Jiminy Cricket and Anthony Montes win 2024 AQHA 3 YO Versatility Challenge
Saturday night’s versatility challenge at the 2024 AQHA World Championship Show, sponsored by Super Sires, was the most-watched class to date, with 26,000 viewers online, and the class that showcases the versatility of the three-year-old American Quarter Horse.
Contestants and their three-year-olds showed in three classes in the Jim Norick Arena, with a different set of judges for each class:
-A pattern class with simplified trail and western riding maneuvers, worth 40 percent of the total score, sponsored by Cimarron Trailers.
-A western pleasure class, worth 40 percent of the total score, and sponsored by The Equine Chronicle.
-A conformation class, worth 20 percent of the total score, and sponsored by the World Conformation Horse Association.
The event boasted the largest onlie audience to date – over 26k viewers, but the stands were filled with fun-loving fans, too.
The overall winner of the class: Jiminy Cricket, by Battman and out of Two KriketsOnTheWall, with Anthony Montes for Lindsay Smaltz.
Like any great feat, Anthony Montes of Vickery Performance Horses says getting to the win was a team effort. “Charlie Cole had bought him for Lindsay and Judy at the Congress last year after he won the pleasure with Katy Jo Zuidema,” he explains. “Then Charlie sent him to me in September, and everyone played a big part in helping me to get where he is, and we all worked together and pulled it off.”
Anthony says he had been thinking about the class all day, and felt a little insecure about it, but once the event started, he knew they were ready to go, and it was all or nothing. “After the pattern, I was pretty confident, and it was very helpful to have the great foundation of the western pleasure. It has been a goal of mine to win this class and to do it for amazing people means so much to me.”
A different set of judges evaluated each segment of the event.
He explains that they had been saving Jiminy Cricket for this event, which he says “really showcases the versatility of young horses, and their talent, so it’s awesome. I’m excited about the future of this horse and especially to start the junior trail on him. So it’s going to be a fun journey as well later on.”
When the challenge was over, Anthony knew exactly what he wanted to say. “I just want to say thank you to my team and everyone that stands behind me and hopes to make all my dreams come true.”
Versatility Challenge Results
Overall
- Jiminy Cricket with Anthony Montes for Lindsay Smaltz
- First Thingz First with Aaron Moses for Katheryn Van Slyke
- The Town Bluezy with Pasley Mathis for Nettie Olsen
- Total Knockoutt with Gil Galyean for Cory Seebach/Candice Hall
- Southpointe with Jamie Hartman for Kristy McKechnie
- Ole Red with Bradley Ost for Mallory Menard
- Lopin For Maggie with Houston Huff for Debra Sharp
- Code Of Many Colors with Andrew Sharp for Steve & Tanya Relander
- The Ivy Leaguee with Ellie Schommer
- Made Headlines with Kelly McDowall for Sharon Conway
- Jack Attackk with Kristy McCann for Cory Seebach/Candice Hall – Blue Ribbon Saddle winner, sponsored by Blue Ribbon Custom Tack
Pattern
Jiminy Cricket with Anthony Montes for Lindsay Smaltz- The Town Bluezy with Pasley Mathis for Nettie Olsen
- Southpointe with Jamie Hartman for Kristy McKechnie
Western Pleasure
- First Thingz First with Aaron Moses for Katheryn Van Slyke
- Jiminy Cricket with Anthony Montes for Lindsay Smaltz
- The Town Bluezy with Pasley Mathis for Nettie Olsen
Conformation
- First Thingz First with Aaron Moses for Katheryn Van Slyke
- Total Knockoutt with Gil Galyean for Cory Seebach/Candice Hall
- Jiminy Cricket with Anthony Montes for Lindsay Smaltz
Complete results:
Pleasure Versatility Challenge Results
The pattern:
Livestream replays from AQHA: Livestream Replays – AQHA
Photos by Gordon Downey from the Versatility Challenge and from the PVC Reception, sponsored by The Equine Chronicle!
