“Hunter Hack is the introductory class. It’s judged 70% on those three jumps, so they have to be pretty, darn good. Consistency is the big thing. They have to canter well, and I have a specific look that I like. They have to be low to the ground, be real forward, and be really good with their head and neck. He’s got that.”

“I had some of my friends give me a pep talk and some suggestions, and I went out and put all that in play. I got my confidence and his confidence back, and I felt great about it today.”

This win marks the 14th time a Highpoint Performance Horses team has won Senior Western Riding at the World Show. That’s quite the reign. “If I was lucky enough to win next year, I would retire from Western Riding,” Martin says. “It would be nice to be able to end on the top. There aren’t as many horses that are as good as Troy.”

“He goes a lot like my horses back home. It was like a match made in heaven. I loved him. His ride today was soft and it felt like every distance was exactly the same. He jumped amazing.”

“This horse and I kind of go at it,” he says. “She’s got a streak in her. It’s good cop, bad cop, that we play sometimes, and it’s taken some softening with her and I. We stuck by her. There was a time when we weren’t going to do that much more with her, but we just all worked together, and kept going, and it paid off.”

Despite his many titles, Vickie says Sly has never been unanimous, until today. “Ted was excited about that, and he loves this horse. Every time he goes in the arena, with anybody, he gets stuff done.”

“Once upon a time, my grandpa said that if I ever had a good enough horse, that I should have Gene fit it. That always resonated with me.”

To bring Gerri Leigh back to the show pen, after a 30-year absence, it’s clear that Willie Nelson is one very special creature indeed. Serendipitously, both Gerri Leigh and Kevin were thinking of exactly the same horse, when it came time to look for a prospect. 

Cool Cruzen Lady, came out on top once again in Junior Western Riding tonight at the 2018 AQHA World Show. Last year, the 4-year-old mare by VS Flatline and out of Suddenly A Cool Lady, nicknamed “Hazel,” broke the Junior Western Riding World Show record with a score of 232. This year, she improved upon her performance scoring a 235. 

“It’s a really hard class when you get into the intricacies of it. You have to really study it and know it’s all about timing, feel, and rhythm. The hardest thing is developing timing and making sure your horse is in the correct position for the change.”