Former Racehorse Turned Show Horse Wins AQHA’s 50th Open Supreme Championship Title
Image courtesy of AQHA Publicity
AQHA Publicity
In January, Gotta Good Habit achieved the rarest recognition possible through the American Quarter Horse Association. The 2001 brown stallion became the 50th horse in AQHA’s 74-year history to earn an AQHA Open Supreme Champion title.
Gotta Good Habit is by Strawfly Special and out of First Femme by American Quarter Horse Hall of Famer First Down Dash. Gotta Good Habit was bred by Vessels Stallion Farm LLC of Bonsall, California, and is owned by Patricia Thompson of Springfield, Louisiana.
The open Supreme Champion title encompasses the versatility and athleticism of the American Quarter Horse. The title requires a horse to have raced and achieved a speed index of at least 90 twice. The horse must also earn at least 40 points in halter and performance classes at five or more AQHA shows, including two grand championships.
On the track, Gotta Good Habit had nine starts, two wins and two seconds, hitting a speed index of 91 twice. He earned $23,261 before he slab-fractured his knee and was retired to the show arena, where he began his show career in 2005.
Gotta Good Habit was 10th in the AQHA year-end high-point performance halter stallion standings in 2007 and earned an open AQHA Champion title in 2010. He earned 14 grand championships and 18 reserve grand championships. He has been shown in halter, performance halter, heading and hunter under saddle.
He earned the last points needed for the open Supreme Champion title on December 31, 2013, in Tampa, Florida.
Before Gotta Good Habit earned his title, the most recent open Supreme Champions were Fly The Red Eye in 2013 and Cartel Caliente in 2010.
“We’re a very small racing ranch,” said owner Patricia Thompson. “I bought my first racehorse about 15 years ago. I’m an adrenaline junkie. I’m a paramedic, so I like fast. We’re a very small ranch that ended up with an awesome stallion.
“To find out there are only 50 open Supreme Champions, including Gotta Good Habit, that have ever done this?” Thompson said. “Who would have thought that a little racing ranch in Springfield, Louisiana, would ever be able to have a horse of this caliber!”
AQHA News and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more news and information, follow @AQHAnews on Twitter, watch the AQHA Newscast and visit www.aqha.com/news.
