Kellie Morris and Spicy Hot Machine Win 2013 Congress Select Equitation

By: Brittany Bevis

Although the weather was a bit chilly this morning, some of our favorite die-hard Select competitors braved the cold and donned their breeches and boots for the Select Equitation at the Congress this morning. Taking the top spot was Kellie Morris with Spicy Hot Machine. The Reserve Champion was Rebecca Pease Shelton with Ruby Due Good. Rounding out the top three was Karen Jorgenson with All The Good Details.

We caught up with Morris after the award ceremony to find out a little more about her beautiful six-year-old mare, “Abby.”

“She is by Good Machine and out of a Hot N Blazing mare,” Morris says. “I’ve had her since the fall of her 3-year-old year. We’ve just taken it slow to develop her for the all-around events. I think we have finalized showmanship, horsemanship, and equitation. We’ll start on trail and western riding over the winter.”

Here at the Congress, the pair also claimed a Reserve Championship finish in Select Showmanship and a third place finish in Select Horsemanship.

“We’ve had a great Congress,” she says. “It’s been a great time. I thought her pattern was pretty good. I think I could’ve arced the lope circle a little more and had her head more towards the center. Other than that, I was very pleased with it. What I was also very pleased with was her rail work. She was just spot on in the rail work, which was wonderful. It made it easy.”

Helping her prepare for the preliminaries and finals today were trainers Shane and Cindy Young of Young Quarter Horses. As a little reward for all of their hard work and dedication during the Congress, Morris plans to take her trainers and friends out to celebrate.

“We’re going to take a picture and probably go out and celebrate a little today,” she says. “I think we’re finally going to have a decent meal. We’ve been up all hours of the night. We may even, by the afternoon, dip into a little wine!”

Congratulations to Young Quarter Horses and Kellie Morris following this exciting win in Select Equitation.

Select Equitation-

1-Spicy Hot Machine/Kellie Morris

2-Ruby Due Good/Rebecca Pease Shelton

3-All The Good Details/Karen Jorgenson

4-Zips Fancy Talk/Kim Allen

5-Invy Of Me/Sherrie Gultz

6-Hot Jazzin Zippo/Farley Barbera

7-TNT Continental Art/Carolyn Sanchez

8-Good Luck Wrapper/Eva Haron

9-Ty One On Ty/Catherine Jackson

10-Fabulous Marecedes/Linda Woodin