NSBA World Champions Include Janis, Johns, Miller, Mastin, Moses, and More

By: Brittany Bevis and Eric Mendrysa

Our newly crowned crop of World Champions ran the gamut from Trail and Horsemanship to Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure, and Longe Line. There is never a shortage of classes to compete in at the NSBA World Show and competitors are taking full advantage of the numerous divisions and categories in which to show their horses.

Nancy Wilkerson Ditty rode Forever Kool to win Maturity Non Pro Western Pleasure. Reserve was Sydnie Ochs with No Doubting Me. Third was Hillary Roberts with Johnnie On The Spot. Annette Miller rode Moonrageous to win the Maturity Non Pro Intermediate Western Pleasure. Reserve was Marlee White with Sure Am Southern. Third was Kirk Sanders with JT Patron. In Color Senior Western Pleasure, Mike Hachetl and Scenic Freeze Frame were the champions. Gabrielle D’Agostini rode Iza Red Dee To Rock to Reserve. Third was Aaron Moses with Suddenly Shes Shy.

Aaron Moses was the winner in 2-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure with Isthatcoolwithyou. Reserve was Shane Dowdy with My Dad Is The Best. Third was Sara Simons with Ms ExtremelyHotChips. The 2-Year-Old Intermediate Open Western Pleasure was won by Pasley Mathis with Man Made Machine. Reserve was Jeff Cochran with Playnchipsonthestrip. Third was Jeffery Gibbs with Sittin Sideways.

Grant Mastin and Hand Made Machine won Youth Western Riding. We had the chance to speak to Grant last week when he won 14-18 L1 Western Riding at the AQHA Youth World Show. Click here to read his interview. Reserve was Ella Petak with Won Vital Code RV. Third was Avery Langley with Kinetic Krymsun. The EWD Walk Trot Trail Independent was won by Spencer Roberson with EZ Hunting. Reserve was AnneDee Jane Watkins with Smokin Charlie Too. Third was Phillip Quintana with Skippers Pudden.

In the Color Non Pro Longe Line, the winner was Heather Caplinger with Invest N The Best. Reserve was Jana Simons with My Sweetest Loper. Third was Cindy McCraw with I Get Crackn. The Color Open Hunter Longe Line was won by Anthony Leier with Got Em Sayin Wow. Reserve was Gavin Pope with Struck By Whitning. Third was Jennifer Wheeler with Al Call You Later.

In 4-6-Year-Old Open BCF Trail, Carmen Mayabb rode Feeling Lazy to a win. Reserve was Blake Weis with Snap It Send It. Third was Tonya Brown with Cool Cruzen Lady. In Amateur Trail, Sabrina Janis rode Cruize to a big win. Reserve was Kara Sisco with Party Favours. Third was Angela Wade with One Hot Drama Mama.

“It was some very deep competition- an amazing group of horses and competitors. You had to be on your A-game,” Sabrina says. “I actually purchased Speedy in July of 2018 at the Big A and have owned him ever since. It’s been one of the best decision we’ve ever made. We’ve been super blessed. He keeps showing up for us, and my trainer, Jennifer Paul, too.”

Assisting Sabrina and Speedy with their preparations for today’s class were their horse trainers, Judd and Jennifer Paul. With two very different horses to show, they laid out a plan of attack that would suit each horse’s strengths.

“In our prep work and in my practice what we really wanted to focus on was planning my transitions. Also, we wanted to figure out how I was going to pick my spots. I had two horses that I’ve been showing here, and they ride somewhat differently. I had to make sure I picked my spots differently for each one. Speedy is definitely a horse that will help you out in the more difficult obstacles, but I have to be a good pilot and put him in the best spots so we can do it the best we can.”

In that theme, Sabrina was very conscious of the side pass, an obstacle that has caused the pair some difficulty in the past. “I was definitely conscious of the side pass, because it’s something that’s difficulty for me, especially with it being a corner side pass. I was really concerned about that, because, with my ride on my other horse, we scuffed our back foot, and I knew that was not where I needed to be on Speedy. So we went back in and I decided I wanted to do really well and plus that obstacle. I wanted it to be perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better pattern, honestly. I think we laid it all out there on the course.”

Janet Golf won Select Trail with Hes Forever Good. Reserve was Scott Reinartz with Investin A Goodbar. Third was Laura Ann Salome with Moonlight Potential. Novice Amateur Western Riding was won by Trevor Johns with Its A Good Pleasure. Reserve was June Liston with My Vital Valentine. Third was Kathryn Bunting with Hez Raising The Bar. Brianna Merklin won 14-18 Horsemanship with Chips Machine. Reserve was Caroline Nielson with Theonlykisstoenvy. Third was Jojo Roberson with Greedy Ghost.

Chad Evans rode Invitation To Boot to win the First 2 Finish Timed Trail, a unique class at the NSBA World that was judged both on skill and speed. “I loved the format of the class,” Chad says. “I like that the speed upped the ante and that there was more skill involved other than just a foot race. I tried to do as many obstacles as I could in the time limit. After completing all the obstacles, I tried to complete high point obstacles that I could do quickly and penalty free. The slow work obstacles had a great point value, so my plan was to try and complete those for extra points. I love spinning in the box, so I would say that was my favorite obstacle.”

Hillary Roberts rode the family stallion, Hay Goodlookn, to win 3-Year-Old Non Pro Western Pleasure. This is their second win of the show and his first event back since a busy breeding season.

“This is his first time back at the horse show following breeding season, so we figured we would take a chance and see what we had,” Hillary says. “As soon as we got here, we knew we would be able to do all four classes easily. He was ready, and he’s always super easy to prepare. I was a little nervous the other night, but he was great in the traffic. He’s so good-minded, and it was easy to navigate him around. They put both the intermediate and open classes in together, and he was excellent for me. I was really happy with my ride.”

“This is something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time, ever since we’ve been in this business. I’ve always wanted to have a stud, so this is a dream come true for me to be able to show him and be successful on him.”