As the All American Quarter Horse Congress continues into its final week at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, a combination of returning champions and new winners were crowned throughout the day on Thursday.
Emotional Win For Molli Froman and ‘Mike’
Molli Froman showed Kickin Dust Up to win the Level 1 Amateur Trail, and it was an emotional win for the Amateur.
“We did Western Pleasure for two years. We started working on the All Around two years ago and last year was our first full year doing the All Around,” Molli said. “We went from one class to like eight. He’s super talented but he definitely made us work for it. Kyle Dougherty has worked so hard with him and with us, and I think what made it so emotional for me is that all the hard work finally came together.”
Molli made a triumphant return to the Trail pen. “I haven’t shown Trail since 2010, so when I started out, I definitely felt like a fish out of water,” she said. “I was trying to figure out spots again, pace and all the slow stuff. Kyle has done a really great job coaching me and teaching me. I’m very thankful. I love showing the Horsemanship with him, and honestly the Trail has become really fun too. I got to learn Trail with him.”
Molli felt she had had an up and down week at the Congress. “We a bit of a had a rough week, with a lot of good parts but some bad parts,” she said. “We had made the finals in the Equitation the other day and I took a wrong diagonal.
“So going into the Trail, I really wanted to pull it together. He started off a little nervous but after we got through the slow stuff at the beginning of the pattern, he felt really good and I was able to put him into my spots. It was a huge relief after the walk poles at the end, because I could finally breathe!”
Molli appreciates her show partner, who is known as Mike. “I love that he is just super athletic and very versatile. I can go from the Western Pleasure to the Hunter Under Saddle and really everything. He’s been so fun and it’s been fun seeing everything come together,” she said.
Mike is by Its A Southern Thing and is the last foal out of Miss Trophy Chip.
Another first-time Congress champion was Only Bittersweet and Jennifer Michaels, who won the Level 1 Amateur Select Trail.
Marcy Brown Wins Level 1 Amateur Hunter Under Saddle
Marcy Brown went into the Level 1 Amateur Hunter Under Saddle feeling like the underdog, but she came out with the win aboard her horse, No Shoot Sherlock.
“He’s just five years old and he hadn’t been shown that much,” Marcy said. “I bought him right after the AQHA World Show last year, so I haven’t had him quite a year. I just saw a video of him and I asked if I could ride him. I rode him in my Hey Dudes and he was great.
“He really is the best horse. He’s a big dog, really a Golden Retriever. We call him ‘Perfect Levi.’ He loves his sleep and he likes to cuddle. We take his wraps off when he’s lying down.
“He’s done everything you ask of him every day. I was nervous when we showed, because there was a lot of us out there, but he was very brave. He’s kind of a ‘hold my beer’ type of horse and he takes care of me. I think the judges saw how he’s always happy and he’s very consistent.”
Mary’s trainer, Suzane Pickard Duquette noted “I knew no matter what happened in the pen, he’s safe. You can always count on him, he always shows and he always brings it.”
Levi is by Mr Sherlock Holmes and out of Sheza Foxy Loper, and was bred by Mary Iris Webre.
Repeat Champions Claim Several Class Wins
Familiar faces dotted the champions’ list on Thursday at the Congress. They included repeat champion Bruce Vickery aboard a new mount, Whats The Good Word, winning Level 2 AQHA Senior Trail; If I Were A Boy and Katie Cochran adding the Two Year Old Maiden Open Hunter Under Saddle Futurity championship; Shouldv Known Better and Mallory Vroegh who claimed the Amateur Hunter Under Saddle champion title; Nick Weiss and My Momma Made Me earning the Two Year Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure Stakes champion title; and Certainly Persistent and Jay Starnes adding the Congress Super Sires Three Year Old Open Western Pleasure Stakes to their resume.
The All American Quarter Horse Congress continues through Sunday, October 27. To view the show schedule, watch the live video feed or view complete show results, please visit quarterhorsecongress.com or the Horse Show Tracker app.
