AQHA World Champions Include Stubbs, Ratkowski, Fein

By: Brittany Bevis

Today’s classes at the 2020 AQHA World Show have been all about the high flying action of the Hunter-Jumper variety. A very emotional Tammy Fein won her first World Championship in Select Working Hunter with Al I Ever Needed.

“Bruno” is a 2013 gelding by Allocate Your Assets and out of Archetta, a Thoroughbred mare. Tammy has owned him for three years now. This is Tammy’s first golden globe, and she is beyond thrilled. “I was hoping,” she says. “I wanted it badly. We’ve worked really hard, and it was like a dream come true.”

Earlier in the show, Bruno also helped Tammy win a bronze trophy in L1 Select Working Hunter. In addition, Robert Stucky rode Bruno to win L2 Senior Working Hunter and L2 Senior Hunter Hack.

“I started riding when I was eleven and then got into Quarter Horses,” she says. “I had one of my first horses with Sandy Vaughn when I was a youth, and I went to the Youth World and was tenth in 14-18 Hunter Hack. Then, after that, I went to college and took a hiatus and just came back to it about four or five years ago. Now, I’ve come full circle and am with Sandy again.”

What made the difference in today’s class? “For me, it was finally doing what they told me to do, because I tend to pull on him and don’t find the distance right. I didn’t do that this time, and let him do his job and didn’t mess with him. It all went magically. It was beyond expectations.”

“I think he likes jumping. He has a really bright expression, and he jumps really nicely. He has good form, and I think it’s one of his better events.”

Reserve was Pam Stubbs with A Classic Iron. Third was Jeanine Benowitz with Kiss My Blues Away. Fourth was Pam Stubbs with DGS Don’t Tell Tales. Fifth was Tricia Sarchett with Real Good Reason.

The winner of Amateur Eq Over Fences was Morgan Ratkowski with Better Buy The Minit. Reserve was Hannah Bedwell with Desert Party. Third was Alexis Parisek with Truly Authentic. Fourth was Trina McCarroll with Get Me To Hollywood. Fifth was Samantha Roper with Al Betcha Wanna Look.

This team was also the Amateur Hunter Hack World Champions yesterday and placed fifth in Amateur Working Hunter. Morgan and her 15-year-old gelding, “Murray,” have been a team for eight years now. What has helped this consistent performer maintain excellence for so many years is Morgan’s riding philosophy that’s focused on keeping her horse happy. “He gets pissed off when the horse trailer leaves the barn without him. He loves showing. The ring is his happy place.”

“Linda Crothers helps me at the shows, but Murray stays at home with me. We don’t jump very much. We’ve been focusing on Equitation on the Flat and keeping him fit and happy. We jump maybe a couple times a month, if that. I let Murray be Murray. They only have so many jumps in them, so we try to save them for when they count.”

Morgan’s favorite classes are Equitation and Equitation On The Flat, because she prefers a more challenging course. “I like the more challenging courses with the turns and doing the Equitation on the flat as well. There is a lot more decision-making involved.”

“Murray is really soft and effortless over the jumps and has a great canter. Everything is very smooth and rhythmic. He has a great shape and floats over the jumps.”

The winner of Select Equitation Over Fences was Pam Stubbs with A Classic Iron. Reserve was Jeanne Benowitz with Kiss My Blues Away. Third was Jo Ann Niffenegger with SG Rich N Royal. Fourth was Tammy Fein with Al I Ever Needed. Fifth was Terrie Booth with Dancin N The Dirt.

Pam has had a great show so far winning Select Equitation Over Fences with A Classic Iron, as well as placing Reserve in Select Hunter Hack and Select Working Hunter. Then, with DGS Don’t Tell Tales, she won Select Hunter Hack and placed fourth in Select Working Hunter.

A Classic Iron, aka “Dickens,” lives up to his name, according to Pam. “Linda Crothers started him as a four year-old, so now she’s reuniting with him again. It’s the perfect name for him. He has a lot of personality, and he lets you know exactly what he’s thinking at all times. He’s very visual and uses a lot of noises, like he sucks his tongue in the line up. I’ve had him since he was four, and he’s eleven this year. He’s a great horse, and I will have him forever.”

Pam has owned DGS Don’t Tell Tales, aka “Dillon,” for two years. “He’s a dream horse. He’s so fun to ride and is very quiet. He’s easy to get to the ring, and he’s big and tall.”

“He just picked up Pleasure Driving this year since we weren’t showing due to COVID. I called Lainie DeBoer and said I’d like to train him to drive because I would like for him to be a contender for the Super Horse title in the future. So he will be in Pleasure Driving with Michael Hoyt. Kevin Dukes and a very good combined driver have been working with him at home. He’s green at it still, but he’s taken to it very well.”