Alex Chavez Wins First Congress Championship With Rock County Kid in Maturity Ltd. NP WP

By: Brittany Bevis

Alex Chavez achieved a milestone today at the 2017 Quarter Horse Congress when she was named the Champion in the Maturity Non Pro Limited Western Pleasure with Rock County Kid. The win marked Alex’s first Congress Championship title, and she’s elated. “It feels amazing!” she exclaims.

“We bought him last year just after the World Show from Sharnai, who, you know is a tough act to follow. She’s a beautiful rider and has been riding a lot longer than I have, but he’s such a good boy. He makes it so fun.”

Alex first took notice of Rock County Kid when he was being campaigned by Rusty Green and Sharnai Thompson during 2014 when he was named the NSBA Horse of the Year. “He’s always kind of been in the family, and he always will be. He’s so cool.”

Despite a very tough pen of horses this afternoon, Alex wasn’t nervous at all heading in to the finals. “I actually really don’t get nervous. I get excited. I think I would be nervous if I didn’t feel prepared, but he’s so good and so honest every time you show him. He’s fun. My only thing, in this pen, is that I feel really large. He’s definitely the biggest horse in the pen, so I have to make sure I keep my rail spot.”

Assisting Alex with preparations for today’s class was her Dream Team of Troy Lehn, Maggie Grandquist, and Jenna Hyde. “I was really excited, because we basically had four horses in there: Alana Collingsworth with Good Like Jagger, Bill Cosentino with Hot Lopin Goodbar, and Cindy Cosentino with Hot Lopin Cowboy. So it was fun that all of Maggie’s customers made it back to the finals. I think that says a lot.”

Alex is very complementary to everyone on her team, but specifically notes how Maggie has helped teach her to maintain control of her horse’s body position with her legs. “Maggie has really helped me with control, making sure my horse is listening to my legs, and not being just a passenger. She’s taught me how to communicate with my horse though my legs. I think that’s huge. In the prelims, I had a horse break in front of me. If you get in a situation like that, and don’t have good control with your horse at all moments, that’s when things can go awry.”

Luckily, Alex’s training served her well, and she was able to show her horse off the rail when necessary. “With him being so big, I had to understand that it’s ok to pass. It’s ok to go around somebody, but it takes confidence to do that. I would love to show him off the rail the whole time, but I feel there’s a happy medium.”

Coming up next, Maggie will show Rocky County Kid in Senior Western Pleasure and the Western Pleasure Maturity. Later, Alex will show in the Non Pro Open Maturity as well.

The Reserve Champion in a close finish was Abi Tuiasosopo with Lexus Made Lady. Third was Cheryl Mullikin with Km Call Me Honey. Fourth was Courtney Archer with A Good N Hot Machine. Fifth was Kylee Wiesman with RR Magical Moonlite.