Tuesday Afternoon Wins at 2015 NSBA World Include Saul, Phinney, Fox, Parrish, and Pitts

By: Brittany Bevis

This afternoon’s classes at the 2015 NSBA World Championship Show included Trail, Horsemanship, and Western Pleasure.

In an impressive Amateur Trail class, Hayley Saul rode Eye On The Ball to win and placed third with her other horse, Put A Drink In My Hand. The Reserve Champion was Darcy Reeve with Ima Petite Classic. Fourth place was Angela Wade with One Hot Drama Mama. Fifth place was Caroline Ammons with Ginnin.

These days, Saul’s name is a frequent sight in Trail class results, but just five years ago, she’d never even watched a horse navigate through a Trail course.

“Just about five years ago, I wasn’t even doing Trail,” Saul says. “I don’t think I ever even watched Trail. This horse, Eye On The Ball, and I learned together, so he is very special.”

“I’ve had help from a lot of people. Dan Trein helped me when I first started, and John Briggs helped me a lot with Eyed Be In A Jam at the World Show. Now, I just do it on my own. I don’t have anyone currently helping me with patterns.”

Saul’s ten-year-old gelding “Beans” turned in an excellent performance this afternoon with a complete clean run. “He didn’t hit a thing. He was on today.”

“His lope-overs are always so easy, and he just flows through them. For his trot-overs, I really have to hold him back, because he wants to get quick, but his three-stride trot-overs were excellent today.”

Saul placed third in the class with her other horse, Put A Drink In My Hand, aka “Dale,” who was also named the Reserve Champion in Junior Trail yesterday. “He is a Trail Machine!” she says. “I had two, tiny, little ticks today, but he was really excellent. I didn’t expect that…”

For those keeping track of Saul’s trophy count, she now has the entire collection of gold, silver, and bronze in just two days, and she’s not done yet. Tomorrow, she will compete in the BCF 4-6 Year-Old Non Pro Trail with Dale, Amateur Horsemanship with Dale, and Amateur Western Riding with both Dale and Beans.

In Novice Youth Horsemanship, 17-year-old Emma Phinney rode her seven-year-old mare, Invite Me To Paris, to her first major win. Earlier in the day, the pair placed fourth in Novice Youth Showmanship and eighth in Youth Showmanship. Later today, they will compete in Novice Youth Equitation. This team competes under the guidance of Chad Evans.

Today’s win is extra special for two reasons. First, it’s Phinney’s mother’s birthday. Also, “Sophia” has had a long road to recovery after sustaining a devastating injury two years ago.

“A couple years ago, Sophia had a huge injury,” Phinney says. “She fractured a bone in her left hind foot. She has a plate and four screws in her fetlock. The goal was to bring her back and come show her again.”

“I really liked our spins today, and I really loved the extended trot in the corners. Chad told me to take a deep breath and just go for it! My mom wasn’t able to come to the Youth World, but she’s here at this one, so we’re really excited.”

Over in the Western Pleasure pen, Angela Fox rode Lookin Good In Red, aka “Glenda,” to a big win in the BCF Limited Non Pro Two-Year-Old Western Pleasure. Originally, Fox had planned to show another horse, one she’d raised that’s also by VS Code Red. However, ill-timed colic surgery last month brought that plan to a halt.

“I have a two-year-old that I’d raised, and I was really excited to show. About a month ago, he colicked and had to have surgery,” Fox says. “So, in a game time decision, Charlie Cole and Jason Martin were nice enough to let me lease their 2-year-old.”

“She’s super sweet, really kind, and very brave. She showed fantastic today. It’s almost freaky how good she is with her front leg, and she’s able to go slow and hold it together. She showed really well.”

Fox gives special commendation to Brad Ost for the excellent preparation of Glenda and for instructing an “all-around girl” how to navigate a Western Pleasure Futurity class.

“Brad Ost trained her and did a fantastic job,” Fox says. “I’ve never shown a two-year-old before, and I’ve never done Western Pleasure, except with an all-around horse. I literally owe it all to him. He gave me instructions, and I’m good at following them!”

Later this afternoon, Troy Lehn showed Glenda to win the 2-Year-Old Limited Open Western Pleasure class as well. Later this week, Fox will show her 4-year-old gelding, The Company You Keep, in Amateur Horsemanship and Showmanship. Brad Ost will show the gelding in Green Trail.

Fox would also like to give special mention to friend Rebekah Kazakevicius, who outfitted her last minute with borrowed show clothes. “I am literally dressed in entirely her outfit, and Linda O’Brian lent me her hat. I’m basically wearing nothing that I own. It was literally a group effort!”

In the BCF 4-6 Year-Old Limited Open Western Pleasure, Cody Parrish rode For Your Eyez Only during her debut performance to win the class. “Sugar” is a four-year-old mare by RL Best of Sudden and is owned by Kate Bamford of Canada.

“That was pretty awesome!” Parrish says. “In the split, I wasn’t nervous, but I didn’t know what to except from her, because she’s never been shown. I came out and adjusted some things for the finals and it was much better. It was nice that she let me change a few things on such short of notice.”

Parrish praises this mare for her calm mind and easy demeanor. “She’s a baby doll. She’s the best-minded thing. It’s so easy for her. She floats and it’s effortless. She can be long and fluid, yet her legs aren’t quick, and that’s what I like about her.”

Since Sugar pulled out a big win today, we wondered if there might be a change of riders come Congress time, perhaps to a senior Parrish… “I’m not going to let that happen!” he jokes.

In Youth Horsemanship, Carli Pitts rode Hot Lady Born Lopin, aka “Dixie,” to the win. Just last week, Pitts and Dixie were named the Reserve World Champions in Horsemanship at the AQHA Youth World Show. This pretty bay mare is six years old, but before January, she’d never competed in Horsemanship.

“We bought her at the beginning of January from Masterson Farms,” Pitts says. “She was living in a field for two years and had a baby. She’d never done Horsemanship, so I started working with her to see how she would do. She caught on so fast. She loves Horsemanship and it’s definitely my favorite class. I love it because you can add so much style, like with your extended lope circles and spins.”

For today’s complex pattern that contained multiple lead changes, an extended lope circle, extended trot square corners, and several spins, Pitts knew it would be important to find her marks and hit them.

“My draw was 39 to go, so I could go in and watch a few,” Pitts says. “I picked a sign on the wall for my halfway mark and then the videographer was another mark. The center of the arena was really important for this pattern.”

“Her extended lope is so pretty. She really lengthens her stride and doesn’t get angry about it. Also, I love her spins. She tips her nose a little to the outside and whips herself around there.”

Earlier in the show, Pitts and Dixie placed fourth in Youth Western Riding. Later this week, they will compete in two BCF Western Riding classes and the Green Pattern Horse event.

Congratulations to all of the winners!