Abbey Rawlings of Australia Wins 11 and Under Western Pleasure With Iza Classy Chassy at Her First Congress

By: Brittany Bevis

The international contingent is certainly racking up the awards at the 2013 Quarter Horse Congress. In the Novice Youth 14-18 Hunter Under Saddle, Leonie Fischer of Germany won a Congress Championship title with Naturally Graceful. In the very next class, 11 and Under Western Pleasure, Abbey Rawlings of Australia won her first Congress Championship title aboard Iza Classy Chassy.

This is Rawlings’s first time competing here at the Congress and her fifth show in the United States. Earlier in the year, she traveled to the Virginia Classic, Tom Powers, Big A, NSBA World Show, and AQHA Youth World.

“It’s very different from back home, and I really enjoy it over here,” she says. “It’s really bigger and they have a lot better stuff. There is more competition.”

Currently in Australia, it is a quarter past six on Saturday morning. Rawlings says many of her friends got up early to watch the competition on the live feed.

“A couple of mum’s friends and a couple of my friends are watching,” she says. “I was really nervous, but [Jay and Kristy Starnes said to] just go out there and ride. They said, “You’re a winner no matter what happens.’ “

Rawlings was very pleased with her ride on her three-year-old mare named “Freckles.” Although you might think it would be nerve-wracking for a youth to show such a young horse, Rawlings prefers it that way.

“I love showing babies, especially her,” she says. “I just reckon she’s my type. We match together; we’re both small. She was really good. I really enjoyed it. I think it was perfect.”

Not only is this Rawlings’s first Congress Championship title, she also won her first trophy saddle in the class today, courtesy of Blue Ribbon Custom Tack. She will be going home with a host of other awards as well, such as a Congress bronze, NSBA trophy, and Congress jacket. There’s just one problem… How will she get it all back home?

“We will pack it in suitcases,” she says. “I won’t take my saddle on the airplane.”

Because Rawlings has been spending so much time in the United States this year, she has her schoolwork sent over from Australia. When she gets back home, she will have plenty of goodies to take in for show and tell.

“They understand, and they think it’s really good for me over here that I’m in grade six,” she says. “There is good education over here.”

Congratulations to Jay and Kristy Starnes and the entire Rawlings family on this deserved win at their first Quarter Horse Congress.

11 and Under Western Pleasure-

1-Iza Classy Chassy/Abbey Rawlings

2-Valentine Version/Natalie Vargo

3-OK Pulse Me/Grace Giorgia Medows

4-Zippin Gold Nugget/Maddox Murphy

5-Jusat Zippo/Millie Anderson

6-Too Lazy To Zip/Lauren Carnahan

7-Invitation To Dream/Madison Burlett

8-Lets Talk About AOK/Shea Graham

9-A Good Order/Jessica Mcallister

10-Lord Whata Bonanza/Klair Merrell