Hogan/Scene It Eye To Eye Win 2-Year-Old Non Pro WP; Wendy Hull/All Star Sensation Win Masters Amateur Trail

By: Brittany Bevis

The Qualls Performance Horses Barn had quite the night at the APHA World Championship Show with five of seven riders returning to the finals in Masters Amateur Trail. On top of that, the top four horse and rider teams came from the same barn. The World Champion was Wendy Hull with All Star Sensation. The Reserve Champion was Jeri-Lou Biggs with Arapped In Black. Third was Linda Rice with I’m Real Sensational. Fourth was Randy Raykovich with Illustrated Zippo.

Wendy says she stumbled across her horse by accident when he was three years old. “He’s now twelve. He’s a once-in-a-lifetime horse. He’s always been up here, and I’ve been trying to get to his level. He lives in California, and I live in Oregon, so I don’t get to ride that much, except for at shows.”

“I ride rope horses at home, so then I come here and I have to sit pretty and quiet, and not use my legs so much, and not go fast. Sometimes I’m out there and they will tell me that I’m running, but it doesn’t feel like it!”

Wendy loves Trail because of its complexity, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s “Jaybird’s” speciality as well. “He’s so pretty at it, and he has a really good profile. He has great lope-overs, and he’s just a natural. It’s the pilot part… if I get my job done… he usually saves me, but I’ll take it! I’ve never seen him pin his ears. He’s just a nice, pleasant horse who loves everything.”

Megan East Hogan rode a homebred and raised gelding, Scene It Eye To Eye, to win the 2-Year-Old Non Pro Western Pleasure. The gelding is by Scenic Impulse and is the first foal out of a mare her mother used to show, Certainly Flirtin. Megan admits to feeling a few nerves going into tonight’s performance, because it was her horse’s maiden voyage.

“I was nervous because it’s been a long time since we had a young one to show. But, with him being so quiet, I knew it would be ok. I think that he’s really natural in what he does. His neck stays up very level, and he’s has a lot of natural cadence. He’s very lazy, but he’s easy to ride.”

“I love how he’s big and strong, but the best part about him is his mind. He’s so quiet, and he wants to be a pet. He loves to lick you. I told Mike [Hachtel] yesterday that he’s just like a dog.”

The Reserve Champion was Cody Caliendo with Zensational. Third was Alex Chavez with GGR On The Rocks. Fourth was Justin Adock with She Rockz My World. Fifth was Mackenzie Preston with Al Of A Sudden.