2023 AQHA World Show Saturday Winners – November 11th

November 12, 2023 | Filed under: Around The Ring Galleries,Featured,Show Results & Gallery | Posted by: Delores Kuhlwein

On Saturday afternoon, November 11th, April Gentry and Hez Simply Western won the finals of the L3 Select Amateur Horsemanship at the 2023 AQHA World Championship Show!

See our Q & A with April and “Jay” below:

Q: Would you say this the best show you’ve had with Hez Simply Western?

We didn’t get to show a lot this year due to a whole lot of reasons, and a couple of years ago, we did win this together. It was a little rough last year – I got hurt, so we didn’t get to perform the way we can.

This year, it just feels good to get to redeem ourselves and do what we can do.

Are patterns your favorite discipline, and if so, why?

Absolutely! This has been my favorite class since I was a kid – it’s the intricacies, the preciseness, it’s the “shaping it up” in the arena for what’s best for my horse and for how I ride – and really just trying to perform and having to adjust on the fly, because you don’t always get what you expect when you go in there, and you’ve got to make the best of what you have that day.

That’s what I love about the horsemanship; you have to really trust your animal, go out there and prepare, and then go out there and perform.

Why is Jay your ideal pattern horse?

People who know the Dress Westerns know they are very sharp, and they very much have opinions of their own, and he is so fun because the minute I ask him, he gives me. Now, he will test me, but he will give me. That’s what I love about him is he’s so responsive, but he will really give me everything he has the minute we walk in the pen.

Complete results for L3 Amateur Select Horsemanship Finals: