Randy Wilson/Chasing A Dream Win Jr. Western Pleasure, Brian Holmes/Cityboy Or Cowboy Win Sr. Pleasure Driving

By: Brittany Bevis

Brian Holmes was in the cart of Cityboy Or Cowboy to claim a World Champion title in Senior Pleasure Driving this afternoon at the AQHA World Show. Placing Reserve was Kevin Dukes with Living Large. Third place was Jason Martin with Ride The Blue Sky. Fourth place was Julie O’Brien with PS Blaze Of Honor. Fifth place was Chuck Briggs with Blue Sky Serenade.

Sixth place was Charlie Cole with Go Big Sky. Seventh place was Clay MaCleod with Simply Blue Skies. Eighth place was Travis McColley with Man Made Irons. Ninth place was Jerry Erickson with Dirty Sexy Money. Tenth was Mark Stevens with Invest In A Good Bar.

We chatted with the owner of the 17.3 hand, 7-year-old gelding “Cowboy,” Chad Sandoval, who is now excitedly making preparations to compete in Amateur Pleasure Driving later in the week. “He’s had a pretty quiet year. He got hurt last year, so he spent from September to April on stall rest. We got him qualified and are bringing him back slow. Hopefully, we will be doing Hunter Hack by the Florida Gold Coast. We decided to only show him in Open and Amateur Pleasure Driving here.”

This isn’t Cowboy’s first time in the winner’s circle here at the World Show. Two years ago, Brian drove the horse to a World Champion title in the junior division of the class. “He is a really easy horse to prepare,” Chad says. “He’s calm and takes everything in stride. He’s a sweetie.”

In Junior Western Pleasure, Randy Wilson rode Chasing A Dream to a big win for owner Kili Crawford. The Reserve Champion was Gil Galyean with Rewind and Repeat. Third place was Brad Pitts with Cool Lookin Moonie. Fourth place was Andy Cochran with It’s A Good Pleasure. Fifth place was Katie Green with For One Night Only.

Sixth place was Brian Baker with KM Call Me Honey. Seventh was Shane Dowdy with It’s A Southern Thing. Eighth was Blake Weis with Snap Krackle Pop. Ninth was Ty Hornick with Lazy Holla Dayz. Tenth was Jay Starnes with A Lazy Holiday.

Randy made a special trip to Oklahoma City just to show Chasing A Dream, aka “Skittles,” in the Junior Western Pleasure finals this afternoon. After judging a full schedule at the APHA World Championship Show, running at the exact same time in Fort Worth, Texas, Randy received permission to leave the show early to compete here at the AQHA World Show.

“I showed him at the NSBA World too and won a class there with him,” Randy says. “That was my first time showing him. He’s a great mover with tons of expression, and he is fun to ride. All you have to do is get him to do his job, because his legs are always there.”

Skittles, a 5-year-old gelding by A Dream Remembered, is a relatively new purchase for the Crawford family. Kili Crawford will compete with Skittles in Amateur Western Pleasure Level 2 later this week. Not only was this the first time one of Kili’s horses have won a World Champion title, this was also Randy’s first time winning the class.

“This is a special horse that had a special ride, and that’s what it takes,” he says. “It’s a tough class, and it takes a horse like that to win out here… just to have a chance to win. There are so many nice horses in the class, and you know there are going to be a half a dozen horses that have special rides too.”

“I knew, if he was good, I’d have a shot at it. Then, when the class broke that first direction and he was being that good, I thought, ‘this is all I have; let’s see what happens.'”