Emma Brown and Some Hot Potential Score 245 to Win First World Championship at Final AQHA Youth World

By: Brittany Bevis

Emma Brown achieved a lifelong goal this morning at her final appearance at an AQHA Youth World Show by scoring a huge 245 with Some Hot Potential to win 14-18 Trail. Tim Kimura pulled out all the stops today with a challenging pattern, as always, but Emma and “Brett” were able to navigate through it smoothly, while finding plenty of opportunities to score bonus points that contributed to their monster score.

“I knew I had a very good go, and he was absolutely amazing. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. I knew it was really good, but I’ve never even been in the top three before! When they announced second, I was so excited.”

“This was kind of cool, because it’s a title I really wanted to win. I’ve won Youth Trail at the NSBA World and the Congress and Jennifer [Paul] has won at the World Show, so I was the only one left. High expectations! Today was really special.”

Emma has shown under the guidance of Judd and Jennifer Paul for the past seven years, since she was just eleven. Now, as she competes at her last Youth World Show, she will head off to Auburn University in just a few weeks to ride for the equestrian team. Also here at the show, Emma and Brett placed in the Top 20 in Horsemanship and Top 30 in Showmanship. Up next, they will head to the NSBA World Show and Quarter Horse Congress in Emma’s home state of Ohio. “I leave the NSBA World on August 15th, and I move into college on the 16th, so I won’t get to go home, but that’s ok because this is home!”

At the beginning of every show year, Emma’s trainers have her type out a set of goals. At the top of the list for her final year in youth was to win a golden globe in Trail. She practiced hard and relied on the constant encouragement and critique of her trainers to polish her skills in her favorite class.

“Jennifer is so Trail-smart. When I first started in Trail, she was just teaching me how to do the class; but, now that I’ve gotten really good at it, and so has Brett, she expects me to excels. She expects me to have the correct foot every time and to plus that maneuver and not just do an average maneuver. She always pushes me to go that next step to be better than I was the year before, or even a show before. Even today, she critiqued my finals pattern. But that’s what we love about Jennifer and Judd. They never let mediocre slide.”

In today’s pattern, Emma was especially pleased with the extended lope and trot portions, lead change, and complicated back through. “When I asked him for the extended lope, I knew it was going to be good. Then, when I asked him to come back, he was right with me. The lead change was the thing I was most worried about; but, he nailed it, so I was really pleased. Also, I got through the back through clean, so I was really happy.”

Following this big win, Emma would like to thank a few important people in her life. “I want to thank my parents. They are my biggest supporters. They are absolutely amazing. They never miss a single horse show. Judd and Jennifer are so amazing. Without them, I wouldn’t be the rider I am today. I especially want to thank Brett. He always gives me his all and has taught me so much.”

The Reserve Champion was Natalia DeVencenty with Chex is The Choice. Third was first-time AQHA Youth World competitor, Lauren Graves with Midnite Invitation. Fourth was Emily Maul with Only Temptation. Fifth was Mallory Vroegh with Krymsun Belle. Sixth was Alexia Tordoff with Blazing Hot and Gold. Seventh was Kacie Scharf with UF A Certain Star. Eighth was Tatum Richey with Ode To Zippo. Ninth was Adrianna Peevy with Rockin The Blues. Tenth was Ellexxah Maxwell with Zips Bossy Chip.