Andrea Kengis-Foss Wins First APHA World Title With Fleetastic in Novice Amateur Western Pleasure

By: Brittany Bevis

Western Pleasure classes are in full swing at the 2014 APHA World Championship Show and will continue tomorrow as well. The first World Champion crowned this afternoon was Andrea Kengis-Foss with Fleetastic, a horse bred by her father, Dr. Janis Kengis, and by the family’s stallion Fleet Machine. In an interesting turn of events, the Reserve Champion horse was also bred by the Kengis family, In Victory Lane, that was piloted by Heidi Kokemiller.

This is only Andrea’s second time showing the five-year-old gelding she calls “Mr. Right” and her first time competing at the APHA World Show. The pair currently competes under the guidance of longtime trainer Mark Baus. Coming up later this week, Mark will show Mr. Right in Junior Western Pleasure, and Andrea may make an appearance in the Classic Amateur Junior Western Pleasure tomorrow…

Over the years, Andrea’s had the opportunity to work with many Fleet Machine-bred horses, and she says Mr Right definitely takes after his father in appearance and personality.

“They all have a little bit of personality to them that kind of follows Fleet Machine,” she says. “He is a really friendly horse. The last time I rode him was in June, so he’s pretty forgiving to the fact that I don’t get to see him that much. He puts up with me!”

“I thought he was really good today. I have no complaints. We just check in a little bit every now and then to let him know I’m still up there. He’s a good horse, and Mark makes it pretty easy. There are no special tricks. If they’re good, they’re good, and he’s a good one.”

Fleet Machine-bred horses have had an excellent World Show thus far, and it’s not quite over yet. The other day, Eric Petersen rode a full sister to Mr. Right, Fleets Impulse, to win the 3-Year-Old Novice Horse Limited Rider Western Pleasure.

Andrea is also a Hunter Under Saddle enthusiast, but she doesn’t currently have an APHA mount to compete with at this World Show. So, she’s embracing her Western Pleasure side and letting Mr. Right lead the way.

“Mr. Right has a very special movement to him that everyone should really take a spin on to see for themselves,” she says. “It’s the strangest motion I’ve ever felt in my life, but it looks good! We love him for it; It gives him his special flair!”

Novice Amateur Western Pleasure–

1-Fleetastic/Andrea Kengis-Foss

2-In Victory Lane/Heidi Kokemiller

3-Sensational Satinrose/Christine Shidler

4-He’s Wiser/Missy Merwald

5-This Sheik Rocks/Lacey Armstrong

6-Sensational Loper/Jennifer Suggs

7-Too Hot To/Emma Stubblefield

8-He’s Hot For Teachers/Brianna Slager

9-Oh Good Heavens/Holly Johnson-Schultz

10-Blazing Hot N Famous/Ashley Bland