Around the Rings – AQHA L1 West Championships, Thursday, May 18
On Thursday, May 18th at the 2023 AQHA L1 West Championships, exhibitors focused on Horsemanship, Western Pleasure, Ranch Riding, and Western Riding.
In the Horsemanship arena, the L1 Youth Walk Trot exhibitors were there to compete in the first class of day, and even though they were there to win, as always, they managed to make everyone smile. Sloane Weakly grabbed the top spot with “Faith,” and she stopped to chat with the EC about why she loves this mare:
Sloane Weakly and Western Maiden win L1 Walk Trot Horsemanship at L1 West Championships!
L1 Youth Walk Trot Horsemanship:
1
Western Maiden/Cress; Emma
Weakly; Sloane (E)
2
Jets Principle Star/Wright; Jarod W
Wright; Kennedy Grace (E)
3
Capital TLR/Strayer; Martin/Emily
Strayer; Violet (E)
4
Daisy Deusen On Ice/Dabelich; Daniella
Dabelich; Daniella (E)
5
WW Sudden Impulse/Wilson; Alexis
Wilson; Alexis (E)
6
Lopin A Flatline/Johnson-Honea; Bridgette C
Honea; Kenzie (E)
Rookie Youth Western Horsemanship
1
Dont Doubt Im Hot/Parker; Mylie
Parker; Mylie (E)
2
Jimmie Buffet/Pipkin; Hannah Kate
Pipkin; Hannah Kate (E)
3
Cuz Im Sleepy/Warren; Piper Rae
Warren; Piper Rae (E)
4
Zippin On Goodlove/Stinnett; Paytyn C
Stinnett; Paytyn C (E)
5
Martinis In The Dark/Davis; Abbey
DAVIS; DELANEY (E)
6
Huntin Hot Blazes/Perez; Tawny
Perez; Tawny (E)
In the L1 Youth Western Horsemanship 13 & Under, Chesney Watkins won his first neck ribbon with his new horse, “George.” Learn why they work so well together in this delightful interview with Chesney:
L1 Youth Western Horsemanship 13 & Under
1
The Company You Keep/Watkins; Chesney Jay
Watkins; Chesney Jay (E)
2
Pawn Star/Ranch At Union Hill LLC
Amala; Rose (E)
3
Jimmie Buffet/Pipkin; Hannah Kate
Pipkin; Hannah Kate (E)
4
RRed Solo Cup /Finney; Sarah L
Finney; Macy Kaye (E)
5
Lopin All Night Long/Johnson; Sid &/Or Charlene
Honea; Dakota N (E)
6
Shyne On Me/Jersin; Ava
Jersin; Ava (E)
L1 Youth Western Horsemanship 14 – 18
1
Dont Doubt Im Hot/Parker; Mylie
Parker; Mylie (E)
2
Betcha Want This/Lee; Catherine
Lee; Delaney (E)
3
Only One At The Bar/Mcknight; Ayana
Mcknight; Ayana (E)
4
Take Me Home Tonite/Saenz; Bailey
Saenz; Bailey (E)
5
Open Bar/Gonifas; Jessica A
Gonifas; Nicholas Brady (E)
6
Irwins Lil Bit Purdy/Farnsworth; Megan
Farnsworth; Megan (E)
Then Western Pleasure started off with the Youth Walk Trot crowd, and they brought their game! Abby Hokana won the Championship with “Oliver,” and her grandma, Trainer Dana Hokana, explains why this win means so much due what happened at the 2022 AQHA L1 West Championship:
Last year, Dana explains that Abby had just won the horsemanship on Remenic N Poco, aka “Remi.” Then they got ready to enter the Walk Jog Western Pleasure. “We’d switched saddles around and somebody had accidentally left the Palomino’s number on, and so Abby went in the pen and had the greatest go with the wrong number. They let her complete the class because she was a youth. Afterward, she had to keep her heart right,” Dana explains.
It paid off in her win today. Abby adds, “I love Oliver – he’s probably one of my favorites!”
