Laura Spell Surpasses the NSBA Quarter Million Dollar Mark at 2026 APHA World
Tuesday, June 22nd marked the day Laura Spell surpassed the quarter million dollar mark as an NSBA exhibitor, and she did it at the 2026 APHA World Championship Show.
She hit the benchmark Tuesday in the Breeders’ Trust 3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle Stakes, earning over $8,100 aboard JB Laww And Order.
Then Wednesday, she added more to her total with a unanimous win in the 3YO Hunter Under Saddle – Jackpot & SBB & NSBA with JB Laww And Order for owner Teri Nichols. The 3-year-old is by Outlaw Enterprise and out of Breathless in April, and bred by Mark Gauci.
In addition, the pair won the Southern Belle Breeders title and the high jackpot total of $387.20.
Spell became part of the NSBA Quarter Million Dollar Club after Tuesday’s Breeders’ Trust Stakes win. Photo: APHA.
The Equine Chronicle talked to Laura after the unanimous win, and she explained, “I feel like I never get that lucky; this never happens to me.” She revealed that they bought JB Laww And Order as a long weanling, approximately December of his weanling year, from Julian Harris and Karen Ripper.
They sold him to good friend Jamie Bishop, hence the JB in the name, and then customer Teri Nichols bought him.
Spell and “Wyatt” at the SOQHA Madness. Photo: NSBA.
Laura said “Wyatt” has been a ball to show at the SOQHA Madness, at the Premier, and the Orange Blossom Classic/A Sudden Impulse in Florida. “Florida was his first show, and he’s been very fun and I love him. He just kind of stays with you, and he’s so big, and he looks so slow. So sometimes I almost get myself a little too slow, because I get kind of rocked back into it, and he’s such a big trotter. That’s what’s been fun. So you can go out and trot real big in there, which doesn’t always happen.”
Her name has become synonymous with winning in the Hunter Under Saddle arena, and she explained she has always loved to watch the hunt seat horses. “They’re just so big and scopey and pretty, and they’re so fun to watch when you do it right. To show them, my favorite part is if you don’t like one spot you’re in, you can just look ahead and go pick another spot, so it’s almost like a fun game the whole time you show. You can do that in the pleasure, of course, but in the hunt seat, it’s just faster paced. And it feels like you’re floating around in there when you have a good one.”
This good one is double-registered, so they plan to show at the NSBA World Show, and at Quarter Horse Congress. At the end of the year, they’re considering sending him to learn to drive. “I think he’ll look kind of cute behind a cart, so we’ll see. That’s my next goal for him.”
View APHA complete results for the concurrent classes:
3 YO HUS: https://press.apha.com/worldshow/results/2026/RAPHABPH51.htm
NSBA: https://press.apha.com/worldshow/results/2026/RNSBA5233001.htm
Jackpot: https://press.apha.com/worldshow/results/2026/ROPENJBPH51.htm
Southern Belle Breeders: https://press.apha.com/worldshow/results/2026/ROPENBBPH51.htm
