AjPHA 13 and Under Hunter Under Saddle World Champion is Erin Griffin and Figure On Fancy
By: Brittany Bevis
Erin Griffin and her seven-year-old gelding showed that size isn’t the most important factor in hunter under saddle as they took home the World Championship title in the Youth 13 and under division of the event. Griffin is first to admit that her 15.3 hand gelding isn’t the most statuesque horse in the pen.
“My favorite class with Cody is western pleasure,” Griffin says. “He’s not a big horse. He has a little stride, but he goes out there in the hunt seat and stretches out his legs. It’s amazing.”
“My horse is very special. He’s also very sweet. He never wants to be naughty.”
Back during her walk-trot days, Griffin claimed multiple accolades including a World Championship in Walk Trot Horsemanship with her gray gelding, Double Shot of Scotch. Today marks her first World Championship title in the 13 and under age division.
“I’m just ecstatic,” she says. “It’s an amazing feeling. We just came [to the barn] last year, and the fact that Tim and Shannon [Gillespie] could take me that far in such a short amount of time is amazing.”
The Griffin family.
Later on in the show, Griffin and Cody will compete in Equitation, Western Pleasure, Trail, Horsemanship, and Showmanship. Now that she’s won a World Championship title, she’s eager for more top placings.
“It gives you more pressure because you want to keep up your winning streak,” she says. “But then, it makes it easier because you’ve been in there and won, so it relaxes you more.”
“I want to thank everyone at the barn, my trainers, my mom and family, and all of my friends, because they’re always there for me and they support me no matter what happens.”
13 and Under Hunter Under Saddle–
1-Figure On Fancy/Erin Griffin
2-Im Axle Rose/Abigail Love
3-Just Say Whoa/Rebecca Figueroa
4-Im Zipped All Right/Samantha Stubblefield
5-Chipped In Roses/Olivia Eagles
Limited–
1-Im Axle Rose/Abigail Love
2-Just Say Whoa/Rebecca Figueroa
3-Im Zipped All Right/Samantha Stubblefield
4-Chipped In Roses/Olivia Eagles
5-Sensational Wow/Brooklyn Moch
