Florida Gold Coast Kicks Off New Year With 11,000 Entries- Click Here For Results and Photos
Angela Wade with A Soxy Dream
By: Brittany Bevis
The 2017 Florida Gold Coast wrapped up the New Year in spectacular fashion with more than 11,000 total entries, according to show management team, An Equine Production. The final tally shows more than 8,300 AQHA entries were recorded, which is an increase of 450 over 2016.
Judging the Florida Gold Coast, which took place December 28-31 at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center in Tampa, Florida, were Jon Barry, Kelly Chapman, Jeff Greaves, Mark Russell, Clay MacLeod, Chris Jones, Karen Banister, Buddy Fisher, Rod Safty, Carla Wennberg, Tom McBeath, and Karen Graham. With a new schedule for 2017 including even more leveled classes, the event brought out a host of competitors from across the country.
Here’s just a sampling of some of the large class sizes at the show.
- L1 Western Pleasure- 16
- L1 Senior Trail- 18
- L1 Youth Trail- 20
- Amateur Horsemanship- 22
- L1 Youth Horsemanship- 23
- 14-18 Horsemanship- 29
- L1 Horsemanship- 30
- L2 Junior Trail- 34
- L2 Senior Trail- 37
- L1 Junior Trail- 44
Click here to view results from S/C 1.
Click here to view results from S/C 2.
Click here to view Circuit Champions and High Point winners.
Phelps Media Group- Winner’s Circle
Reese Braden (Lake Geneva, Wisconsin) and Lazy Lovin – L1 Youth Walk/Trot High Point winner
On riding Lazy Lovin: “I’ve been riding [Lazy Lovin] for two and a half years. She doesn’t like getting up in the morning, so she can be a little naughty, but I love riding her.”
On being the High Point winner: “I am happy that I won, but if I didn’t win I would still be happy because my horse did really well and I know that you can’t win all of the time. This is my biggest win. I’ve gotten high-point awards before, but this is the biggest.”
Steve Meadows (Staunton, Virginia) and Wimpys Major Affair, owned by John Martin Falls – VRH Open High Point winner
On competing at the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit: “I’ve been coming here for a long time – since I was a kid – well over 20 years! We brought our daughter here to compete in leadline and now she’s a freshman in college.”
On winning a High Point award: “The competition here was incredible. The classes were a good size. This is one of the major circuits in the country so anytime you can come out of here with a win, it’s a great way to end the year and start the next one.”
On competing in Versatility: “We like the cowboy aspect of the Versatility classes. I started specializing in it about three years ago. The horses like their jobs and it’s a lot of fun to do. It’s easy to teach because the people like to do it.”
Scott Allen Reinartz (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) and Investin A Goodbar – Amateur High Point winnerOn winning a High Point award: “Every time you win it’s a blessing because you are competing against talented competitors who travel and show hard. Everyone is worthy of it so it’s a great honor when you do get to win it.”
On Investin A Goodbar: “He was great. We were a little rusty from the [AQHA World Championship Show], but he performed really well. He does whatever I ask him. The problem is that I don’t always ask him correctly.”
Shayne Gilliam
Rebecca ‘Shayne’ Gilliam (Greensburg, Indiana) and Motion By Pro – Small Fry Showmanship circuit champion
On riding Motion By Pro: “[Motion By Pro] is very smooth to ride. He’s fun. He is so good in equitation. He is really cool and is a really good boy. I like to ride him.”
Jason Gilliam – Shayne’s father
On Motion By Pro: “He is a very special horse. He is a world champion, reserve world champion and [All American Quarter Horse Congress] champion. We got him when he was 19 years old and he’s 30 now. He still loves his job, which makes him even more special. We retired him and then Shayne needed a horse to show. He’s the perfect horse for her to learn on so now he’s back to showing again. He’s always been a great horse.”
