Sarah Lebsock – Being the Best She Can Be
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By Jillian Sinclair
Sarah Lebsock has been dedicated to becoming the best rider and competitor she can be since she was just three years old. After years of climbing the horse show ladder, starting with 4-H to open shows and now the Quarter Horse Congress and World Show, she and her partner, Version of Goodbar, have proven that hard work and determination are the keys to success.
Sarah and Version of Goodbar, also known as “Steven,” have grown up together, and Sarah knows that the best is yet to come. When talking about the future, she says, “I always have a million goals and, of course, a globe or Congress bronze is always on my mind. But honestly, more than anything, I just want to focus on preparing and presenting the best package I can with Steven. I want to finally reach his best and have a little fun while doing so.”
When Lebsock purchased the now 13-year-old gelding, he had just been started in the all-around events. Together, they’ve added more classes to their repertoire and have begun to make a name for themselves in all-around events. The two have proven success in the show ring with many top placings at the Quarter Horse Congress and World Show, as well as being the 2020 AQHA Year-End Amateur Horsemanship High Point Champion and the AQHA Reserve Amateur All-Around Champion for two years. They have earned the title of the Ohio Amateur All-Around Champion for the past six years and beat out a tough ring of competitors by earning High Point titles while showing at the Florida Gold and Gulf Coast circuits earlier this year.
Sarah beams with pride while discussing her accomplishments with Steven. She says, “My favorite accomplishment with Steven has to be winning the AQHA Year-End Amateur Horsemanship High Point. It was a goal I had wanted to achieve for a while, and I came in second the year before. I think the year-end awards really demonstrate consistency.” In her opinion, Amateur Horsemanship is one of the most competitive classes on the circuit, so it’s extremely rewarding to continuously place so well throughout the entire year. But this kind of consistency didn’t happen overnight; the pair has been working towards this goal for many years. Under the guidance of AQHA judge and trainer, Brent Maxwell and his wife Melissa, Sarah has learned to balance the strength and softness needed to pilot a winning Horsemanship pattern. She loves the challenge of laying out a new pattern at a show and finds the whole experience to be thrilling. While she does compete in all-around events, waking up early to “run through deep sand” makes Showmanship her least favorite event. However, being dedicated to earning as many points as possible for all-around titles, Sarah still competes in Showmanship at every show. She just needs her coffee first!
