November 8-23, 2013, Oklahoma City

Amateur Aged Stallions

After 44 years of showing at the AQHA World Championship Show, Greg Davis is a World Champion.

by Allison Grayson
The American Quarter Horse Journal

Greg Davis started showing at the AQHA World Championship Show as a youth exhibitor, where he left with the reserve world champion trophy in yearling geldings.

At the 2012 AQHA World Championship Show, Greg will be leaving with the gold. He and Heza Stemwinder are the new World Champions in the amateur aged stallions class.

“(It’s) very exciting,” Greg said in his Journal Winning Run interview. “(“Stemwinder” is) a special horse and it took me 44 years to do that.”

This win has special meaning for Greg, besides being the culmination of his 44 years of showing. This is a special win for Stemwinder, as well.

“We just learned that he’s the first AQHA stallion to be grand, open and amateur at the (All American Quarter Horse) Congress and then win the Select amateur and open at the World,” he said. “So that’s very exciting.”

Stemwinder, a 2007 chestnut stallion by Ima Mr Cool Skip and out of the Sierras Black Gold Mare, Rhythmicals Gold, was shown at the 2012 Adequan Select World Championship Show by Greg’s wife, Gigi.

“We didn’t have to show him much to get him qualified,” Greg said of his preparation for the show. “And my wife won the Select, but it does take a lot. Steve Ferguson’s done a wonderful job with him. And before that, (AQHA Professional Horseman) Randy Jacob’s had him and they’ve done excellent.”

Stemwinder’s historic show career is in large part due to the Davis family’s decision to pull him out of retirement. It was in 2009 that he won both the open and amateur titles in his 2-year-old stallions classes.

Along the way, he’s shown that he is a talented and well behaved stallion.

“As a yearling I showed him and he was tough,” Greg said. “But he’s a good boy.”

Greg says that he has his dad to thank for getting him involved with horses when he was younger.

“My daddy always had horses and so I just picked that up and it’s been a part of my life,” he said with a tear in his eye. “He hasn’t (shown), but he always had horses.”

As far as celebrating, Greg will be preparing for his next class with one of Stemwinder’s offspring.

“(I’m going to) rest,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve got a baby by him to show tomorrow. So it’s gonna be a long week, but it’s all worth it. We’re just thankful we can be here.”

And Winderup Cowboy is one of 14 Heza Stemwinder offspring successfully competing in 2012.

“We’ve been very blessed,” Greg said of Stemwinder’s success over the years.

And after 44 years of reserve world champion titles, Greg is finally a world champion. He couldn’t be happier.

“(It’s) my first time to win!” he said.