L2 Pleasure Driving Wins Go To Alice Holmes/Hoo Got The Blues and Susan Kempfer-Weeks/Millennium Cowboy

November 10, 2017 | Filed under: Club & Show News,Club and Show News,Featured | Posted by:     

Alice Holmes

By: Brittany Bevis

Two more L2 Champions were crowned this afternoon at the 2017 AQHA World Championship Show. First, Alice Holmes drive Hoo Got The Blues to win Junior Pleasure Driving L2. The second place team was Julie O’Brien with Giv Romance A Chance. Third was Dennis Mulford with Metallic Iron. Fourth was Donald Joe with Charlie With A Harley.

Winning the Amateur Pleasure Driving L2 was Susan Kempfer-Weeks with Millennium Cowboy. The Reserve Champion was Alice Holmes with Hoo Got The Blues. Third was Lindsey Wilt-Perotti with Zip Up My Blumers. Fourth was Vanessa Henderson with Platinum N Diamonds. Fifth was Darcy Stouffer with Man Made Irons.

This is the first major title earned at the World Show for Susan and “Eddie,” a 14-year-old gelding she has owned since he was just four years old. Just a few weeks ago, this team placed third in Amateur Pleasure Driving at the Quarter Horse Congress. Today, they were named the L2 Champions and will show in the L3 finals later in the week.

Susan Kempfer-Weeks

What does Susan like most about Pleasure Driving? “I like dressing up, of course!” she laughs. “When you have a nice horse to drive, it makes it that much better. I wanted to go for it. That was absolutely my plan. I used to show him a lot, but I stopped in 2012. I’m almost a Select rider, so I think I want to wait to do the other events until then.”

Eddie spent the earlier part of his career with Sandy Vaughn and Linda Crothers; but, for the past ten years, he’s been under the guidance of Alfred Hewitt. “Some horses are really solid at Pleasure Driving, and some are kind of frail, and you can’t even warm them up. He’s really solid and broke. This is his best event,” Alfred says.

“Alfred prepares my horse really well for me, so I’m confident that he will be ready for me to show,” Susan says. “The other thing that Alfred is really good at is preparing me. He knows when I want to practice and when I really don’t want to practice. He has really figured me out, as far as a competitor and a person, which I think is really important.”

While Pleasure Driving might intimidate other competitors, Susan shows no fear and loves to show off Eddie’s road gait. Still, she’s cautious about staying out of the path of her fellow drivers. “Usually, I like to watch the other drivers to see how they drive. Some go to the rail, while some cut the corners. Also, you don’t know if someone might have a young horse, so I try to be respectful of that too. Also, you have to be confident; because, if you’re not confident, you’re going to get into problems. But, your horse has to be well broke too.”

In addition to Susan, Alfred, and Eddie, the fourth member of this winning team is Susan’s supportive horse show husband, who came around the corner during our interview with Queen’s “We Are The Champions” playing on his iPhone. “He’s getting pretty good at it actually!” Susan says.