Katie Mitchell Leads Sophisticated Playgirl to Win in AM. Yearling Mares at 2013 APHA World
By: Brittany Bevis
Katie Mitchell led her filly, Sophisticated Playgirl, to a win in Amateur Yearling Fillies, another large halter class of 17 entries this morning at the 2013 APHA World Show. Just a few months ago, Mitchell and “Sophie” found success at the 2013 National Halter Championship in Iowa where they won the Amateur Yearling Fillies class.
“She is not the tallest in the pen, but she is structurally correct,” Mitchell says. “She is what we’re looking for in the halter industry, and I think [the judges] don’t mind the height. She isn’t the shortest one in the pen either. She is balanced. I call her my little teapot! She is cute.”
Despite the filly’s relatively small stature, Mitchell credits Sophie’s balanced muscling, correct conformation, and feminine eye appeal as the attributes that help take her to the winner’s circle.
“She is by a son of Kids Classic Style, that JT won the Buckskin World with several years ago, and out of a daughter of Playgirl,” Mitchell says. “The Polley’s from California bred her, and we bought her at the Pinto World.”
In the first class of the morning, Mitchell led her double-registered filly by Execute, Xcellent, to a fourth place finish. She purchased that filly from Cathy Robinson. The current plan is to show both of the promising young horses, until someone comes along who simply must have them. JT Mitchell will show Sophisticated Playgirl in the Open division of Yearling Fillies later in the show.
Because Mitchell’s horse trainer also happens to be her husband, we wondered if the husband/wife/trainer/client relationship can be difficult at times.
“Yes!” she jokes. “You never do anything right enough for them. They feel comfortable enough to yell at you, whereas they don’t yell at the other clients. He kept yelling at me in the stands to get her ears up. I haven’t seen him yet, but I’m sure he is very happy now!”
Considering the fact that Sophie’s show name is Sophisticated Playgirl, Mitchell had to find an equally sophisticated outfit to lead her filly in today. Her fashion inspiration came in the form of judge Gretchen Mathes.
“This is a Gretchen Mathes-inspired outfit,” she says. “I saw Gretchen judge a couple of big horse shows, and she wore a vest. I thought [that was] smart, because she had her arms free. She wasn’t uncomfortable or feeling stuffy with a jacket on and being bundled all the way up. When I saw her, I thought that’s what I want to wear for the World Show. I started in the summer trying to put my outfit together. I made it one solid color just for the unified look.”
Amateur Yearling Mares:
1-SophisticatedPlaygirl/Katie Mitchell
2-Hypnotoniq/Erin Matte
3-Classy With Curves/John Whalen
4-Shez Passionate/Judy Ford
5-Fancy Me In Lace/Lynelle McLain
6-Sheza Priceless Star/Scott Schuetz
7-Mind Games/Nick Kooiker
8-Ima Little Trampy/Lorraine Archer
9-Rjn My Misty Summer/Jerrid Nightingale
