NPHA - It was a Pleasure!

Natasha Backhouse had a great show, winning not only the prestigious 2 Year Old Western Pleasure Futurity, but amongst other classes, the Junior Horse Western Pleasure Stakes, riding Liberations (pictured)

Ampleur Hot and Hawnie and Raelene Gilboy won the 3 Year Old Hunter Under Saddle Class and Futurity

Sumpth N Noble and Kane Skopp after winning the 3 Year Old Western Pleasure Futurity

I Always Want to Win and Rebecca Fatchen (wearing a stunning bling creation that she designed) after winning the Senior Horse Western Pleasure Stakes

High Point Senior Youth, Kodi Anderson and Breakin Hearts - both are moving to the USA to live next week.

Rockin' Horse Ranch's 2 year old imported stallion - the lovely natured  and pretty moving Smoochin - hanging out on the red carpet prior to his first class at his first show..

Cute dogs of all shapes and sizes were must-have show companions.

Horsezone's Grooming Service!

I have a new crush, well several actually, five days in the presence of the best western horses in Australia - stunningly talented, immaculately behaved and downright gorgeous Quarter Horses, Paints and Appaloosas - offered plenty of opportunities to fall in love!

The NPHA Pleasure Celebration Show was held at SIEC from 18 - 22 May and even though the numbers were down on previous years, quality was definitely not and my first visit to NPHA proved it was every bit as good as  predicted.

Horsezone were one of the proud sponsors of the Pleasure Celebration Show and it was wonderful to watch five days of top quality western competition and meet the people and horses who make it all so special.  Jessie Freeman and RQH Isle Be Stylish won the Horsezone Senior Youth Hunter Under Saddle class and it was great to meet Jessie and her lovely horse (pictured above left - photo: www.ace-photo.com.au).

Horsezone's Business Manager, Haylie Martin, who has not been involved with western horses previously, was very impressed with the quality of the horses, saying, "I really enjoyed my first proper introduction to the western world, a good horse is a good horse in any discipline and I can appreciate the time and effort that goes into training these horses to the top of this sport. I also loved seeing what everyone was wearing, some of the shirts on display were works of art!”

CLICK HERE to view Horsezone's Photo Gallery and HERE to view our Daily Blog from the Show.

The program for the show included a full halter and western performance program as well as many big feature events.

Major feature events included:

• $20,000 Phoenix Farms and JVQ Vivian Andersen Memorial Weanling Halter Slot Futurity, which was won by Resolute To A Te, a beautiful bay Quarter Horse colt by The Resolution (Imp) - owned by Graeme and Berenice Law and shown by Doug Hill;
• Xtreme QH’s $10,000 3 yo Western Pleasure Futurity won by Quarter Horse Sumpth N Noble, ridden by Kane Skopp and owned by Cheryl Duff (this was an excellent follow up to the same pair winning the big two year old futurity in 2010); and
• Jayes Park $20,000 2 yo Western Pleasure Futurity won by Quarter Horse Winderadeen Ceeilikithot, ridden by Natasha Backhouse (Pictured above - photo: www.ace-photo.com.au).  This lovely young horse has impeccable pleasure breeding - by HF Something Hot and out of Cee A Barpasser mare, Winderadeen Gay Cee Bars, while second place went to Joanne Gregory's Bruce Almighty (ridden by Tim French), who is also by HF Something Hot and out of a Cee A Barpasser mare, Twistabar.  The HF Something Hot/Cee A Barpasser cross horses performed extremely well overall at the show.

On the Hunter front, Lyndall Dauth's elegant and consistent black gelding, RQH Whos Ur Daddy (pictured above) by RQH Doing It In Style, dominated the Senior Horse, Amateur and Open classes, with Lyndall and also Kristy Mobberley in the saddle, while the large three year old classes were won by Appaloosa mare, Ampleur Hot and Hawnie, with her beautiful sweepy trot.  Cassandra Huyshe's big Quarter Horse, Winderadeen Dashtothebar also excelled in the Hunter classes winning Amateur Senior Horse Hunter, placing second in the Amateur Hunter Under Saddle Stakes, as well as the Senior and Open Hunter Under Saddle Stakes with Carolyn and Holly Johnson. Another impressive hunter horse was Jessie Freeman's black gelding RQH Isle be Stylish, who won the Senior Youth Hunter Under Saddle, as mentioned previously, and Youth Hunter Under Saddle Stakes. RQH Who's Ur Daddy, Winderadeen Dashtothebar and RQH Isle be Stylish not only did well in the hunter classes but also excelled in the western pleasure - showing that their lovely movement translates into both types of events.

