Tuesday Morning Wins at 2015 NSBA World Include Nimigan, Flowers, Scheckel, and Lynn

By: Brittany Bevis

Tuesday morning began bright and early at the 2015 NSBA World Championship Show with a variety of classes spanning multiple disciplines.

First up, Sarah Nimigan rode Like A Boss to score a double win in the BCF 2-Year-Old Limited Non Pro and Open Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle classes. Second place in the limited division was Becky Durrett with Don’t Doubt This. Third place was Kelley Mundrick with Too Dreamy To Sleep.

Just yesterday, Nimigan’s trainer, Katy Jo Zuidema, rode “Bruce” to win the BCF Open Two-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle, which brings his current silver cup total to three. Bruce is a 2-year-old stallion by Hot N Blazing and out of My Sister’s Certifiable, a mare owned by Zuidema.

“I fell in love with him as a yearling and basically just harassed them until they let me get him!” Nimigan says. “I showed the IE Reasons stud for a while, and I get along really well with stallions. He is really easy. I didn’t even have to do anything today. I just sat up there and enjoyed it, which was nice.”

“He is a phenomenal trotter and, when he lopes, his rhythm never changes unless you do. Everything about him is kind of cool.”

Bruce is only two years old, but already Nimigan sees his potential as a future breeding sire. “I think he will make a breeding horse. I think he has all the qualities: his conformation, first and foremost; his size; and his mind, most of all. I haven’t seen one this nice in a while, in my opinion.”

Over in the Mustang Arena, 14-year-old Ryan Flowers won his first NSBA World Champion title in Novice Youth Showmanship with his 11-year-old gelding Invested In Cookies. Flowers shares “Chester” with his older sister, Makayla, and he plans to show him later today in Novice Youth Horsemanship. This pair currently competes under the guidance of Curtis Reynolds.

Flowers’ favorite part of the pattern today were Chester’s speedy spins. He’s been competing for less than a year in this class, still, Flowers prefers the more complicated patterns. “It gives me something to do besides Halter, and you get to move and do a pattern,” he says. “I like the complicated ones better.”

The Youth Showmanship class brought to mind a feeling of déjà vu with the same results as the AQHA Youth World Show last week. Sydney Scheckel led A Perfect Pleasure to the win and Ellexxah Maxwell came in Reserve with Zips Bossy Chip.

“Winning at the Youth World was a big thrill,” Scheckel says. “Winning that gold trophy gave me a lot of confidence. I wouldn’t say there was a whole lot of pressure. I was kind of nervous, but not too bad.”

“I practiced for the first time last night. After the Youth World, my horse went home for a few days to rest. Then, we went and showed today.”

Sheckel’s strategy for today’s pattern was to keep her trot lines straight, complete all of her turns, have a fast back, and trot a soft rectangle with equal sides. The plan most definitely paid off as she won the class out of 40+ entries.

On Wednesday night, Scheckel will accept the NSBA High Point award for Youth Showmanship. “I’m going to feed her cookies out of the cup that she won!”

Back in the Hunt Seat pen, Stephanie Lynn rode Sensational Asset, aka “Henry,” to win the BCF 4-6 Year-old Limited Open Hunter Under Saddle. Earlier this morning, the horse’s owner, Sara Goldstein, rode the 6-year-old gelding to a Reserve Championship in the BCF 4-6 Year-Old Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle. Because Goldstein rode Henry in a cut and a finals, he was fairly tired when it came time for Lynn to show in her cut and finals.

“I was a little nervous in my first ride, because it’s hot here and they’re not accustomed to it,” Lynn says. “He went in hot and sweaty, and I was a little worried whether I was going to have enough horse. Whenever you go in those heats, you just want to have a safe ride, so I rode a little conservative.”

“He’s got a great gait and a super feel with a lot of rhythm and self-carriage. He’s a fun horse to sit on. You don’t have to create a canter or create a trot. You just ride what he has that day.”

Henry may be six years old, but he’s had a relatively short career. He made his show pen debut at the All American Quarter Horse Congress last year. While he’s had a later start than most, Lynn believes it’s what’s enabled his legs to stay fresh and crisp.

“It’s been kind of good for him, really,” Lynn says. “Sara is about five miles from where I live, but I really didn’t know her until she approached me about riding him at the Congress. I showed him at a couple of classes at the Congress, and then we had a little plan that I would ride him at the big events this year. It’s worked out really well.”

Congratulations to all of the winners!