Stephanie Lynn and Ride The Blue Sky Win Senior Pleasure Driving at QH Congress

By: Brittany Bevis

Stephanie Ann Lynn was in the driver’s seat of the first Congress Champion of the morning, Ride The Blue Sky, in Senior Pleasure Driving for owner Linda Lindsey and trainer Kevin Dukes. “Star” is an eight-year-old, grey gelding by Skys Blue Boy who won a Reserve Congress Championship last year at the Congress with Dukes in the cart.Lynn drove Star for the first time just two days ago, and she was very pleased with the performance he delivered today in a tough pen of horses.

“I always joke, because I drive a lot for Kevin, that I assess my horses to see if I have a horse that can beat him,” Lynn says. “Because that’s all I really care about; if I have a horse good enough to beat Kevin, I could get a trophy!”

All joking aside, Star’s owner was full of praise for Lynn’s expert driving skills. “She did an excellent job, to say the least,” Lindsey says. “I’m a driver, but I haven’t showed him yet. Hopefully, I will next year.”

While a class requiring such complex equipment might be intimidating to some, Lynn says it’s no different than piloting a truly talented horse in any other event.

“It’s a lot of equipment, and it’s a lot of work,” Lynn says. “But, like anything, when the horses are good at their job, it’s just plain fun. This horse is broke nicely; he responds very well; and he’s broke in the cart. When you feel that little extra loft in the cart, it’s just kind of a kick. It’s like riding a good one or changing leads on a good one.”

“I got a little boxed in to the right in my road gait, but it was a different class to the left. I had my spacing right on, and he showed really good. I was worried [the judges] would go for the fastest one, but I kind of had to play the horse I had, and it worked out well.”

Senior Pleasure Driving–

1-Ride The Blue Sky/Stephanie Lynn

2-Tonights Honor/Lee Paul Shinn

3-Dirty Sexy Money/Brian Holmes

4-PS Blaze of Honor/Julie O’Brien

5- Go Big Sky/Chuck Briggs