“She’s fun, but she makes you work for it. The challenge is good, and it makes it a lot sweeter when you do well. She’s so incredibly talented.”

“I’ve had a lot of good mares. I’ve had a lot of good horses. This is my absolute favorite. This is the best mare I’ve ever had.”

First up in Showmanship classes today, 15-year-old Bella Rosa led her 14-year-old gelding, One Dynamic Krymsun, aka “Reach,” to a big win in 12-14 Showmanship.

“Today, most of my family is here: my husband of 34 years who has supported me in all of this, Ricky Young, and my oldest daughter, who has shown horses with me all her life, and her three children.”

Jeffrey Johns showed the girls how to get it done this afternoon, making a surprise appearance in L1 Amateur Horsemanship with the 7-year-old gelding, It’s A Good Pleasure. For Jeff, who is typically a Western Riding and Trail specialist, competing in Horsemanship brings with it some unique challenges. Up until a month ago, he wasn’t even planning on competing in the class.