December 9, 2008 — At this year’s American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Championship Show in Oklahoma City, Okla., horses in six open categories rewarded their owners with a $5,000 bonus after being named Most Valuable Horse (MVH).
The inaugural MVH Awards recognized the highest point-earning horses in six open divisions: Western (western pleasure, western riding and trail classes); Roping (heading, heeling and tie-down); English (hunter under saddle, hunter hack, working hunter, pleasure driving and jumping); Pattern/Cow (cutting, reining and working cow horse); Speed (barrel racing and pole bending) and Timed (ranch sorting and team penning).
“Designed to showcase the talents and abilities of American Quarter Horses competing in multiple events, the Most Valuable Horse Awards will be modified slightly for 2009 in order to meet that goal,” said Bill Brewer, AQHA Executive Vice President. “Exhibitors are encouraged to qualify in more than one event that comprises the MVH Award for those disciplines.”
MVH winners each received $5,000 cash and special recognition at the 2008 Bank of America Amateur and FedEx Open AQHA World Championship Show at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City.
Flitin Firin Cash, a 2001 bay mare owned by Jud Little of Ardmore, Okla., won the first-ever AQHA MVH Award in the speed events. Flitin Firin Cash and Jolene Lynne Stewart of Ardmore won the senior barrel racing.
Piloted by Justin Underwood of New Summerfield, Texas, Jewels Trinket Taker took the 2008 AQHA Timed-Event MVH Award at the World Show on November 10. The 1999 sorrel gelding is by Lenas Jewel Bars and out of Hickorys Seis by Doc’s Hickory. This was the horse’s second year to compete at the World Show in both team penning and ranch sorting. “Pistol” is owned by AQHYA member Kyle Rogers of Stillwater, Okla.
A Certain Vino, a 2003 brown gelding owned by Lee Reeve of Garden City, Kan., won the AQHA MVH Award in the western events. A Certain Vino and AQHA Professional Horsewoman Karen Hornick won the world championship in junior western pleasure, and the gelding finished third in junior western riding and ninth in performance halter geldings with AQHA Professional Horseman Charlie Cole.
Broker Of Record, out of 1988 Superhorse One For The Record, carried on the family’s winning tradition. After winning world titles in junior working hunter and junior hunter hack with Bill Ellis aboard, the sorrel gelding, owned by the Kaplow Family of Chappaqua, N.Y., earned the 2008 AQHA MVH in English events.
AQHA Professional Horseman Robbie Schroeder piloted Shine By The Bay to earn the 2008 AQHA Pattern/Cow MVH Award. The 1998 bay stallion is by Shining Spark and out of Metermaid To Order by Doc O’Lena and owned by Shine By The Bay Partnership of Gainesville, Texas. The 2004 open world champion in senior working cow horse competed in five events at this year’s show – senior working cow horse, senior tie-down roping, senior heading and heeling, and senior reining.
In addition to being named the 2008 Featherlite Superhorse, Roo Star also was named AQHA Roping NVH. “Roo” is owned by Melissa Ann Miller of Belton, Texas. His 2008 World Show accomplishments include a win in senior heading with AQHA Professional Horseman Brad Lund. The duo also finished fourth in senior heeling. Ron Emmons showed Roo in senior reining and working cow horse, and AQHA Professional Horseman Gene Parker showed him in performance halter stallions.
Through the generosity of Bank of America, FedEx and other AQHA corporate partners, $600,000 of added money supplemented the purses. The horses competed for world champion titles and a share of more than $2.7 million in cash and awards. The Bank of America Amateur and FedEx Open World Championship Show is the largest single-breed world championship horse show in the world. Visit www.aqha.com/showing/shows/worldshow/winning08 to see winning run interviews and highlights from the show.
For the fourth year, the excitement of the World Show will be shared in a special one-hour show nationwide on NBC Sports on Sunday, January 4 at 1:30 p.m.
Qualifying for the 2009 World Show began August 1 and will continue until July 31, 2009.
