Australian Youth Will Compete at First and Final AQHA Youth World Thanks to Ackerman Family Generosity

UPDATE: Keep an eye out for Taylah and Dolly this morning in Showmanship preliminaries draw #104.

By: Rita McMullen

When Brenda and John Ackerman of McHenry, Maryland purchased their mare, A Krysum Chevy, at the Congress Super Sale in 2013, they had no idea what this mare would accomplish. Their first surprise came in 2014, when they were presented with a Rod’s Western work saddle, which was awarded to the Congress sale horse that acquired the most AQHA points following the sale. The accomplishments continued when Brenda earned her Amateur Champion with “Dolly” in 2015. The mare then earned her Open Champion in 2016 with help from Amanda Specht, trainer at Intrepid Show Horses, Somerset, PA.

“This was a mare that had only been shown a few times when we bought her. She just continued to excel as we added more events to her schedule,” Brenda says. As of May 2016, Brenda, Amanda, and Dolly have earned 87.5 Open Performance points, 24 Performance Mare points, 60 Amateur Performance points, and 28 Amateur Performance Halter Mare points in a limited number of shows. Brenda was thrilled to qualify this year for the AQHA Select World Show in Amateur Performance Mares, Amateur Trail, and Amateur Horsemanship. Dolly also qualified for the AQHA Open World Show in Performance Mares. “This mare is so willing, and we had no idea we would accomplish all these things this quickly,” Ackerman says.

In the meantime, Amanda Specht was contacted by an Australian trainer named Jesse Mathrick. Jesse had a successful youth client, Taylah Ogilvie, from Mackay, Queensland, Australia who qualified for the AQHYA World Show in multiple events. However, due to the huge expense of importing Taylah’s horse to the United States to compete, Jesse was trying to locate a Quarter Horse in the USA under an International Lease so Taylah would be able to attend her first and final AQHYA Show in Oklahoma City. Amanda Specht immediately thought of Dolly and approached Brenda and John Ackerman about the possibility of lending her to Taylah.

Brenda and John are believers in paying it forward and like to help others. They have always been strong supporters of the youth program. “We believe it was fate for Taylah and us to find each other,” Brenda says. “We were happy to help Taylah realize her dream and so glad that Dolly has the opportunity to show at the AQHYA World.”

There is also another connection to Australia. Dolly’s father, OHK Krysum Zip, is currently standing at stud in Australia and his owners have stayed in touch with the Ackerman family.

Once the approval process began, only five weeks remained for Taylah to raise the funds for her trip to the World Show in Oklahoma City. As a determined youth with her goal in sight, she raised funds through several fundraisers and from generous donations from her Australian horse friends. EDIT

“Coming to the USA to show at the AQHYA World and having the opportunity to ride Dolly has been a dream come true for me,” Taylah says. She arrived in Somerset, PA at the Specht residence on July 25th with her Australian trainer, Kelly Couzner, partner with Mathrick Show Horses, and was able to show with the Intrepid Show Horse family at the Winfield, West Virginia Quarter Horse Show. Taylah was able to show Dolly for the first time in novice youth classes under a permit and was Grand Champion Halter Mare and picked up a total of 13 points in Showmanship, Trail, and Horsemanship, under the guidance of Amanda Specht. Following a week of boot camp with Amanda, the Intrepid team departed for Oklahoma City where Taylah will compete in Youth Performance Mares, Showmanship, and Trail. (UPDATE: Taylah and Dolly placed 8th in Performance Halter Mares!)

“I want to thank everyone who has helped me to get to the AQHYA World show: the Ackerman’s for letting me show Dolly, Amanda Specht for her help and hospitality, and all of the great people I have met so far,” Tahlyah says.

Taylah is looking forward to seeing her Dad when he flies into Oklahoma City to watch her show and to do some touring after the show. “I plan to return to Amanda’s in Somerset, PA and stay. Hopefully, I would like to show at the Quarter Horse Congress in Columbus in October.” She would also like to return to the USA next year and explore her options of bringing her horse too. Good luck to Taylah and Dolly as they compete at the AQHYA World show in Oklahoma City.