Paige Stopperich and Cowboys R Hot Take Top Title in Equitation at 2013 AQHYA World Show
By: Brittany Bevis and Kili Crawford
Paige Stopperich and her gelding, Cowboys R Hot, hand galloped, changed leads, and posted without stirrups to a World Champion finish today in Hunt Seat Equitation at the 2013 AQHYA World Show. Because there were 137 tough exhibitors competing in the class, the judges had to put riders through their paces with a very challenging pattern.
“I just kept thinking forward on to the next maneuver,” Stopperich says. “I kept looking around the arena to make sure that I hit all of my spots right, to make sure that my circles were even and my lines were correct. He really took care of me on the rest. As long as I put him in the right place he would do it for me.”
Stopperich describes “Larry” as a quirky horse with a bit of a lazy streak. However, when it’s time to compete she says she can always count on her mount.
“He’s really lazy, like really lazy,” she says. “But he tries so hard. He knows when you step in that arena it’s time to show. Today he really gave me everything he had. I was really happy with him.”
“I was honestly speechless. I’ve literally been dreaming about this day for so long. It was just incredible standing out there by myself. There is no better feeling.”
17-year-old Stopperich comes from a family with history in the horse industry. Her mother and aunt showed as youth exhibitors in 4-H and at smaller AQHA events. When Stopperich was just four years old, she received her first pony.
“It kind of went up from there,” she says. “[When I was eight], I got a little Quarter Horse, and here I am now. I never thought…”
One interesting note about Stopperich’s horse is that he hasn’t been a gelding for that long. She purchased him as a three-year-old stallion in January of 2011. The pair currently competes under the guidance of Michael Colvin.
“He was still a stud when we bought him, so he’s come along way,” she says. “With learning the horsemanship and western riding, he’s just been amazing.”
“We also did Performance Geldings, Western Riding, Horsemanship, and Hunter Under Saddle. He is still green in horsemanship and western riding. We were ninth in the Hunt Seat finals this morning. As soon as that was over I had to put on my helmet and get into equitation mode.”
This is Stopperich’s fourth trip to the AQHYA World Show and her first World Championship title.
Hunt Seat Equitation:
1-Cowboys R Hot/Paige Stopperich- First place Intermediate
2-Remarkable Can/Rachel Kolb
3-Its My Lucky Detail/Madison Eichstadt
4-Only In Showbiz/Kaylee Mellott- Second place Intermediate
5-Midnite Invitation/Rachel Tearney- Third place Intermediate
