The National Snaffle Bit Association’s World Championship Show and Breeders Championship Futurity saw the Show Your Colors AQHA Show continue, but also crowned its first 2022 world champions Friday in Hunter Hack and Working Hunter Under Saddle classes. The show also saw its Working Hunter Derby champion named at the Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Beginning And Ending With 'Jenner'
The day began in in the Mustang Arena, where all of the day’s Hunter Hack classes were shown. Green Hunter Hack saw Robert Stucky win his first ever NSBA world championship when he showed Tabloid Famous for Shannon Roberson. The trio earned $1,427.80 for the win.
The six year old gelding is known as Jenner, is by Only Blue Sky and out of Just As Famous. Shannon Roberson bred and raised Jenner, who began his education with Showstring under Scott Jones and David Miller’s care. However when Showstring disbanded, Jenner joined Ryan Painter, where he has remained ever since.
“Jenner was third in last year’s NSBA World Show in the Green Working Hunter, but he got hurt in the trailer on the way home last year, so we took our time to rehab him properly,” noted Ryan. “This was his first show back, and he settled in really well.”
Ryan would take Jenner to the winner’s circle at the end of the day as well, winning the Working Hunter Derby. “Since this was Jenner’s first show back, my strategy in the first go was really to take some of the low options to start with, and to take a different track for each of my horses that best suited them, and that worked really well,” Ryan said.
“Morgan (Ratkowski) set the bar pretty high in her first go, so in the Handy Round, I just had to lay it out there so I could beat her. I took a few of the high options and I also took the room to really show off my horse at the gallop, and the judges rewarded us pretty well for that. We had a good score going into the Handy Round, so I just wanted to leave the jumps up and have a good ride. We’re so pleased with him.”
Robert Stucky only showed in two classes, which were back to back, at this year’s NSBA World Show, and earned two world champion titles in his first time competing in Tulsa. He showed Good Lookin Mechanic for owners Anne and Chester Prince to the win in Junior Hunter Hack.
“It’s a wonderful show,” Robert said. “I came to watch for a few days last year, and I really wanted to enjoy competing here. I was happy to have this catch ride.”
The five year old gelding by Mechanic began his career in the futurities, but Anne Prince purchased him as a three year old with the English All Around career in mind. “I was attracted to him for his athleticism and I thought he would have the athletics and the mental toughness to do it,” she said.
“He always wants to please you and he’s a team player. We will be doing Pleasure Driving and will add Hunt Seat Equitation and the other Hunter events.”
Another first time NSBA world champion was Emily Patton, who showed Swingin For Money to win Youth Hunter Hack. “He’s kind of a homebred,” noted Emily’s mother, Kristin. “He’s by Larks One For The Money, and his mother was my mom’s horse. I had been doing Dressage with him and won the AQHA High Point Level 1 award with him. Then we retired Emily’s hunter, so she started showing him. He’s pretty special to us.”
Emily went in the Youth Hunter Hack to prepare for the night’s Working Hunter Derby. “It was sort of a ‘Jesus take the wheel’ moment when we showed,” she said. “I’ve only been showing him since last year at the Congress, so we haven’t been together very long. Jerry Erickson was reserve with him in Green Working Hunter at the Congress last year and we were just reserve champions in Youth Working Hunter at the AQHYA World Show.”
The duo will compete on Saturday in Working Hunter and Equitation Over Fences at the NSBA World Show before going to the Championship Show in Ocala this fall.
Amateur Jana Rodes kept her ApHC mare Daddys A Hero, busy in several classes throughout the day on Friday, winning Amateur Hunter Hack. The seven year old Hands Of A Hero daughter is known as JoJo. “She was really good,” Jana said.
“The course today was a lot of fun. She loves being a show horse. We’re also doing the Senior Hunter Hack, Working Hunter Under Saddle, the Working Hunter Derby and all the Amateur classes tomorrow.” In the Amateur Select Hunter Hack, Jo Ann Niffenegger showed Real Good Reason to the world championship.
Chuck Briggs showed Strutin To The Blues for Rodger Call to win Senior Hunter Hack. “He’s six years old, he’s by Struttin On The Range, and we call him Oscar,” Chuck said. “We’ve had him for Rodger for a couple of years now. We just love his demeanor, he’s just always the same. In the course today, he rode really well, and was very soft, and he was also really good on the rail.”
Oscar will show in Open Working Hunter, and Rodger will be driving him in Amateur Pleasure Driving.
Sweet Spot For Sweet Shop Performance Horses In Working Hunter Under Saddle
Jessica Johnson couldn’t top the two championships for herself and her client Stephanie Smith in the Open and Non-Pro Working Hunter Saddle classes.
Jessica showed Blazin Away My Blues for owner Gerri Leigh Pratt to win the Open Working Hunter Under Saddle. “He is eight years old and he’s by Hot N Blazing,” Jessica said. “We call him Harris. I’ve had him for two years now, and he’s just a unique character. I’m lucky he likes me, I’ll put it that way.”
A relatively new class, Working Hunter Under Saddle allows the Hunter horses to move more forward as they do in an over fence class. “I really like being able to go at a pace that we’re comfortable with,” Jessica said. “I think the judges liked Harris today because of his movement and the way he carries himself.”
Stephanie Smith and One Al Of An Amen won the world championship in the Non-Pro Working Hunter Under Saddle. “We’ve had him since he was three years old and he’s seven,” Stephanie said.
“I co-own him with my sister. He has so much character. We love his movement, and we did the futurities with him when he was three. I had done Hunter Under Saddle for several years, but I had never jumped before. This is our first year to do over fences classes, so we’re starting with Hunter Hack. The over fences classes are giving us something different to do. I’m looking forward to jumping next year and doing Equitation.”
The NSBA World Championship Futurity continues through Sunday, August 21. To view complete show results, find a link to the live video feed or learn more about the show, please visit nsba.com.
