Savannah Hauer/Natural Order and Cooper Dobbs/Mytesly Score Performance Halter Wins at AQHA Youth World

By: Brittany Bevis

Two more World Champions were crowned today at the 2018 AQHA Youth World Show. This time, performance horses were rewarded for their ability to compete with excellence in both under saddle events and at Halter.

First, Savannah Hauer achieved a lifelong goal of winning her first World Championship title during her last Youth World Show appearance with her 11-year-old mare, Natural Order. “Pru” is by an unshown mare, also owned by Savannah, Cute N Natural, and by Presidential Order. “I’ve had other horses, but she’s always been the constant,” Savannah says. “She’s a total Princess. Princess Pru is what she goes by.”

Savannah has shown Pru every year she’s attended the Youth World (2018 makes six years in a row) and neither mare nor handler were about to let an injury stop them from competing at their last Youth World as a team. For the past two years, they’ve been named the Reserve Champions in Performance Halter. The two years before that, they placed fifth each time. Now, they have a World Championship title to their credit; but, there was a moment a few months ago, when Savannah had her doubts.

“Pru just came off an eight-month injury. She had deep flexor tendinitis. All we could do was light work, hand walking, and a little jogging. I started riding her at the Buckeye Classic in Ohio a few weeks ago. She was in Kentucky with me doing rehab for three months, and then I took her back down to Tennessee to my trainer, Ryan Cottingim. He had a week and a half to get her ready for here.”

With the injury behind them, and a golden globe in tow, Savannah and Pru have set their sights on Showmanship later in the week. They also plan to compete at the Quarter Horse Congress this fall.

“With the injury, there was pressure, because I wasn’t sure if I was going to get to show her. Whether we ended up Reserve or just came in the ribbons, it didn’t matter. I’ve shown her at the Youth World every year, and I couldn’t imagine not showing her.”

“I really couldn’t believe it and what a year for it to happen. I kept telling myself that the comeback is bigger than the setback. It really was a dream come true.”

The Reserve Champion was Colton Voge with Bestdippedinchocolate. Third was Shelby Cochran with Lazy Open Invitation. Fourth was Ellexxah Maxwell with Zips Bossy Chip. Fifth was Alexis Winemiller with Good Miss Cadillac.

Cooper Dobbs and Mytesly completed their hat trick of winning Performance Halter Geldings at the Youth World for the third year in a row. 16-year-old Cooper and 8-year-old “Sly” have found themselves in the winner’s circle for the past three years in a row, here at the Youth World, and Cooper still has two more years of eligibility left. This is the highly decorated Sly’s eleventh career World title.

In addition to being a consummate professional at the end of a horse lead, 6″2′ Cooper is a linebacker and tight end for the Valley View Blazers in Arkansas. Although he favors their team colors of blue, white, and gold, today he was wearing his lucky standby of orange, for his trainer, Ted Turner.

What kind of advice did Super Coop receive from his longtime trainer before he entered the pen today? “Ted just says, ‘Do it special!’ He hands Sly to me at the gate and says, ‘It’s all up to you now.'”

The Reserve Champion was Brooke Jolstad with Betta Believe It. Third was Avery Mortman with Just A Touch More. Fourth was Allie Paul with Flashy Invite. Fifth was Cora Wyers with Good N Certain.