In Loving Memory of AQHA World and Congress Champion He’s Just To Sharp (1988-2017)

By: Taylor Fabus

A pasture in Caledonia, Michigan, will be a lot emptier tonight. One of the all-time, great AQHA Western Pleasure horses, Hes Just To Sharp, was laid to rest in the early morning hours of February 9th at the age of 29. The 1988 sorrel gelding, more affectionately known by friends, family, and fans as “Travis,” had a show career spanning two decades during which he amassed over 1,800 points in   Western Pleasure alone.

He was no one-trick pony, however; he earned more than 200 AQHA points in six other events, including Hunter Under Saddle, Trail, Hunt Seat Equitation, Horsemanship, Halter and Western Riding. Travis earned just shy of the $100,000 mark competing at the AQHA World Championship Show, AQHA Incentive Fund Program, and the National Snaffle Bit Association. But to the Christensen family, he meant so much more than earnings and accolades. Nancy described the gelding as her best friend and a gift from God to their family.

Sired by Zippo Jack Bar and out of Paleface Doll, Travis got special treatment right from the start. “He was bottle fed as a foal because his dam was unable to nurse for quite a while due to an infection. Hedy Levin and Kim Rotenberry (of BSB Quarter Horses in Sturgis, Michigan) even put a sweatshirt on him to keep him warm,” says Kathy Karel-Christensen. At the age of just six weeks, Travis was purchased by Tom Papiernik and brought to the Christensen farm in Caledonia, Michigan later that summer. Even nearly 30 years later, Tom still has fond memories to share of his time spent with Travis. “He was always very easy, kind, and fun. He broke out super easy and I was showing him in the Junior Western Pleasure in the spring of his 2-year old year. He earned his first point in Allegan placing 6th in a class of 30. That was in May of his 2-year old year!”

It was shortly after that show that Tom decided to put him up for sale. After several people looked at him and decided to not buy him, Jack and Nancy Christensen decided to take a chance and purchase the talented youngster for $4,000. Their son, Tim, took over training Travis, and they soon found that they’d made a wise purchase.

As a 3-year old Travis, was the High Money Horse at the 1991 MQHA Futurity. Following that, Nancy began showing Travis in both Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure, soon earning superiors in both events. However, it was a chance meeting at the Florida Gold Coast show in West Palm Beach, Florida where their story would take a turn. Jack and Nancy met AQHA Professional Horseman Jon Barry at the show and decided to send Travis to Jon’s in Advance, Missouri. With Jon in the pilot’s seat, some of Travis’ biggest wins were soon to come. In 1994, Jon and Travis would sweep the Senior Western Pleasure, winning at both the All-American Quarter Horse Congress and the AQHA World Show.

The very next year, Nancy would come back to win a Reserve World Championship in Amateur Western Pleasure, but it was a win earlier that fall that the family agrees is their most memorable. In October of 1995, at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress, Travis and Nancy were named Champions in Amateur Western Pleasure out of an astonishing 272 entries. Nancy’s son Tim shares, “I still remember when the class was lining up for the placings. Diane Eppers walked by and said, ‘Congratulations…they were the winners today!’ She was right!” In an effort to commemorate the Congress win, Travis always donned the exhibitor number 272 while showing on the MQHA circuit.

Little did the Christensen family know, but those wins were just beginning. Jack Christensen took the reins to be named AQHA High Point Amateur Western Pleasure Rider in 1997 and 1998. Travis won NSBA Championship buckles every year from 1995-2000. Kathy  showed Travis to win the title of AQHA High Point Limited Rider in Amateur Western Pleasure in 2004. More special honors came in 2012 when Travis was inducted into the NSBA Hall of Fame and MQHA Hall of Fame. Requiring very little maintenance and no injections, Travis was still taking home AQHA Regional Championships at the age of 18.

Many things are remarkable about Travis’ journey. Not only his successes and longevity, but also the fact that he remained with the Christensen family for all these years. Tim admits that there were offers to buy him. “Oh yes, there were offers, huge offers even. It was decided early on that Travis would remain with us his entire life. Travis showed us the thrill of victory, but he also taught us to lose with dignity. You see, every now and then Travis felt the need to humble us in the show pen. For every 10 or 15 great rides, he’d give us a run for our money! My family and myself all agree that he was a gift entrusted to us by God. Through Travis we met so many wonderful people who remain friends to this day.”

Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Christensen family as they mourn the loss of their dear family member.