Jacobs Wins 15-18 Hunter Under Saddle, Freeman Wins NY WP 13 and Under, Dempze Wins 2-Year-Old Non Pro WP

By: Brittany Bevis

19-year-old Jenna Jacobs kicked off this afternoon’s classes by completing a hat trick of winning all major Youth Hunter Under Saddle titles this year. Jenna and Doodle Jump were the World Champions at the AQHA Youth World Show, won Youth Hunter Under Saddle at the NSBA World Show, and now the 15-18 Hunter Under Saddle here at the Quarter Horse Congress. This was her first Congress Champion title.

Also here at the Congress, Doodle Jump won Junior Hunter Under Saddle for the second year in a row and that same night claimed another Congress Champion title in the Limited Open Hunter Under Saddle Maturity with Heidi Piper in the saddle.

“It was so incredible!” Jacobs says. “We didn’t see that coming…three Congress Championships this year. He’s had a couple of days to recover, because we had so many goes for the maturities. He’s such a cool horse. We barely even prep for this class. We longed him just a little bit this morning. He’s such good boy. He literally packs me around, when he’s in a good mood, which is like all the time!”

It was definitely a good afternoon for Piper Performance Horses because not only did Jenna and Doodle Jump win the Congress Champion title, Ashton Krutulis with Al I Want Is You were named the Reserve Champions. “Ashton just purchased him a month ago, so that was so incredible because she just won the NYATT Hunter Under Saddle the other day. It was a great day for the Piper Barn!”

Third place in the class was Taylor Searles with She Says Aloha. Fourth place was Paige Stopperich with Cowboys R Hot. Fifth place was Nicole Campbell with Boxers Or Briefs.

Next, Hayley Freeman rode Suddenly Best Man to win Novice Youth 13 and Under Western Pleasure, which was her second Congress Championship of the horse show. Freeman and 6-year-old “Logan” have been a team for one year now, and they currently compete under the guidance of Nick and Carmen Mayabb. This team also won Novice 13 and Under Horsemanship last week.

“I like Logan, because he has such a big personality, he’s so sweet, and he tries so hard,” she says. “My finals was a lot better than my first go, so I was really happy. I wasn’t sure how I was going to place, so I was really exited to hear I got two firsts.”

The Reserve Champion in the class was Julia Crane Preston with One Good Diva. Third place was Mavis Goertz with Best Change Yet. Fourth place was Rachel Sullivan with Only One In Fashion. Fifth place was Kaitlyn Smith with Southerncomfortzone.

In the 2-Year-Old Non Pro Open Western Pleasure Stakes, Jenna Dempze rode Special N I Know It to a Congress Champion win. “Rocket” has been one busy girl here at the Congress; this class was her last performance.

“Rocket ran out of fuel today,” Jenna says. “She’s really tired, so I felt like I had to work pretty hard to keep her going, but I felt like she listened really well and showed well. She went out there and did her job. There are times when she lives up to the Rocket name. When she’s fresh, she really likes to play. When you’re on her back, she’s all business and she’s really sweet.”

Rocket is by One Hot Krymsun and out of a Zippo Pine Bar mare. Jenna just purchased Rocket at the Tom Powers Futurity from a client with trainer Jennifer Stein.

 “Gil [Galyean] came racing in the barn on his golf cart and said, ‘Jenna, you need to come look at this two-year-old.’ I followed him out to the pen, and he pointed out this little sorrel horse loping around. She was really cute. I got on her, rode her around, and it was done. That’s the one.”

Coming in Reserve in the class was Aaron Bovos with UF Rockin The House. Third place was Angela Fox with Lookin Good In Red. Fourth place was Hillary Roberts with I Kissed The Cook. Fifth place was Ray Arnona with She’s All The Candy.