Congress Open Grand Champion Mare and Reserve Grand Champion Gelding For Frank Berris

By: Brittany Bevis

It’s been a good first week at the All American Quarter Horse Congress for longtime AQHA competitor, Frank Berris. First, his 2-year-old mare, Bee Jewelled, won a Congress Championship title in her age division with Ross Roark at the lead. Then, she came back and was named the Open Grand Champion Mare.

“That was probably the greatest set of horses,” Berris says. “It was such an honor to go Grand with a two-year-old, when there were aged mares out there that had won World Championships and Congress Grand Championships.”

For Berris, his love affair with “the most beautiful horse” he’s ever seen, began right here last year at the Congress. “I fell in love with her when I saw Jason Smith showing her in Yearling Mares. Ross was showing another horse, and I couldn’t wait until he came over to the rail so I could tell him that I wanted to buy that filly. She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I bought her when she was getting ready to go in Grand and Reserve. I shook Jason’s hand right then and said, ‘Sold!’ Her then-owner Joy Stehney was crying, because she still loves this mare.”

Following a quick purchase and name change on her papers, Berris took Bee Jewelled back into the Amateur Yearling Mares and was named Congress Champion. “She wasn’t qualified for the World Show that year, so I had to go to Des Moines, Iowa to get her qualified in June. I needed like four points, because I’d won some at the Congress. There were six judges and we won 52 points and were all Grand Champion in amateur and open. Ross thinks this is the best mare he’s ever had in his life.”

Then, today, Ross Roark led another Berris-owned horse, It’s Gameday, to win a tough Aged Geldings class. Later, they returned to be named Reserve Grand Champion Gelding behind Tom Robertson and Coos Me In The Dark.

For Berris, “Gameday’s” accomplishment is especially sweet because 2016 is his first year competing as an aged horse. “He’s the most well-balanced horse I’ve ever had. Now, this is the first time we had to show with the big boys, and we beat them today. It was pretty cool!”

It’s Gameday is no stranger to the winner’s circle. “He’s the only horse, that I know of, that’s won the World Show as a weanling, yearling, two-year-old, and three-year-old, and now we’re going to show in aged,” Berris says. “He’s a six-time World Champion and probably a seven-time Congress Champion between amateur and open.

“He’s so well-balanced. Basically, he’s the only horse I’ve ever had that doesn’t have a hole. He’s just perfect. He’s not the biggest horse out there, but Ross has him so fit. He’s done a great job. He looks better than he ever has, and he’s maturing.”