Megan Selvaggio (Palm City, Florida) and Elite Iron – Select Working Hunter circuit champion
On her goal to compete at the 2017 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit: “I had no background in riding at all. I started riding my daughter, Francesca’s, horse last September and had a goal to ride at this show. I always came with her and really wanted to compete here myself. So I started riding steadily, showing at the smaller shows, in preparation for the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit. This was my first big show and I won circuit champion in Select Working Hunter! It’s so exciting! I am having a blast here. I feel like a kid!”
On Elite Iron: “My horse is amazing. She takes such good care of me. She lets me mess up and just keeps going. She taught me how to jump. She has such a good disposition, is very sweet and gets along with everybody.”
Angela Wade (Wellington, Florida) and A Soxy Dream – Amateur Trail circuit champion
On coming to the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit: “I love it here. I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid – probably since I was 12 years old, and I’m 26 now. I like coming here because it is the only time we get to be at a big show that’s close to home so that’s pretty exciting. When the weather is nice, there is no place better to be. It’s a great show.”
On A Soxy Dream: “She hasn’t been shown since the [AQHA World Championship Show] and she is only 4 so I was expecting that we might have some catching up to do, but she was great. I thought the courses were challenging. They weren’t easy, but it worked out. She was a really good girl. For a 4-year-old she’s come really far and was a dream to ride.”
On the circuit win: “It’s great to close out the year with such a nice win. It’s a really great group of horses that come down here. I am very proud of her and proud of myself!”
Autumn Langworthy (Loxahatchee, Florida) and Justanaughtyplaygirl – Youth Ranch Riding, Youth VRH Ranch Trail, Youth VRH Ranch Riding, Youth VRH Ranch Reining, NSBA Youth Ranch Riding winner
On winning multiple classes: “It definitely was a surprise to win so much. I just wanted to go out and have some good rounds. I didn’t expect to win anything. My mare is pretty young – she’s only been broke about two years so this was a nice surprise.”
On the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit: “This is my first time coming to this show and it’s been a lot of fun. I was a hunter rider on the A circuit, but after I started riding cow horses, I liked it a lot better and made the switch. Ranch riding and reining are fun classes and she does really well in them.”
Lee Paul Shinn
Lee Paul Shinn (Palmetto, Florida) and Metallic Iron – Pleasure Driving winner
On competing in driving: “I’ve always liked training all-around horses and driving is a part of that process. It’s an event that I’ve always enjoyed. In addition to driving, this horse, owned by Chester and Anne Prince, does all of the hunter classes and soon he will be doing Western classes.”
On Friday’s win: “It’s special to win here because we’re in the race for the high-point national driving horse award. We were reserve at the AQHA World Championship Show and third at the [All American] Quarter Horse Congress. We’ve had a great year.”
On the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit: “I started coming to this show in 1998 from Texas. It’s a nice show. They have great show management here – Kathy Avolt and her group as well as Morrissey Management Group.”
Bruce Vickery (Pilot Point, Texas) and Talk About Lazy – L2 Senior Western Riding winner
On coming to the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit: “I have come to this show for many, many years – probably 30! Everyone wants to come to Florida. It’s a nice getaway from the weather and it’s such a fun, well run show.”
On Talk About Lazy: “She was really, really on today. Her attitude was right there and she did a really nice job. Her lead changes were effortless today. She’s owned by Hannah Clarke.”
On Friday’s win: “It was exciting to win here. The level of competition today was really high. It’s always fun to win, especially when you know that your horse has done a really good job. It’s awesome!”
Beginning today, January 2nd, and continuing through the 5th is the Florida Gulf Coast, also held in Tampa. The fun began yesterday with a free New Year’s Day clinic for Ranch Horse exhibitors. The clinic was presented by AQHA judge, Steve Meadows and AQHA Professional Horseman, Andrey Ferreir.
Click here to view a showbill for the Florida Gulf Coast.
Stay tuned to www.EquineChronicle.com for results and more fun photos from the Florida winter circuits.
Scroll below to view fun photos, courtesy of Cody Parmenter Photography.
