Mary Brown and Zippos Petite Prince Score 236.5 to Win Western Riding at 2013 AQHYA World Show

Mary Brown, aboard Zippos Petite Prince, bested a field of 77 entries today at the 2013 AQHYA World Show to be named the World Champion in Western Riding with an impressive score of 236.5. Not far behind in Reserve was Deanna Green with Blazinmytroublesaway, who scored a 234.5. Rounding out the top three was Kaylee Mellott with Only In Showbiz with a 229.5.

Today’s events provided somewhat of a déjà vu moment for Brown as she found herself once again with the highest preliminary score going into the finals. She was in the same situation at the 2012 AQHYA World Show, but unfortunately, those finals concluded with a less than storybook ending.

“He’s always been really good at western riding,” she says. “Last year, in the finals, I won the prelims, but he spooked at something in the finals. Then, I got Reserve in Horsemanship, and I was really happy about that. It was a bigger accomplishment, because he wasn’t really known for that as much.”

Caption: Mary Brown and Zippos Petite Prince.

Not only did Brown win the class today, she achieved a personal best by marking the two highest scores of her career, a 232 in the preliminaries and a 236.5 in the finals. Now that the western riding has concluded, Brown and “Winston” can relax a bit as they prepare for their favorite class, horsemanship, the preliminaries of which are currently underway.

“The horsemanship has always been my favorite,” she says. “I’m so happy, and now I can go in and not worry anymore. Obviously, I still want to do very good in [horsemanship], but I will be happy no matter what.”

Caption: Deanna Green and Blazinmytroublesaway.

On Monday, Brown and Winston will compete in Showmanship, under the guidance of her horse trainer and aunt, Nancy-Alto Renfro. Might competing in so many events be tiring for an old boy like Winston? Brown says no way.

“He still acts like a youngster and has plenty of kick!”

Judging the class today was John Pipkin, Kim Myers, Scott Neuman, Jan Hoskin-Hay, and Matt Howell.

Caption: Kaylee Mellott and Only In Showbiz.

Western Riding-

1-Mary Brown/Zippos Petite Prince- 236.5

2-Deanna Green/Blazinmytroublesaway- 234.5

3-Kaylee Mellott/Only In Showbiz- 229.5

4-Keaton Crawford/My Ace is Hot- 228.5

5-Payton Neiberger/Zippos GoodFellow- First place Intermediate- 228

 

Second place Intermediate- Gabrielle Lofton/Up The Assets

Third place Intermediate- Kaci Fisher/Sue Zee Zip