Marathon Trail Day at QH Congress Concludes With Three New Champions

By: Brittany Bevis

Today was all about Trail at the Quarter Horse Congress with huge classes that took the better portion of the day to complete. First, Sheyenne Nelson rode The Next Good Chaptr to win Level 1 Amateur Trail. Reserve was Laura Owen with Zipposhandsomdevil. Third was Andrea Kengis Foss with Imma American Made. Fourth was Sarah Black with Made To Sizzle. Fifth was Jordan Baron with I Am Batt Man.

Next, Judith Garson rode Smooth N Chocolatey to win her first Congress title at her first Congress just one day after her 65th birthday! She and “Ben” were the winners of the Select Level 1 Trail. “I thought it was a good ride, but I didn’t think it was that good! I’m so happy. It’s my first Congress.”

Judith is a Canadian and spends half the year in Canada and half the year in the States, so she has trainers in both locations. “I’m a Dressage rider by background and started Western about seven years ago up in Canada. I live half the year up in Canada and half the year down in Florida, where I train with Sea Ridge Farms. In Canada, my trainers are Kathryn Stanton, Jamie Gardy, and Kelly Simpson. That’s how we achieve a championship. We have a team!”

Judith has leased Ben for the past year from Angela Wade, who was also overjoyed to learn that Ben had helped Judith win her first Congress Championship. “Angela has won many, many Championships with Ben, and I just started showing him in January. I was crying. Angela was bawling her eyes. The mascara was running!”

Being that she’s relatively new to the Western scene here in the States, we wondered what prompted Judith to try her hand competing at the Congress for the first time. “I didn’t think it was an option to opt out! When you show in this kind of a show barn, you’re going to the Congress and the big shows. If you’re putting that kind of money into it you’d better show at the Congress. I thought, with him, he’s such a talented horse that I had a chance. If you’re going to the Congress and have a mediocre horse and just want to have a good time, that’s fine. It just depends on what you’re going for. I thought I could win.”

And win she did. Judith was very pleased with Ben’s smooth maneuvering skills and excellent transitions in today’s pattern. “I thought this was a good pattern for him. His transitions are great, and his loper-overs are phenomenal. I liked the fact that we had the gate in the middle of the pattern, as opposed to the front or the end. Also, we love to do the trot serpentines to show off our steering. I thought it was a fun pattern.”

Reserve was Laura Salome with Moonlight Potential. Third was Michelle Starkey with NV My Hot Rod. Fourth was Pat Riley with Won Good RV Machine. Fifth was Beth Merritt with Knowing IB Good.

Finally, the 8-hour long class, Senior Trail, was won by none other than Charlie Cole himself with More Radical for Bonnie Sheren. Charlie’s score of a 243 held up from the 30th run through the majority of the day and 100+ entries. “For me, I try not to worry. I knew I laid a big score out there, and I hoped it would hold. I knew I had done my job and Rodney had done his. But, six and a half hours is a long time to wait. In the Junior Trail, I had led through most of the class and ended up second. I never really got excited or nervous; I just let the chips fall where they may.”

This is a special win because the last time Charlie won this class was ten years ago on Ima Petite Classic. The horse Charlie won with today, “Rodney,” has been in the barn for four years. Charlie credits his ring presence and slightly spooky nature with giving him the extra edge over the competition.

“This was a really hard course, and almost every pole was raised and very high. We started out with a right lead lope, and we hit every spot. Then, we went into the trot serpentine. Sometimes, that can be a bit tricky for Rodney and I, because he isn’t the biggest horse, and it can be hard to find my stride. But, I found my rhythm, and we went through that clean. I tried to take it one obstacle at a time. He was a little nervous at the far end, which, in this area, a lot of horses get nervous at that end. Rodney is a spooky horse; that’s just his nature, but it’s part of what makes him a great Trail horse.”

Stay tuned for more in a video interview with Charlie coming soon.

Reserve was Jet Thompson with Putadrinkinmyhand. Third was Michael Colvin with A Soxy Dream. Fourth was Jim Searles with Lopin For A Chex. Fifth was Melissa Jones with Chilln Ona Dirt Road.