Taylor Searles/Hereicomagain Win AQHA World Amateur Western Riding

By: Brittany Bevis

Tonight was a special one at the AQHA World Show for Taylor Searles and Hereicomagain as she was named the World Champion in Amateur Western Riding in her first year of amateur competition.

“It’s super deep competition,” she says. “I feel like this show is more laid back than the Youth World Show. It’s a lot of fun, but I got a little nervous when I was walking in the pen today.”

Taylor and “Chloe” won this class at the 2018 AQHA Youth World Show, as well as Western Pleasure. “To come here and do it as an amateur meant a lot to me. I’m super blessed to be able to ride this horse, because she’s super fancy. She’s so natural and really enjoys her job. She likes to be out there and the only one with all eyes on her. When I jogged off today, I knew we were going to be fine. She scared me for a second when she started coughing around the end, but she was very good.”

“I knew that if I kept her forward and in between my legs that everything was going to be fine. She listened to me very well. She’s just so fancy at Western Riding, because she has that freaky, front leg.”

When Taylor isn’t showing Chloe, she competes on the Auburn Equestrian team in Horsemanship. “Riding different horses is hard, but still a lot of fun. College is fun. We went 7-o in the fall, so I’m ready to get back in the spring.”

“It was very nice to be able to come back and ride my own horse. Luckily, my parents had her super-prepared, because I flew back on Sunday and showed in the preliminaries on Monday. She was ready to go.”

Next up, Taylor and Chloe have the Amateur Western Pleasure and Horsemanship finals back to back tomorrow.

Reserve was Natalia Devencenty with Moonlite Madnez. Third was Emma Edwards with This Is Why I’m Here. Fourth was Kacie Scharf with UF A Certain Star. Fifth was Jeffrey Johns with Lopin For A Chex.