Katy Jo Zuidema/Kelly Smith Duo Win Congress 3-Year-Old Hunt Seat Futurity For Third Year in a Row
By: Brittany Bevis
It turns out that the third time is definitely a charm for the trainer/client team of Katy Jo Zuidema and Kelly Smith in the 3-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle Futurity at the Congress. Zuidema’s Congress Championship win today with Willy Wanna Be Me marks the third title earned by a horse under her tutelage in this particular class.
The pair earned a check for $5,403.54 for the win.
“The first one was Beautiful Maiden, and we hired Vicky Holt to show her.” Zuidema says. “Last year was with Whenonlythebestwildo, and I showed her. Then, now [we have] this one.”
Zuidema explains that the search for a three-year-old hunt seat horse of “Leroy’s” caliber took she and Smith all over the United States. Ironically, they ended up finding this horse just seven miles down the road.
“We bought him from Kim and Curtis Reynolds,” Zuidema says. “We got in a plane and flew all over the place and found him seven miles down the road.”
“He’s been kind of slow to grow up. He started good by winning the Tom Powers Futurity, and he’s just been getting better as he goes. I could just kind of feel this one coming. He just kept getting better as the day went on.”
Although Leroy will be four years old next year and ready for Maturity events, Zuidema says Smith has no plans to show him in Non-Pro competition. She is perfectly happy watching from the stands as a “professional owner.”
“Yesterday morning is when he peaked, right on time,” Smith says. “We had to stop giving him treats because he was getting obnoxious, but maybe he will actually get one today!”
Three-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle Futurity-
1-Willy Wanna Be Me/Katy Jo Zuidema
2-This Is Personal/Trisha Yamber
3-Hoo Loves Ya Baby/Beth Case
4-Details Of Willy/Paige Merrill
5-Huntin My Zipper/Sue Ellen Knost
6-Heza Ivy Invitation/Dawn Baker
7-Allocate In Blue/Nancy Sue Ryan
8-Woody Bea Detail/Vicky Holt
9-Karen Graham/I Am Too Good For You
10-Shez Dressed Hot/Laura Bracken
