DIY Amateur Jill Cossu wins Amateur Walk Trot Showmanship with Strait Cash

At the 2023 APHA World Championship show on June 30th, DIY Amateur Jill Cossu was making a name for herself in the Watt Arena.

After she and her mare, Strait Cash, were crowned World Champions in the Amateur Walk Trot Showmanship, and she revealed that she is at the APHA World Show stalled by herself and is being supported by her husband.

Jill bought Strait Cash at 5 months old and raised and trained her as a DIY Amateur.  “No one else has ever touched her, she explains.  “I do some clinics and watch a lot online, watch all the livestream shows and pick up tips from the best of the best.”

She says her only claim to fame before this was as the winner at the Wisconsin State 4H Championship in 1979, and Tim Gillespie was Reserve.  “Until I bought her in 2010 I didn’t know he made his livelihood later as a trainer,” says Jill.

Originally, Strait Cash was kind of a backyard pet, purchased because she was related to Jill’s old show mare, Skip A Bee, by Hank A Chief.

“We had her as kind of a backyard pet, and then we decided to start showing her at open shows, then Paint shows,” explains Jill.  “I do it all on my own, and it’s a lot – but it’s worth it to realize this kind of dream.”

Results for Jill’s class, Amateur Walk Trot Showmanship:

1

STRAIT CASH/COSSU; JILL A

COSSU; JILL A (E)

2

ONLY HUNTIN A PARTY/FLEMING; KATE

FLEMING; KATE (E)

3

RK FEARLESS N LAZY/SIMPTER; LAURIE

SIMPTER; LAURIE (E)

4

WOW WHATA INVESTMENT/HUNGATE; JENNIFER A

HUNGATE; JENNIFER A (E)

5

HUNTING FOR LAZY LUV/STEPHAN; MARY KELLNER

STEPHAN; MARY KELLNER (E)

6

SIRTAIN KINDA DREAM/BROWN; DANA L

BROWN; DANA L (E)