Returning Champs, Ashley Beim and PS Rusty Bay Doc Win AQHA Am. Equitation For the Second Year in a Row

By: Brittany Bevis

The returning champions from 2012, Ashley Beim and PS Rusty Bay Doc, won their second Amateur Equitation World Championship title in a row this afternoon at the 2013 AQHA World Show. Last year was the pair’s first time to win a World Championship title. Coming into the World Show this year, Beim was hoping for a repeat performance but tried to keep her nerves at bay by focusing on the task at hand.

“My first win ever was last year,” she says. “This year, I came back and hoped to do it again. I really tried to keep myself not thinking about that, because I didn’t want to get too nervous. My main goal for this World Show was to make the finals in the Amateur Hunter Hack, which is this evening. He can be hard to show sometimes, but he has been such a trooper here. He’s been so mellow and ready to go.”

“Chubbs” is a 12-year-old gelding that Beim purchased at an auction when she was just twelve years old. After making the rounds competing in local shows and 4H events, the pair attended the Youth World Show for several years. Eventually, Chubbs grew tired of his usual all-around routine and yearned to try something new. That’s when Beim sought the guidance of Lainie DeBoer.

“We did the horsemanship, trail, equitation, hunter under saddle, and western riding,” she says. “We did that for quite a few years and went to the Youth World a few times. Then, the year after I became an amateur, he seemed kind of bored with what we were doing. I went to Lainie’s to teach him to jump, and he thinks that’s the best job ever. We’ve been jumping for about a year and a half.”

Beim particularly enjoyed the finals pattern this afternoon due to its lack of cones and the freedom that allowed to interpret the pattern with her own style.

“I love it when there are no cones because, riding a horse that is so forward like he is, I need a lot of space to make circles and all that kind of stuff. Especially when there is a hand gallop I like to have a lot of room so I can show him at a good pace. This pattern was actually kind of daunting given how simple the prelims pattern was. This one had a lot of elements that you had to be pretty correct with or you wouldn’t be set up for the other pieces of it. It was a lot of fun.”

We had to ask Beim about her horse’s unique barn name, which apparently has to do with his fondness for treats.

“He’ll put on weight if he looks at food for too long, and eating is his favorite thing,” she says. “He drools when he eats hay, and he digs in people’s pockets for treats. It’s kind of rude, but it’s really funny at the same time!”

Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation–

1-Ps Rusty Bay Doc/Ashley Beim

2-Javah Mon/Parris Rice

3-Challaging Details/Ariel Herrin

4-Better By The Minit/Morgan Parisek

5-Louisiana Blend/Jessica Johnson

6-Doilookbluetoyou/Tina McElroy

7-Thumbs Debut/Sydney Janet Shafer

8-Southwestern Gunman/Whitney Walquist-Vicars

9-Winkin For Chocolate/Maria Salazar (Intermediate winner)

10-Size Matters/Julie Cole