Back In The Saddle and First N Line
Congratulations to Kathryn de Vries on the Purchase of Multiple World & Congress Champion First N Line!
Image of Kathryn and Kenny – Cody Parmenter Photography
By Delores Kuhlwein
Most of us – maybe all of us – as horse people know that horses are the best remedy for just about anything.
Longtime exhibitor and champion Kathryn de Vries has had a rough couple of years, she admits, and she had drifted away from riding and showing riders. “It’s so easy to let everyday life choose your path!”
But her friends came to her rescue, encouraging her to just jump back in it – “to just RIDE!” Kathryn happily exclaims.
And this was how 8X World/Reserve APHA Champion and Multiple AQHA Congress Champion First N Line (AQHA)/Im First N Line (APHA) came to be Kathryn’s next show horse, purchased from Amy Smith.
Kathryn has been a fan of the 2011 chestnut gelding by RL Best of Sudden and out of Sheiks Bodys Hot, also known as “Kenny,” ever since he became a Congress Champion in Junior Western Riding with Shannon Watters in 2016, back when Kathryn was also showing quite a bit.
She has also witnessed how successful his whole career has been for “all the people who have been part of his journey and for whom he helped make dreams come true. He’s a soldier and an old soul; he has been great from the first ride and ridiculously fun; I’ve ridden him more in the last few weeks than I have in the last year, my body is making me pay for it, but it’s been so fun!”
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- Kenny has made many dreams come true in his career!
Another perk of Kenny’s, on top of all his amazing attributes, is his double registry status. Kathryn explains, “Because he’s a double and I decided to keep the longe liner I have from this year (All The Money) who is a double, too, so I am looking forward to expanding into the Paint scene a bit more, but still will definitely try to hit the majors as my time allows and we are ready for. I’m excited to show him in Vegas at the APHA Western National Championship coming up – it’s been a while since I’ve shown on the West Coast!
When Kathryn is asked if there is a support team of trainers, family, or friends she wishes to mention, without hesitation, she answers, “ALL OF THEM! My besties, Rose and Hilary, for pushing me to do this; Calli, Jeff, and James for being so great at throwing it all together so quickly and for making all the spinning parts work out so well. And also to Todd with all my halter horses, Nick and Carmen with my mare League Of Her Own that’s been doing great in the trail – they get that this is something I needed to do to just get myself back into it.”
Congratulations, Kathryn! We can’t wait to watch you having fun and showing Kenny!
