No Tricks, Just Treats for ApHC World Champions on Halloween

The only tricks to be found on Halloween at the World Championship Appaloosa Show were turning horses into world champions on Friday at the Will Rogers Equestrian Center in Fort Worth, Texas – although there were a few unusual characters in John Justin Arena for a good cause.

Starting out the day, Wendy McCain showed her yearling filly Designed To B Brunet to win the NSBA and ApHC portions of the Non-Pro Western Yearling Longe Line after garnering two firsts, a second and a third on the cards of Cynthia Rucker, Goose Ballard, Dan Williams and Delena Doyle.

“Gail Gore raised her, and she’s by my stallion, Artfully Designed,” McCain said. “I had bought her full sister, Designed To B Blonde, and loved her, so I had to have her full sibling. I could see her hidden talents.”

The filly was turned out in the pasture at McCain and her husband David’s Rockin MD Ranch in Tuscola, Texas, until just after the Reichert Celebration show in September. “I ground-drove her, because I don’t believe in putting my young horses on the longe line any longer than I have to, and didn’t put her out on the line until about three weeks ago. Jodi Ploog helped me prepare her and put the finishing touches on her here, and Sandy Jirkovsky also helped me with her.”

The filly was third in the Open Western Longe Line with Jirkovsky on Wednesday. “I think the judges liked her movement. She’s just a natural mover,” McCain said. “Plus she’s just exquisite in her coloring – she really stands out. She’s everything that a horse person would want.”

McCain appreciates NSBA’s involvement with ApHC. “I would like to thank NSBA for their continued support of our programs,” she said. “We really appreciate it.”

To read the full article on NSBA.com, click here.