Other stand out performers amongst the amateurs included Melissa Benson and the wonderfully consistent Winderadeen Passin Blue; Alison Dimery riding Mr Expensive; and Christine Van den Bogert riding lovely three year old Paint, Cee The Sensation, who all won or placed well in their classes - Open and Amateur. This said, all competitors did a great job at the show and I congratulate everyone on the effort they put in to showing their horses.

HORSEZONE'S REFLECTIONS...

Most Impressive:

• Overall high quality of horses competing at the show, across all classes and the great job trainers, youth and amateurs did showing them.
• Presentation/turn out of the horses and riders - both were polished to perfection in western and hunter classes.
• Politeness and friendliness of all competitors - especially the Youth.
• Rockin Horse Ranch's stable aisle complete with red carpet, plus gorgeous purple swagged and embroidered curtains  - in honour of super cute two year old stallion, Smoochin's very first show outing in Australia - not to mention the calmly efficient manner in which Carolyn, Holly and Kane managed to get 14 horses shown!
• Sponsorship - so many very generous sponsors supported this show with cash and prizes, not just for the really big money classes.  It was great to see sponsor Ivy Western Wear donated a beautiful show saddle for the Ltd Two Year Old Western Pleasure Futurity, which was won by a thrilled Brooke Trotter and YLS Custom Maid.

Goosebump Moments:

• When Smoochin first entered the arena for the go-round of the two year old western pleasure futurity - his very first class at his very first show!
• Seeing Chips Hot Nblazing's first two year old progeny out competing in the western pleasure futurity and making it to the final.
• When Sumpth N Noble and Kane Skopp won the three year old western pleasure futurity - a year after they won the NPHA two year old futurity - and girlfriend Holly Johnson came second on Winderadeen Sam I Am.
• At her last show in Australia, accomplished Youth Competitor Kodi Anderson, won High Point Senior Youth before moving to the USA to live next week!
• Last but definitely not least - when Natasha Backhouse and Winderadeen Ceeilikithot won the two year old futurity, then to top it off, Natasha's boyfriend Travis Humphries got down on one knee and proposed right there in the arena!

Crowd Pleasers:

• All the feature events - but mostly the big money halter and western pleasure classes - there were good crowds for these and the stands were abuzz with anticipation!
• During the feature western pleasure events finals, when the three judges placings were called out first, before totals were added up and final placings awarded. In a couple of cases the same horse was consistently first under all judges, however other placings were very mixed, which really illustrated that showing is very much about personal opinion and what each judge sees in a horse's run.
• When the arena raking tractor broke down and had to be towed out by another tractor.
• The totally stunning outfits worn by the ladies in western pleasure events - at one stage we were so busy admiring show tops we forgot to look at the horses!

What's Hot?

• Bling, bling and more bling!! Every western class was a-sparkle with beautiful rhinestone encrusted show jackets and shirts. So many gorgeous outfits to choose from but I think my favourite was Kodi Anderson's Turquoise and chocolate creation - the photo does not do it justice!
• Trying not to be outdone by the glittering ladies, purple seemed to be the colour of choice for the boys in western pleasure.
• Western horses of all breeds, shapes, sizes and ages -  well educated, with beautiful temperaments, lovely movement and soft kind eyes - including stallions Smoochin, One Kool Kisser and Invited Tiger.
• Really cute dogs of every shape and size from Australian Shepherds through to Pugs - this show had them all!
• Having a laugh in the warm up pen.
• Zipping around in golf carts packed with people, adorned by tack and other gear...
• Or... If you didn't have access to a cart - getting fit walking from stables to the main arena and back again.
• Hot chocolate with marshmallows!
• Horsezone's grooming services - okay we really only offered our services to one lucky competitor in a moment of need, but we were pretty efficient!
• Announcer Ralph Dunn's regular Facebook updates with results.

What's Not?

• The weather - as in cold, although it was mostly very pleasant really - organisers, spectators and competitors were blessed!
• Not having a horse there!

Stay tuned to www.npha.com.au for full results which should be published shortly.

If hearing about NPHA makes you keen to get into western horses CLICK HERE to view Quarter Horses, HERE for Paints and HERE for Appaloosas, for sale on Horsezone. CLICK HERE if you'd like to sell a horse.

by Jo Johnson