Champions at TP Christmas Challenge Include Miller, Rippeon, Brandt, Vroegh, Achtenhagen, Miller

By: Brittany Bevis

Kicking off Hunt Seat classes at the Tom Powers Christmas Challenge and 40th anniversary show, Keith Miller rode Im Willy Good Today to win the Maturity Hunter Under Saddle. Keith was in the saddle for new owner, Erin Shapiro Boatwright, who just purchased the 4-year-old gelding called “Drake” at the AQHA World Show this year after he won Select Hunter Under Saddle with Sandra Morgan.

“This is our first horse show with him,” Keith says. “He’s big and physical. He trots huge, covers a lot of ground, and swings through his shoulder. He canters great. He’s lazy, very chill, and definitely a push ride, so we’re excited about that. He’s really easy to prepare, and he’s beautiful.”

Maddie Rippeon was in the saddle of a new horse as well, Fashion Statement, to win the Youth Hunter Under Saddle. This is their first horse show together. “We bought him a month and a half ago,” she says. “Hunter Under Saddle is our favorite class, so he’s probably happy. He’s quite the character.”

13-year-old Maddie and her 8-year-old gelding, “Romeo,” will compete in Equitation, Trail, Showmanship, and Horsemanship in the future, and they’re already getting a head start on practicing those events. “We actually won Equitation here at the show, and I’m really happy with his progress in the other events so far.”

Up next, the pair will head to the Rebud Spectacular, but first it’s back home for Christmas! Maddie is hoping she gets two miniature ponies under the tree this year…

Tyler Achtenhagen and Hold Ma Beer were the winners of the 2-Year-Old Limited Western Pleasure. Tyler has been riding “Travis” since March of this year. He’s a homebred by The Lopin Machine and out of Secrete Dreams; the horse is owned by Beth and John McNichol.

“He’s been really easy,” Tyler says. “It’s all come to him, and he’s been a blast to show. He’s really quiet. It’s only the second time we’ve ever shown him. The first was last weekend just to practice. He’s a lot of fun.”

Aneene Miller rode her home-bred Moonrageous to a very emotional win for Starland Ranch, LLC in the 50 and Over Western Pleasure and Susan Scott Memorial. As a fellow competitor of the late Susan Scott, Aneene knows how special this moment was for her family. This win is also special, because she won at the Tom Powers years ago, aboard this horse’s mother, Suddenly A Cool Lady.

“He’s a special horse, because my husband [Jim Gustafson] and I raised him,” she says. “He’s by Only In The Moonlite, and they’re usually big, lankier, and longer horses. He has a twin sister, because there were two embryos, and while his sister is more like the stallion, he is more like his mother. He got more of the RL side of things. He’s shorter and tighter. He has his mom’s temperament and a lot of his mom in him.”

Moonrageous has had an exceptional year with trainer, Aaron Moses, in the saddle. “It’s all kind of been building this year. The first time he was shown, he won the Madness, and then all of the novice horse classes that year. Then, he’s pretty much won every class he’s been in this year.”

Macy Brandt won Youth Western Pleasure with The Candy Mann, who has had great success here at the show winning the 3-Year-Old Limited Open and 3-Year-Old $2,500 Limited and was Reserve in the Limited Non Pro 3-Year-Old and 3-Year-Old Novice/Novice.

“He’s been a trooper; that’s for sure,” Macy says. “We bought him as two-year-old from Rusty and Katie Green, sight unseen. We trusted Shannon and Chris Holbin with it, and he’s been more than we ever expected. He’s made all my dreams come true for sure.”

Macy is 19 years old, so 2020 marks her final youth year, but she’s excited to delve into the all-around world as an amateur. “The plan was to sell him at the end of the year, but now we might keep him and do all-around. Western Pleasure is all I’ve ever done but he’s great at Western Riding and Trail. He showed in the Versatility class at the AQHA World Show. He was fourth in the pattern class, so that was pretty cool. He loves all-around. It’s his fun time- his break.”

Mallory Vroegh won the Non Pro 2-Year-Old Sale Stakes with The Solitaire Affair. “Raegan” is a homebred mare homebred for the Vroegh family, and she hasn’t been shown that much this year at all. “She’s only been shown at the NSBA World and this show,” Mallory says. “She’s always right there. You ask her to do something, and she’s right there for you. She’s always very honest, and that’s my favorite thing about her, honestly.”