Evening Congress Western Pleasure Wins Go To Abbey Rawlings and Hillary Roberts

By: Brittany Bevis

13-year-old Abbey Rawlings had a very busy day here at the Quarter Horse Congress. First, she showed her 3-year-old gelding, A Lazy Holiday, to a win in the 12-14 Western Pleasure. Abbey and “JD” had only a moment’s rest before they had to go back into the pen for the next class, the 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Open Western Pleasure finals.

“I rode him a couple times at the NSBA World, but this is my first time showing him,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to ride in a hackamore, like I did with Freckles [Iza Classy Chassy], my other three-year-old. JD is really smooth, but you can’t put too much pressure on him, because he’s sensitive. He’s lovely to ride. I enjoy starting horses young and then keeping them for a while.”

Later on in the show, trainer Kristy Starnes will ride JD in the 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure finals.

The Reserve Champion in the class was Shelby Cochran with Suddenly Moonlite. Third place was Lauren Lounsbury with Chocolate Night Out. Fourth place was Hannah Way with Lopin Lola. Fifth place was Kamiah McGrath with They Call Me Jake. Sixth place was Hannah Cook with Naturally Lazy. Seventh place was Hayley Freeman with Suddenly Best Man. Eighth place was Emilia Reutimann with Gentlemen Only. Ninth place was Hannah Wiese with Sheza Home Wrecker. Tenth place was Giorgia Medows with OK Pulse Me.

The Congress Champion in the 3-Year-Old Non Pro Open Western Pleasure was Hillary Roberts aboard For One Night Only. Hillary and “Sid” have been undefeated in futurity competition this year after competing at majors like the Little Futurity, Tom Powers Futurity, and NSBA World Show. Today’s placings were very close in the end, but Hillary and Sid managed to stay on top.

“It was a little stressful! Not the ride, but the placings. I had a really good ride, and the ride is what matters. It was one of my better rides on him. I got to show off the rail and on the rail a little bit. It was fun,” Hillary says.

Last year, Hillary won the 2-Year-Old Non Pro Western Pleasure aboard Sid here at the Congress. Later on this week, trainer Rusty Green will show Sid in the 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure finals. Hillary also plans to show I Kiss The Cook in the 2-Year-Old Non Pro Open Western Pleasure Finals. I Kiss The Cook is the first foal out of Roberts’ old show mare, Whatscookingoodlookin, and by Only In The Moonlite.

After the Congress, Sid will continue his career in Western Pleasure, but Hillary also sees a potential future in Horsemanship and Western Riding. “He was really big and strong as a two-year-old, and that’s what drew us to him,” she says. “He caught Katie’s eye when Aaron Moses had him, because he was so strong and consistent.”

The Reserve Champion in the class was Lacy Lynn Watson with RR Magical Moonlite. Third place was Kaleena Weakly with No Question I’m Lazy. Fourth place was Megan Hawkins with Extremely Dark Chips. Fifth place was Lauren Love with Momma Knows Best. Sixth place was Courtney Chown with Chum Machine. Seventh place was Nancy Wilkerson-Ditty with Some Kinda Radical. Eighth place was Katsy Leeman with How Bout At Midnight. Ninth place was Claire Binkowski with Play On. Tenth place was Madison Zuidema with The Pineapple Xpress.