Grant Mastin and Hand Made Machine Win 14-18 Trail at AQHA Youth World

By: Brittany Bevis

Grant Mastin and Hand Made Machine won their first golden globe here at the AQHA Youth World by winning 14-18 Trail. Grant and “Carl” have been a team for six years now. They compete under the guidance of Ryan Cottingim and Mandy Gately.

Last year, Grant won L1 Western Riding, and he was Reserve in 13 and Under Trail a few years ago, but this is his first golden globe. Earlier in this show, Grant rode his other horse, Justa Machine, aka “Ziggy,” to win L2 Western Riding and place tenth in the Trail class.

“The one thing we really focused on is going in and showing our horses and not trying to do too much,” Grant says. “I needed to trust him and know that we did the work going in. I really can say both of the horses showed great for me. I have no complaints.”

Grant was extremely pleased with his finals pattern on Carl and wouldn’t change a thing, except perhaps that he was slightly aggressive in one section.

“I really liked how he trotted up to the gate and did one, two, right over it. My serpentine felt great. My lope-overs felt super floaty. He really listened to me going through the side pass to back through. I pushed him pretty hard through that. and I felt I maybe rode that a little aggressive. Granted, it did work out for me. He really did take care of me there. He’s a great horse. Whenever I go in to show, I know that he’s going to show for me all the time.”

This evening, Grant will compete with both horses in the Western Riding finals.

Reserve in this class was Lyla Bellar with Good Evanescence. Third place Meagan Braun with Showin My Ace. Fourth was Kacy Jo Philpot with Lil Boss Man. Fifth was Kaylynn Heitman with The Monie Man.