“Literally, I said to either Jason or Adam, who works for me, that this was like having to slay a dragon to beat Lucy. When they said [the difference was] a half point, I thought that’s what I was going to lose by.”

Erickson has had his eye on “Smokey” for the past few years and was thrilled to receive the offer to catch-drive the horse today.

When the individual judges cards were announced, the overall placings hung on the score of the last judge, John Lawrence. He requested that both of the mares be set up side by side for an up close comparison. After a few agonizing minutes, he gave the first place spot to Castle and Angie, which clinched the World Championship title.

“She and I really bonded,” Ryan says. “I wanted it for her. It’s not for me. It’s for her.”

“I won the Select World, Morgan won the Amateur World, and Ross won the Open today,” Brehm says. “We had a little clean sweep!”

“When I saw her, I couldn’t find a fault on her at all,” Ryan says.

Kathy Smallwood was all smiles this morning at the 2013 AQHA World Show when she led Fearles Defiance to a win in the Open Weanling Geldings for owner John Tan. The gelding they call “Little Fearles” is a product of three generations of breeding by this halter horse enthusiast from Sherman, Texas.

“Right now, our industry and our horses are better than they’ve ever been,” Green says.

“She’s a fabulous mover, so I think that adds a lot of eye appeal as far as her lope-overs. Pinwheels suit her style, and we had a pinwheel in both directions.”

In a fun turn of events, Vickery claimed his World Championship title just before midnight on Tuesday, November 19th. As a result, he celebrated the first hours of his birthday on Wednesday, November 20th, doing interviews and taking win photos. Congratulations and Happy Birthday!