Maiden Brings the Money to Virginia

From NSBA:

The 2025 Virginia Maiden Three Year Old and Over Maiden Western Pleasure brought the money and the horses to the Virginia Horse Center on Saturday. Other futurity classes on Saturday included the Three Year Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle, the Maturity Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle and the Non-Pro Ranch Rail, as AQHA classes in Showmanship, Halter, Hunter Under Saddle, Hunt Seat Equitation and Ranch rounded out the day’s schedule.

Virginia Maiden Three Year Old & Over Maiden Western Pleasure

The signature class of the March To Virginia AQHA and NSBA show saw 15 horses shown and featured a total purse of $37,200 with $30,000 in added money. There was no doubt who the champion of the class was when a 2022 chestnut stallion named Ten Kinda Southern, shown by Shannon Curl-Holbin and bred, raised and owned by Gumz Farms Quarter Horses, took the top spot unanimously under all of the judges. The team earned $9,300 for the win.

“Adam is by Its A Southern Thing and out of KM Perfect Ten,” explained Amy Gumz. “The neat thing about him is that Shannon rode his daddy, Shannon rode his momma and now she is riding him. It’s kind of neat when things come full circle. He’s been great and he’s been easy. He’s probably one of the most easy-going horses, and he just has so much potential. Just when we think we’ve tapped it, we see more out of him. He’s got that disposition and tolerance level that will allow me to show him too. I think Shannon and I will have a lot of fun with him this year.

“Shannon’s mother, Sandy Curl, was called to judge the Congress last fall, so we weren’t able to show him there. So we decided to save him for this class. It was our first trip to Virginia, and it’s been great!”

“We’ve had him start to finish,” Shannon added. “Amy sent him to us early last year. He is the full sibling to Perfectly Southern that we also had, so I knew I would really like him. I had called Amy after a few months and told her that I thought he was going to be her next horse. She sort of resisted and told me he was too big. But when she rode him at Ocala, she finally agreed that he could be her next horse.

“My mom judged the Congress and we didn’t really have anything for the AQHA World Show, so we were able to stay home and decided to shoot for Virginia. He had the whole winter to mature and we had extra time at home, and I think that really helped him.

“It was pretty amazing today. I could put him wherever I wanted. He profiles so pretty down the rail and looks through his ears. I think he’s one of the happiest horses I’ve ever been around.”

Adam is eligible for Limited and Novice horse classes and will show in those as well as the Three Year Old Open and Non-Pro Western Pleasure futurities this year.

In the Limited division of the class Garrett Streit earned the $1,500 champion prize aboard Dangerouss Woman, showing for SSH Partnership.

 

Three Year Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle

A small but deep field showed in the Three Year Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle on Saturday, vying for a $1,000 Added purse. Jennifer Leavengood piloted her gray mare With You Al Be Best and earned the $531 first place prize. “With You Al Be Blue is by Good Better Best and out of WithoutYouAlBeBlue,” Jennifer said.

“We call her Violet. I just bought her from Daisy Rakan a couple of months ago, and so we’re just getting started together. She’s been great here in Virginia. We were able to win the circuit champion award in Select Amateur Hunter Under Saddle, and Scott Jones also showed her in Junior Hunter Under Saddle. We’re looking forward to showing in the Open and Non-Pro Three Year Old Hunter Under Saddle classes this year.”

Violet earned the bronze award in the 2024 Quarter Horse Congress Two Year Old Open Hunter Under Saddle in the first show of her career last fall.

 

Maturity Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle

A tough group of six Non-Pro horses took center stage in the Dee Dee Arena at the March To Virginia for the Maturity Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle class. It was Good Ole Boys Club, shown by Allison Rock, who took the win and the $528 first place check.

“This is Perfect Peter, and I’ve had him just for a few months,” Allison said. “It’s pretty exciting. I’ve been out of the show arena for almost 25 years and this was my first show back. I used to do the All Around classes. It’s just the love of the horses and the love of the sport that drew me back to it. I think it’s a testament to the industry, because you see a lot of people who get away from it and come right back in. I’m just so happy to be back in it.”

Allison was drawn to Good Ole Boys Club for several reasons. “Well, he is perfect,” she laughed. “He’s gorgeous, he loves his job and just always wants to please. I love his canter the best. We always have fun. We do the Novice Amateur Hunter Under Saddle classes and the Three Year Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle, and go to as many horse shows as I can make it to.”

When Allison is not in the show pen, she is working as a commercial account manager for a disaster restoration company, which is based in Georgia.

 

Non-Pro Working Western Rail Futurity

While on Friday, the Open Ranch Riders filled the pen in the Anderson Coliseum Waldron Arena, on Saturday it was the Non-Pro exhibitors’ turn. The Non-Pro Working Western Rail class saw 16 exhibitors and horses competing for $5,000 in added money.

Becca Schaffhauser showed her gelding, Crowd Pleaser, to the win, earning $2,228 for the championship title.

“This is Chief, and he’s 11 years old,” Becca said. “He’s by Lil Joe Cash and out of DA Steady Holiday (by Steady Tradition). He’s double registered with both AQHA and APHA. I’ve had him since the Congress last year. He had always seen him show and he was really cool, so we tried him and loved him and bought him. He’s a lot of fun.

“This is our first NSBA trophy, so that’s pretty exciting. We plan to go to the Buckeye, the Paint World and the AQHYA World Show so far.”

When Becca isn’t in the show arena, she notes that she tried to get out of class as quickly as possible to get in the barn and riding horses. The 16 year old comes by her passion honestly, being the third generation horseperson in her family. Her father, Sam Schaffhauser, is an NRHA professional and judge, and her grandfather, Randy Schaffhauser is also an NRHA professional, and her mother, Jeanna, serves as manager of Sam’s training business and competes in Non-Pro NRHA events.

The March To Virginia show concludes on Sunday with Western Riding, Western Pleasure and Horsemanship classes in the Waldron Arena, while a full slate of Ranch classes will be held in the Reel Arena.

To view complete show results or the show schedule, please visit abshowmanagement.com.