ever in his life,” she says. “I had random people come up and tell me that he would never jump. In two weeks, he went to the Margarita Classic in Waco. We did really well and got second place. I was really happy with that. When we pulled him out of the pasture, he knew hunter under saddle and western pleasure. He didn’t know how to come off the rail or do trail, and he didn’t have a lead change.”
“Jumping is my favorite class, because he really loves it. It’s the class we agree on 99% of the time. Every time we see a jump he perks up and he’s awake. For some of the other classes, one day we will agree, and then the next day he will be like ‘no I don’t want to work today.’ But when we go out to do the jumping he’s always ready to go. It was fun. He’s a good boy.”
Although over fence classes are her favorite and Poncho’s speciality, Drew is the first to admit that she was a little nervous for the competition today, especially during the jump-off.
“I was very nervous for the jumping, because the last time I rode the jumping at the World Show I got bucked off with my old horse. So I was kind of a little nervous. Then, we took a really, really big oxer in the jump-off, and he smacked my chest with his neck, which kind of hurt. I thought I was going to come off. I got a little scared in there going that fast and turning that fast. But I’ve done stuff like that tighter at home, and he took care of me.”
2013 is Drew’s final year in the 13 and Under division, so she and her trainers are making a hard push for the number one spot in the year-end standings. She and all three of her trainers that is.
“I have three horse trainers,” she says. “Nada Wise [for over fences], Wes Stallings [for all-around], and Brynne Davis. I’m very lucky. It’s a hard situation to be in because there are so many ways of doing things, but I couldn’t have asked for better trainers to have. They all have their specialities. I was kind of scared coming in, because we are all staying in the same house down the road, but everyone is getting along really great!”
The best of luck goes to S2 Performance Horses and Emily Drew in the remainder of her classes here at the 2013 AjPHA Youth World Show.
