Johnna Dobbs/Mytesly, Thomas Coon/Inexces, Larry Roberts/Secretist Are Morning Halter AQHA World Champions

By: Brittany Bevis

This morning’s Halter classes are running fast and furious at the 2017 AQHA World Show. First up, Johnna Dobbs led Mytesly to a big win in Amateur Performance Halter Geldings and the horse’s 10th career World title. Earlier in the show, trainer, Ted Turner, showed “Sly” to win the open division of the class.

“It was amazing,” she says. “It was so much fun today. I think, because it was so early, he wasn’t tired and he was ready to go. He did his thing and had fun.” This is the second year that Johnna and Sly have taken home the title in this class.

Many people often wonder where these Performance Halter horses get the points required to compete in this class. Tomorrow, they will get the chance to see firsthand, because Johnna and Sly will be competing in Senior Barrel Racing! Can a Halter horse really run in Barrels?

“That’s a misconception with people,” Johnna says. “They think just because of a specific breeding that will depict exactly what a horse is supposed to be. I’ve had so many Barrel and Poles horse that were Impressive-bred, and they are the fastest things ever. There again, it’s a Halter breeding. They’re pretty for sure, but they’re also really fast. He loves to do it. He pins his ears back, likes to get up on the muscle going down the alleyway, and crow hop!”

The Reserve Champion in the class was Donald Metzger with Tees Coolest. Third was Michael Mccallan with Be Elusive. Fourth was Katie Grossnickle with Always The Best Man. Fifth was Johnna Letchworth with Krymsun Kryptonite.

Next up, Thomas Coon led Inexces to a unanimous win in Amateur Yearling Fillies. This was a thrilling win for Thomas because it’s his first time being named a unanimous champion. “That was my first unanimous!” Thomas says. “My honey has had two or three unanimous wins…”

“Actually, four,” Mimsi laughs. “It was special,” Thomas adds. “It got down to that last judge, and I hoped it would happen!”

The Coon family purchased “Sissy” at the Breeders’ Halter Futurity last year, and since that time she’s continued to grow, while staying balanced and even. “She’s never gotten out of balance,” he says. “She’s really grown that way. We’ve been blessed with her.”

They certainly have. At the Select World this year, Mimsi was named the World Champion. Then, at the Congress, Thomas showed Sissy to be named Reserve in the Open division, Champion in the Open Futurity, Reserve in the Amateur, and Reserve in the Amateur Futurity.

The Reserve Champion in today’s class was Jennifer Jubb with Hip Hip Haray. Third was Joy Stehney with Telling Touch. Fourth was Darrin Kraft with Girls Out Playin. Fifth was Debra Powers with RJN Secrets Secret.

Winning Two-Year-Old Geldings was Larry Roberts with Secretist. The Reserve Champion was Gilbert Arevalo with Declined. Third was Shawn Wacker with There’s No Tellin.

Larry was the third unanimous winner of the morning, something that he considers to be quite an accomplishment.

“That means more than anything,” he says. “When you get to the World Show, they’re all good horses. If all five judges think you have the best one, that’s pretty neat.”

This sweet gelding is a homebred horse by Telasecret and out of a mare the Roberts family has had for quite some time. She’s produced three World Champions, and her son just claimed his fourth.

“The whole family has showed him. [My father] Wayne was World Champion at the Select World last year. I was World Champion here last year. Melody, my wife, was World Champion at the Select this past year, and then I was just the World Champion.”

“His best quality doesn’t have anything to do with his confirmation; it’s his mind. He’s so easy to show. The whole family shows him, so he’s got to be good-minded. He’s one of the neatest horses any of us have ever been around. But, in order to be a World Champion, obviously he must have good conformation. He’s good-legged, he’s big, and he’s not too over-powerful, muscle wise. He’s just a very pretty horse.”

Coming up next, Ross Roark will show Secretist in the open division. “Ross gets him ready for the big shows. He gets that extra 25% out of him.”