UPDATE: Habighorst Men Take Top Two Spots in Amateur Aged Geldings and Grand and Reserve

UPDATE: Just moments ago, both of these gentlemen were named Grand and Reserve Champions. The Grand Champion Amateur Gelding, by unanimous decision, was RPL My Te Cheerful and the Reserve Grand Champion was Boys N Toys. Congratulations!

By: Brittany Bevis

The father/son team of Vern and Jeff Habighorst dominated the field taking the top two spots in the Amateur Aged Geldings class this afternoon at the 2014 All American Quarter Horse Congress. Jeff was named the Congress Champion with RPL My Te Cheerful, and Vern was named the Reserve Congress Champion with Boys N Toys.

Thus far, when adding up the titles won by the Habighorst men, Vern’s granddaughters, Monica and Kaylee Hamm, and trainer Joe Engle, the team has accumulated a whopping 24 trophies at this Quarter Horse Congress. Always a humble competitor, Vern only has three words to say, “That’s pretty good.”

Not only did Jeff win today with RPL My Te Cheerful, aka “Henry,” he led the Amateur Grand Champion Mare just the other day, Miss Kittee. That win was particularly special because the last time Jeff won a Congress Grand Champion title was in 1999 with a gelding named Im Mr Right.

Both gentlemen will be returning to compete in the Grand and Reserve class this afternoon. After doing the math, it looks like they will be needing an additional handler… Earlier in the day, Jeff was named the Reserve Champion with the 2-year-old gelding Be A Gunslinger.

After this last Grand and Reserve class of the All American Quarter Horse Congress, the Habighorst clan will head to Oklahoma City for the AQHA World Championship Show with nine horses, six of which competed here at the Congress.

Amateur Aged Geldings-

1- RPL My Te Cheerful/Jeff Habighorst

2-Boys N Toys/Vern Habighorst

3-Intoxikating/Vicki Shawver

4-Ugonnakissmeornot/Keitha Stutzman

5-Vincenzo Zini/Peter Cofrancesco