Barbara Ann Fletcher, Ashley Wildes, and Coleen Bull Are APHA World Show Equitation Champions

By: Brittany Bevis

This afternoon was all about equitation at the 2013 APHA World Show. Winning the Novice Amateur division was Barbara Ann Fletcher with Undefleeted. The Reserve World Champion was Paris Hughes with Fancy Favors. Rounding out the top three was Carlina Progin with Just Say Whoa.

Ashley Wildes rode her colorful gelding, Heza Texas Hobo, to a win in Classic Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation. Coming in Reserve was Christine Weiser with Nighttime Sensation. Third place and the Intermediate division winner was Emily Castellini with It’s All Krymsun.

In the Masters Amateur Hunt Seat division, a familiar face found herself in the winner’s circle. Coleen Bull claimed her second World Championship title of the show with Timeless Assets. Just yesterday, the pair won the Masters Amateur Senior Hunter Under Saddle. The Reserve World Champion in the class was Linda Jessup with Cockeyed Cowboy. Third place was Jodie Nolen with A Likely Sensation.

We caught up with one of the winners, Ashley Wildes, as she was preparing for her next class, Amateur Pleasure Driving.

“My favorite class is equitation,” she says. “I’ve been third with Nick [Totally By Choice] in 14-18 Equitation and third with Hobo. I won Equitation three years ago in 13 and under, and I really wanted to win it once in 14-18. When that didn’t happen, [I didn’t think I’d win] in my first year of Amateur. I was not expecting anything.”

This is the second World title of the day for Wildes and Hobo who won Amateur Hunter Hack earlier this morning. The pair also has World and Reserve World Championship titles in classes like Equitation Over Fences, Western Riding, and Hunter Hack.

Although this particular equitation pattern wasn’t necessarily Wildes’s favorite, she felt there were some maneuvers she could definitely use to her horse’s advantage.

“The pattern was awkward,” she says. “I like more cones than one, but I did like the two-point and he’s really good in the counter canter. Anything I ask him to do, he will do to the best of his ability. In equitation, he is an english horse. He steps up for the pattern, and I really like the forwardness.”

“[My parent’s/trainer’s] advice was to stay calm, cool, and collected. Ride my best and have fun with my horse. We already won this morning, so the pressure was off. Just have a good time.”

Because of his size and length of stride, Hobo specializes in english events. However, he definitely fits the bill as a versatile all-around horse.

“He will do anything for me and love doing it just because we’re together,” she says. “He’ll go run speed with a happy heart and go do western pleasure with a happy heart. He doesn’t care.”

Recently, the pair added an additional event to their repertoire, pleasure driving. This evening, Wildes will be showing in her first pleasure driving class, ever.

“I’ve never ever shown it ever in my life,” she says. “Why not? You’ve got to start somewhere. I taught him right before we came here.”

After making their debut in Pleasure Driving, Wildes and Hobo will compete in Classic Amateur Showmanship, Trail, Western Riding, and Horsemanship later in the week.

Novice Amateur Equitation–

1-Undefleeted/Barbara Ann Fletcher

2- Fancy Favors/Paris Hughes

3-Just Say Whoa/Carlina Progin

4-Just Haven Fun/Dawn Parker

5-DG One Sonny Image/Marissa Hurst

6-Lily White Sensation/Erin Gerhardt-Valois

7-The Big Invitation/Rachael Landman

8- Arapped In Black/Jeri-Lou Biggs

9-Could Be Sensational/Tammy Azevedo

10-Good Lopin Linda/Courtney Root

 Classic Amateur Hunt Seat Equitation-

1-Heza Texas Hobo/Ashley Wildes

2-Nighttime Sensation/Christine Weiser

3-Its All Krymsun/Emily Castellini

4-A Sudden Legacy/Desarae Gilley

5-Just A Roan Ranger/Michelle Bauer

6-Theultimate Advantage/Lauren Bork

7-Ruling Verse/Dallas Messenger

8-BMQ The Jig Is Up/Tami Dietrich-Dobbs

9-Friends With Benefits/Ali Eidson

10-Electric Sensation/Jerri Lynn Brown

Intermediate–

1-Its All Krymsun/Emily Castellini

2-A Sudden Legacy/Desarae Gilley

3-Theultimate Advantage/Lauren Bork

4-Ruling Verse/Dallas Messenger

5-Talkabout A Roadster/Lindsay McLain

Masters Amateur Equitation–

1-Timeless Assets/Coleen Bull

2-Cockeyed Cowboy/Linda Jessup

3-A Likely Sensation/Jodie Nolen

4-Fleets Serenity/Kelli Foster

5-Vr Knockyour Socksoff/Melissa Haberkorn

6-Ultimate Loper/Darcy Krause

7-Who Sez/Barbara Messinger

8-Hez Got It Go N On/Diane Luckey

9-Gallant Invitation/Ellen Gibson

10-Tommys In Town/Lisa Cherry