Jeff Habighorst and Coolsified Secret Win 2013 AQHA Amateur Weanling Geldings
By: Brittany Bevis
Joe Engle gives Jeff Habighorst a handshake following his win.
The Habighorst men began the 2013 AQHA World Show in spectacular style by winning two World Championship titles. Yesterday, Vern Habighorst led RPL My Te Cheerful to his fifteenth career World Championship title in Amateur Aged Geldings. Today, Jeff Habighorst was at the lead of Coolsified Secret in the Amateur Weanling Geldings.
“Kid” is a recent addition to the Habighorst show lineup. He was purchased following the 2013 Breeders Halter Futurity where he won the Amateur Weanling Colts and Geldings class of 42 entries with Trent Adams.
“We bought him in Iowa,” Habighorst says. “He won the Iowa Futurity there in the amateur. We saw him there and liked him, so we bought him. He was a colt, so we cut him and saved him for here.”
“He did recover well. There really wasn’t much of a concern. A lot of people keep them as studs there, show them, and then right afterwards cut them.”
Since the Congress, Habighorst’s halter horses have been fit and conditioned by Joe Engle. A very excited Engle met Habighorst at the rail before the final awards were announced to give his client a well-deserved handshake.
“Joe just started right after the Congress working with the horses,” he says. “He’s done an amazing job. He’s really got all the horses really quiet and looking good. This was my first time showing him.”
Habighorst has a busy day ahead. He plans to show in the Amateur Yearling Geldings, Amateur 3-Year-Old Mares, and Amateur 3-Year-Old Geldings before the day is through. Although his better half, Wendy Habighorst, couldn’t be here to celebrate this win, he’s sure she and the kids will be thrilled that they now have another trophy to add to their growing collection.
“She’s doing her fitness stuff now and, with the kids, it’s hard for both of us to leave,” he says. “But the kids wanted another trophy, so they’ll be happy!”
Amateur Weanling Geldings
1-Coolsified Secret/Jeff Habighorst
2-Righteous Rascal/Bryan Vandiver
3-Kool Conclusion/Lea Ann Koch
4-Elusionistic/Gerald Fleisner
5-Fearless Defiance/James Tan
6-JMK Grand Finale/James Kifer
7-Big Intentions/Joy Stehney
8-Secretz Emystify/Ramona Caldwell
