Aged Geldings

Monica Hamm earns another world championship with RPL My Te Cheerful.

by Larri Jo Starkey
The American Quarter Horse Journal

A year away from something can make the heart grow fonder.

At least that’s how it worked for Monica Hamm of Phoenix, who showed RPL My Te Cheerful to world championship in 2009 at the Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show.

In 2010, Monica’s sister, Kaylee, showed “Henry” to the same title.

But in 2011, the horse had a different owner, and neither of the Hamm sisters got to show Henry at the Ford Youth World. But in January, Vernon Habighorst of Phoenix, Monica and Kaylee’s grandfather, bought Henry back.

So on their return August 5 to the Jim Norick Arena, Monica was excited about the chance to show Henry again.

“It is amazing to show him,” she said. “He’s such a lazy horse, it’s not even funny. He’ll lay in his stall – and that stall is pretty small for him; he has a big stall at home – and he’s squished in it. He’s lazy all the time. When I was done, standing in the ring, he was falling asleep.”

During his show career, RPL My Te Cheerful has picked up 12 world championships. In 2011, he won open and amateur world championships in aged geldings for then-owner Josh Weakly of Shelbyville, Illinois. During both his stints with the Habighorst family, he has won world championship trophies for just about every member of the family, enough that Kaylee and Monica don't have to fight over trophies.

"We separate them," Kaylee explained, one for each sister's room.

Even though the 2004 gelding is now a little older than some of the other geldings in the class, he still has that winning look, placing first under all five judges in 29-horse final August 5.

“I felt pretty confident (going in) because I know how he can perform, and he loves to show,” Monica said. “He can be grumpy out here (in the makeup arena), and the minute he sees that archway, he’s fine. He perks up and loves showing more than I do almost. He loves to show.”

RPL My Te Cheerful is by Hear The Cheers and out of My Te Telusive by Telusive. He was bred by Bobbie Arnold Atkinson of Henderson, Texas, and is trained by AQHA Professional Horseman Tyler O’Neal of Athens, Texas.

“It’s nice to have him back again,” Monica said.