Vargo, Freeman, Madden, and Dobbs Win AQHA Youth Halter Titles
By: Brittany Bevis
Today’s Halter classes crowned four, big winners at the AQHA Youth World Show. First, 12-year-old Camren Madden led Shameles to win Aged Mares and his first Youth World title. This eloquent, young man has been coming to the Youth World Show now for four years.
“She’s a very nice sorrel mare, and she cooperates very well,” Camren says. “She did everything I wanted her to do today, like a good mare would do.”
“She’s a very good cooperator. She sets up pretty easy. Sometimes, she fights me a little bit, but today she was very good. Normally, she’s very calm with me, and that’s what I really like about horses, is when they’re calm. I don’t want them to run off on me.”
By the luck of the draw, Camren drew the best spot in today’s class at the front of the line, which worked to his advantage. He also was not too far away from the watchful eyes of his horse trainer, Jason Smith, and grandfather, Bob Friest. “Grandpa always tells me that if you don’t get first, don’t show your emotions. Always be calm with the horse and be nice and friendly to everyone, and that will get you a long way.”
Not only is Shameles an excellent Halter horse, she’s fun and a little feisty, which Camren enjoys. “She likes to scare you. We have a big pen that she stays in sometimes, and there is a pan out there that I feed her in. When I go out to feed her, she runs around me like she’s going to bite me, but she never does. She’s just excited to get dinner!”
Camren says now that Shameles is approaching retirement, he’s excited to breed her. She’s by My Intention, so he thinks a fun cross would be the Snow family’s new stallion, a My Intention son, Trillions.
The Reserve Champion was Jenna Engle with Scarlet O’Harra. Third was Kaylee Hamm with CF Blindingly Cool. Fourth was Victor Beauchamp with Equities. Fifth was McKenna Gibson with Alusion.
13-year-old Garrett Freeman has been coming to the Youth World for four years now, and he’s been partnered with Zydaco for two years under the guidance of Ronald Stratton. Today, they were named the World Champions in Aged Geldings.
“Zydaco is probably my favorite horse I’ve ever owned because of his personality. He’s fun, goofy, cool, and energetic. I’m crazy about how muscular and big he is. He’s 16. 3 at his hip, and I think he’s about 2,000 pounds. He goes with the flow. It’s not his way or the highway.”
Because the announcer did not reveal the individual judges’ placings, Garrett had no idea where he stood in the overall standings, but he hoped. “I started praying to Jesus that me and him could get up there and compete. He loves to compete. Showing off is his favorite thing to do.”
The Reserve Champion was Audrey Cole with DMM Secret Sinsation. Third was Christian Mark Britt with Grandioso. Fourth was Peyton Baxter with Coos Me In The Dark. Fifth was Elizabeth West with Mister Over Easy.
Natalie Vargo led her 6-year-old black mare, She Had Me At Hello, aka “Georgie,” to win Performance Halter Mares. Georgie gets her performance points in Horsemanship and Trail, both of which she will be competing in here at the show.
“We’ve had her since she was a filly, so we’ve known that she’s pretty and has good conformation, but we never really showed her in Halter that much, because she was just a Western Pleasure horse,” Natalie says. “Carly and Wade Parks put all these events on her, so I started showing her in Halter. I’ve maybe shown her three times. Next year, we will add Hunter Under Saddle, Equitation, and Showmanship.”
Natalie has two prior World titles in Hunter Hack and one in Equitation, however this is her first in a Western discipline. “I would prefer to show in Western stuff, because it’s new and exiting for me. I’ve started to do Reining as well, so I’ve really converted to Western!”
Later on in the show, Natalie will make her final appearance with her trusty English partner, Dancin In The Dirt. Then, she’s off to college at the University of Georgia. However, she still plans to compete with Georgie.
“Her personality is very prima donna. She doesn’t like to get in trouble, and you always have to pet her. She does not do good with negative energy at all. You have to be relaxed and positive.”
The Reserve Champion was Kaitlyn Smith with Always Decked Out. Third was Sleepinwithmybootson, led by Lillian Woodruff. Fourth was Dreamin With Me, led by Alexis Rutledge. Fifth was Made Just Right, led by Blakey Jordan Abbott.
The winner of Performance Halter Geldings was Cooper Dobbs with Mytesly. Cooper and Mytesly have now won this class four years in a row. What’s more, 17-year-old Cooper and 9-year-old “Sly,” still have another year of eligibility left. In his own right, Sly has won more than a dozen World Championship titles in Halter, when he’s not being shown by Cooper’s sister in Barrel Racing that is.
The Reserve Champion was Jessica McAllister with Midknight Invitation. Third was Jordan Czerwinski with Simply One Hot. Fourth was Brooke Jolstad with Betta Believe It. Fifth was Claire McDowall with Hes A Dream Weaver.
