Hull, Wildes, Hughes, Lyon, Wise, and Schexnayder Win Morning Hunter Classes at 2014 APHA World Show

By: Brittany Bevis

While Halter classes are going on this morning in the Watt arena at the 2014 APHA World Championship Show, equestrians are putting their Hunt Seat horses through their paces in Hunter Hack and several different divisions of Hunter Under Saddle over in the John Justin arena.

Kicking off this morning’s classes was Amateur Hunter Hack, Novice Amateur Hunter Hack, Junior Hunter Hack, and Senior Hunter Hack. Ashley Wildes and Heza Texas Hobo claimed their third World Championship title of the show in Amateur Hunter Hack. Paris Hughes was in the irons of Fancy Favors for a win in Novice Amateur Hunter Hack. Then, Mason Lyon stepped in to ride Fancy Favors to a win in Senior Hunter Hack. Finally, Nada Wise rode All Rise for owner Jennifer Schexnayder to a win in Junior Hunter Hack.

Just a few classes later, it was Schexnayder’s turn to take a trip around the pen. The pair was named the World Champions in Classic Amateur Junior Hunter Under Saddle. The Reserve Champion in the class was Alison Foster with Alot To Offer. Rounding out the top three was Tracy Stenroos with LX Just Call Me Fancy.

In the Novice Amateur Hunter Under Saddle, Fancy Favors was named the World Champion for the third time this morning with Paris Hughes in the irons. The Reserve Champion was Emma Stubblefield with To Hot To. Rounding out the top three was Lacey Armstrong with This Sheik Rocks.

In the Masters Amateur Junior Hunter Under Saddle, Tracy Hull showed Big Ones Only to a World Championship finish. The Reserve World Champion was Leslie Ohlau with One Fancy Limousine. Rounding out the top three was Linda Rice with Im Real Sensational.

We caught up with Tracy Hull and “Patrick” as they exited the arena with trainer Rusty Miller and headed to the photo booth for a well-deserved win picture. For those of you who are wondering, Patrick is just as big in person as he is in photos; he is four years old and an astonishing 17.2 hands tall.

“He is by The Big Sensation and out of Fancy Me A Sir, a horse that Karen Qualls showed for a long time back in the 90s,” Hull says. “That horse’s father is All Time Fancy.”

Given Patrick’s superior Hunter Under Saddle lineage, there was little question he would excel in the Masters Amateur Junior Hunter Under Saddle class today. However, this team doesn’t have much experience under their belt. Hull just purchased Patrick at the Pinto World Championship Show in July of this year.

“I’ve only shown a few times, and we’ve gotten better every time,” she says. “It was one of those things where he had a lot of different cues than I was used to.”

“We saw him at the Pinto World Show. When I woke up that morning, if you would’ve told me I was going to buy a horse, any horse, I would’ve told you that you were crazy. They were talking about this really big horse in the ring, and [my trainer] Rusty [Miller] said he was for sale. I rode him, I loved him, and I called my husband. He said if I really wanted the horse I could buy him. Within three hours, we bought him.”

Tomorrow evening, Hull’s trainer Rusty Miller will show Patrick in Junior Hunter Under Saddle. The Masters Amateur Junior Hunter Under Saddle class is the only event Hull is competing in here at the World Show, however she has plans to campaign Patrick at future horse shows.

“When I won Amateur Pleasure Driving, I said I may never win another World Championship,” she says. “My mother always says I should retire when I win, because you never know when you will win again!”

Masters Amateur Junior Hunter Under Saddle-

 1-Big Ones Only/Tracy Hull

 2-One Fancy Limousine/Leslie Ohlau

 3-Im Real Sensational/Linda Rice

 4-Good Riddance/Cindy Snapp

 5- Never Say Too Fancy/Leona Martz

Amateur Hunter Hack-

 1- Heza Texas Hobo/Ashley Wildes

 2- Ruling Verse/Dallas Messenger

 3-Hot Zippity Spot/Lisa Seccomb

Novice Amateur Hunter Hack-

1- Fancy Favors/Paris Hughes

2-Hot Zippity Spot/Lisa Seccomb

3-The Big Dog/Lauren Williams

Junior Hunter Hack-

1- All Rise/Nada Wise

2- Thanks For Your Time/Ryan Painter

3-Chelsea Sinclair/Cu Hotrodders Queen

Senior Hunter Hack-

1-Fancy Favors/Mason Lyon

2-Big Expectations/Peyton Weldon

3-Ill Be Sensational/Ryan Painter

Novice Amateur Hunter Under Saddle-

1-Paris Hughes/Fancy Favors

2-Emma Stubblefield/To Hot To

3-Lacey Armstrong/This Sheik Rocks

4-Julie Nelson/Mr Verifiable

5-Cassie Riggert/Invitation Time

Classic Amateur Junior Hunter Under Saddle-

1-Jennifer Schexnayder/All Rise

2-Alison Foster/Alot To Offer

3-Tracy Stenroos/LX Just Call Me Fancy

4-Katie McGinnis/Above It All

5-Christi Christensen/Hoos Got Chrome