Lori Bucholz and Good Lukin Lark Are AQHA Amateur Pleasure Driving World Champions

By: Brittany Bevis

It was a scene straight out of the silver screen this evening when Lori Bucholz and Good Lukin Lark park-gaited to their first World Championship together as a team in Amateur Pleasure Driving at the 2014 AQHA World Championship Show.

Helping to prepare 10-year-old “Goodie” and Bucholz for their class this evening were trainers, Melissa and Kevin Dukes. Next week, it will be Melissa’s turn to sit in the driver’s seat in Senior Pleasure Driving. Also next week, Kevin Dukes will be piloting Bucholz’s new horse, Regal Respect, who will be making his World Show debut in Junior Pleasure Driving.

“We’ve had Goodie since he was four, and he is now ten,” Bucholz says. “He won Junior Pleasure Driving when he was four and has been Reserve two or three different times. Also, we leased him for a couple of years to Dr. Eleanor Green of Texas A&M, and she was Reserve at the Select World Show.”

“I’ve shown him in Hunter Under Saddle before and Equitation. He has also jumped a little bit, but Pleasure Driving is his favorite. He loves showing off. It’s like he’s saying, ‘Let’s road gait momma!'”

Bucholz competes in many different events, but Pleasure Driving is one of her favorites. She loves the elegance of the discipline and the freedom to inject a bit of creativity into her show ensemble. When deciding what to wear for this evening’s event, Bucholz drew inspiration from a magical tale complete with flying monkeys, munchkins, and a yellow brick road…

“The Showtime girls [Kay Mortensen and Penny Young] made this outfit for me,” she says. “We were watching this movie called Oz The Great and Powerful, and I thought, oh my gosh, there is a driving outfit! My husband Rick helped pick out the color.”

Amateur Pleasure Driving–

1-Good Lukin Lark/Lori Bucholz

2-Stridin N Lucky Blue/Rodger Call

3-Blue Sky Serenade/Terrie Brewer Booth

4-Dirty Sexy Money/Jenny Martin

5- Lovin Honor/Dr. April Speyer