L1 Youth Walk Trot Western Pleasure
1
Titos And Tonic/Hokana; Dana
Hokana; Abby (E)
2
Movin The Chains/Rodriguez; Kaci A
Knight; Saige (E)
3
WW Sudden Impulse/Wilson; Alexis
Wilson; Alexis (E)
4
Gotta Cadillac Mac/Spencer’s Quarter Horses
Carleo; Adelena (E)
5
Rock Solo/Echols; Kelly Brian
Mann-Echols; Ember (E)
6
Daisy Deusen On Ice/Dabelich; Daniella
Dabelich; Daniella (E)
Rookie Youth Western Pleasure
1
Hope Shezawillysstar/Wilson; Deanna / Dennis
Wilson; Sophia (E)
2
AJ Shes Surely Foxy/Rowe; Milana Elizabeth
Rowe; Milana Elizabeth (E)
3
Huntin Hot Blazes/Perez; Tawny
Perez; Tawny (E)
4
Good N Thirsty/Boettcher; Chase
Rathburn; Katie (E)
5
Exx/Martinez; Josh
Martinez; K-lee (E)
L1 Youth Western Pleasure 13 & Under
1
Jimmie Buffet/Pipkin; Hannah Kate
Pipkin; Hannah Kate (E)
2
Justa Machine/Graves; Emme Grace
Graves; Emme Grace (E)
3
Pawn Star/Ranch At Union Hill LLC
Amala; Rose (E)
4
Sweet Southern Susie/Renfro; Meghan Christine
Renfro; Meghan Christine (E)
5
Signature Absolute/HALORANCH
Brown; Hailey (E)
6
Got My Zipper Stuck/Johnson-Honea; Bridgette C
Honea; Dakota N (E)
L1 Youth Western Pleasure 14-18
1
Jesica Rabbit/Chavez; Alexandra
Renfro; Madison Lynn (E)
2
Livin Da Dream/Anderson; Amy
Anderson; Paisley (E)
3
Amblin Impulsion/Landau; Paige
Landau; Paige (E)
4
Lovin U For Certain/May; Audrey
May; Audrey (E)
5
Holidayz R Lazy/Bowker; Kyrah
Bowker; Kyrah (E)
6
Kabillionaire/Ledford; John
In the Equidome, exhibitors and their horses were busy doing Ranch Riding and Western Riding! In the L1 Amateur Select Ranch Riding, Kristen Wiese won the Championship spot with My Signature Line.
L1 Amateur Select Ranch Riding
1
#235 239.50
My Signature Line/Wiese; Kristen S
Wiese; Kristen S (E)
2
#192 230.50
Sail On Vintage/Walters; Jamie
Walters; Jamie (E)
3
#178 228.00
Sippin Stella/Ottman; Sharon L
Ottman; Sharon L (E)
4
#206 223.50
Red Stripe Spook/Caldemeyer; Karen
Caldemeyer; Karen (E)
5
#296 219.50
Cash McCool/Block; Lauren
Block; Lauren (E)
6
#103 219.00
Lost In Boomtown/Greene; Frances
Greene; Frances (E)
L1 Amateur Select Western Riding
1
#190 222.00
This Is Why Im Here/Layon-Watson; Linda
Layon-Watson; Linda (E)
2
#385 219.00
Hotroddin Renegade/Morton; Laura J
Morton; Laura J (E)
3
#448 217.00
Fish N In The Dark/Spayd; Kristen
Spayd; Kristen (E)
4
#120 216.50
Mugg Shot/Marlow; Jacqueline S
Marlow; Jacqueline S (E)
5
#296 210.50
Cash McCool/Block; Lauren
Block; Lauren (E)
6
#321 205.50
Rockstar N The House/PLB Investments LLC
Gardner-Barrett; Lisa J (E)
In the final class of the day in the Equidome, the L1 Amateur Western Riding, the Grobosky sisters took the Reserve and Bronze honors, and Morgan Miller earned a score of 223 with a beautiful ride with No Question Im Lazy. Morgan and “Jethro” are a new team as of December 2022, and Morgan is having a blast doing Western Riding with him. This marks their fourth show together.
“This is my first year doing Western riding and I love it! I’m addicted to it and I think it’s so much fun,” Morgan says. “I’ll go take him out for a ride-a-round, and Troy (her trainer) will ask, ‘How many leads did you change?’ and I’ll say, “Just like six every time I had to reverse – that’s it!” she laughs. “It’s my favorite class now.”
L1 Amateur Western Riding
1
#457 223.00
No Question Im Lazy/Miller; Morgan
Miller; Morgan (E)
2
#295 215.50
Accidental Zipper/Grobosky; Bridget
Grobosky; Bridget (E)
3
#318 212.00
Lazy In The Dark/Grobosky; Brook Renee
Grobosky; Brook Renee (E)
4
#413 211.00
CR Candy Bar/COOMBS; PATTI
Coombs; Cristin (E)
5
#252 209.50
My Own Cowboy Story/Orsan; Rana Salah
Orsan; Rana Salah (E)
6
#221 209.50
U Got It/Wilson; Susan Stricklin
Kravitz; Sabrina Wilson (E)
We also have a great set of candid photos from Thursday:
