Grant and Gilliam Win Congress Novice Amateur and Senior Trail

By: Brittany Bevis

Six hours of trail later and two gentlemen were crowned Congress Champions during today’s classes. Kevin Grant rode He’s Pretty Good to a win in Novice Amateur Trail. The Reserve Champion in that class was Kimberly O’Boyle and You Shock Me. Rounding out the top three was Caroline Cavallo with Call Me A Hottie.

In the Senior Trail, Jason Gilliam won his second Congress Championship of the horse show with Hours Yours and Mine, aka “Blondie.” The Reserve Champion in Senior Trail was Bruce Vickery with She Made It Happen. Third place was Terry Cross aboard Mystical Machine.

Just last week, Gilliam won Green Trail with Gone Red Instead. We caught up with Gilliam as he exited the pen, with his adorable little girl in tow, to find out how he feels about his second Congress Championship of the show.

“There are two goes that stand out in my life,” Gilliam says. “One was at the Redbud with the horse I won the World Show with [Design By Leaguer], and then there’s this one. She never missed a spot. It was like slow motion. I just sat up there and showed. It was probably the most fun I’ve had.”

At most horse shows, Gilliam has to balance Blondie’s open classes with owner Kaleena Weakly’s amateur all-around classes. Because Weakly is currently pregnant, and not showing in her usual lineup of classes, Gilliam had a fresher horse for the trail finals.

“That’s her horse, and she comes first by far,” he says. “She’s pregnant and she’s not showing a lot, so there was a lot of horse left for me today. That’s the big thing about her. Usually, she’s done so many classes by now that she’s tired and wore out. She’s kind of the little engine that could. What she lacks in movement she makes up for with heart. That’s the best show horse you could ever ask for.”

“This is her second year in the senior division. I’ve had bad luck every time at the World Show [with her]. Last year, I was eleventh here and eleventh at the World Show. Then, we end up winning.”

Gilliam marked a 238 in the finals to score a win. He describes the ride Blondie gave him as “spectacular.”

“When I got done, I patted her and hugged her,” he says. “It’s one of those things where you know you can’t be any better. When you show them a lot, there are only a couple of those times in your life.”

Gilliam and Weakly weren’t the only ones thrilled with Blondie’s big win today. Gilliam’s daughter, Rebecca Shane, aka “Bean,” was very excited to ride with Daddy into the winner’s circle and gave her favorite horse a big kiss.

“She loves horses,” Gilliam says. “She rides, and she loves showmanship. She says, “Practice showmanship Daddy. Let’s go ride Daddy. Lope Daddy. Trot Daddy. She loves it.”

When Bean is a little bigger, she’s looking forward to showing Blondie in Leadline, Showmanship, and Trail, but not in Barrel Racing. That’s far too fast, according to Bean.

EC- Will you show Blondie in Leadline when you get bigger?

Bean- “I already do dat.”

EC- Will you show Blondie in Showmanship?

Bean- “I already do dat.”

EC- What about in Trail like Daddy?

Bean- “Yes, no barrel racing.”

Senior Trail-

1- Hours Yours and Mine/Jason Gilliam

2-She Made It Happen/Bruce Vickery

3-Mystical Machine/Terry Cross

4-Leaguers Finale/Bruce Vickery

5- Lethals Hot Weapon/Brenden Mehochko

6-Nothing But My Best/Charlie Cole

7-You Shock Me/Thad O’Boyle

8- Rosas Red Fantasy/Pierre Briere

9- Chrome On My Zipper/Butch Campbell

10-Eye On The Ball/John Briggs

Novice Amateur Trail-

1-Hes Pretty Good/Kevin Grant

2-You Shock Me/Kimberly A O’Boyle

3-Call Me A Hottie/Caroline L Cavallo

4-Hezan Investment/Jason Wanderer

5-Snapshot Version/Shane Watson

6- Pleasure Do N Biznus/Mary Goos

7- Beau Patrick/Tanya Mullinex

8-HF Tahnee Too/Shane Watson

9-Nothing But My Best /Alicia Porter

10-Glowing Ovations/Lauren M Pruni