Friday Fun Day at the World Championship Appaloosa Show

Friday at the World Championship Appaloosa Show included costumed humans, dogs and horses, racing for ropes, bidding for cancer and toys for tots – and some world champions were also crowned in the process.

First Time World Champion Named in Non-Pro Western Longe Line

For Heather Kessel, winning the Non-Pro Western Yearling Longe Line with her filly, Sleepin Ona Impulse, was an emotional moment. (They are seen at left)

“It was my very first world championship,” she said. “All I asked of her was 90 seconds. And she did it. She was just on. When I got called out first under the first judge, I tried not to get too excited. But then I got three firsts, so I started getting pretty excited about it.”

The filly, known as Torii, is by Too Sleepy To Zip and out of Impulsive Bid. “She is a full sister to Sleepin Beauty Too,” Kessel said. “I bought her at the end of her weanling year. She’s very quiet and just a nice horse. She doesn’t care about anything.”

Earlier in the week, ApHC Longe Line champions included NSBA champion and reserve ApHC Open Hunter Yearling Longe Line winner Iron Edition (by Iron Age), shown by Anthony Leier for Lisa Krueger; ApHC and NSBA champion Non-Pro Yearling Longe Line, Hands Off The Sweets (by All Hands On Zip) and Cindy Lamb Basham; and ApHC and NSBA champion Open Western Yearling Longe Line, Breaking Bad (by Colored By Charlie), shown by Anthony Leier for Carri Ruby.

Simons and Gibbs Win ApPHA Three Year Old Snaffle Bit Western Pleasure

Sara Simons did something she normally doesn’t do when she showed in the Appaloosa Pleasure Horse Association’s Open Three Year Old Snaffle Bit Western Pleasure Maturity.

“This is a pretty special catch ride,” Simons said of showing A Slow Ride to the win. “I don’t normally do that, and this is sort of out of my comfort zone. But Jesse (Jones) and Arturo (Maestas) did a great job preparing ‘Gibbs’ for me.” (The two are shown at right)

By Chocolatey and out of the AQHA mare Hot Kisses, Gibbs clicked with Simons. “He’s got a great, easy-going way,” she said. “He’s very consistent, and keeps a great top line, and he carries himself nicely.

Simons and A Slow Ride showed for owner Lauree Adair, and won $1,165 for the win. Simons also won the highest placing lady rider award. Tim Zuidema showed Good Timin Charlie to the reserve champion award, and Mike Hachtel rode Suddenly Shes Shy to third and was the highest placing Limited rider in the class.

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