Today’s AQHA World Champions Include Furlong, Holliday, Runnells, Miller and More

By: Brittany Bevis

Madison Furlong kicked off today at the AQHA Youth World Show by winning L1 Working Hunter with Tru Man To A Lady. This 12-year-old rider and the 10-year-old horse she calls “Truman” have been a team since wintertime.

“He’s very sweet and one of the best horses I’ve ever ridden,” she says. “I’ve been showing horses since I was about five years old. I think jumping horses is a lot of fun. In today’s class, I needed to remember where to turn, to keep my body back and not to add any strides. If I put him Truman in a bad spot, he’s always there for me and will take anything. Also, he takes care of me.”

Madison relies on guidance from her Aunt Deb [Furlong] and cousin Cassie [Chamberland]. Coming up next, Madison will compete in Equitation and Hunter Hack.

Congratulations is also in order for Victoria Scholl and Prin Cess Leia, the L2 Champions in Working Hunter and Hunter Hack. Also, congratulations to Brylee Morgan and Shiningforthegirls, the L2 Equitation Over Fence Champions.

In Working Hunter, Haleigh Holliday was the winner with Lasting Exposure. Reserve was Chandler Runnells with Dance If You Wanna. Third was Victoria Scholl with Prin Cess Leisa. Fourth was Isabella Erwin with Natural Ride. Fifth was Maggie Britt with Minute Maximus.

Haleigh and Diamond have been a team since the gelding was just four years old. He’s eleven now, and they’ve had quite some time to develop their partnership. “He started out with my cousin, Carissa, and she rode him for a while. Then, she had her daughter, so I started riding him. But, I’ve been riding horses since before I could walk.”

Haleigh is 19, so this is her final AQHA Youth World Show. “I’ve never had a globe before. We always come here, and I feel like I mess up. Honestly, I just wanted to have fun, because this is my last time here. Diamond and I really built a bond this summer, so I wanted to go in and have fun. It all went well, actually. I try to take the pressure off myself in that way.”

Like Madison, Haleigh competes under the guidance of Debbie Furlong and Cassie Chamberland. “They told me to sit back and believe in myself. I always second guess myself. I also needed to remember that Diamond will jump anything for me, so I just needed to believe in myself and in Diamond and know that we will go over the jumps and we look great together.”

Working Hunter is definitely Haleigh’s favorite class, but she also competes in Hunter Hack. “When I first started riding Diamond, I couldn’t even get the horse to trot, and he would always jump to the left. Then, I got to understand him and we were jumping courses well and I finally got him to jump straight, which is amazing. He goes around so pretty.”

In Equitation Over Fences, it was Chandler Runnell’s turn in the winner’s circle with Dance If U Wanna. Reserve was Amanda Walsh with Do U Wanna Dance. Third was Victoria Raleigh with The One You Love. Fourth was Hannah Dobert with Accomplished Irons. Fifth was Megan Miller with And Then They Danced.

In L1 Youth Equitation Over Fences, the winner was Megan Miller with And Then They Danced. Reserve was Amanda Walsh with Do U Wanna Dance. Third was Liberty Pennington with Romantic Lass. Fourth was Maggie Britt with Minute Maximus. Fifth was Jax Bound with Havn A Supreme Time.