A single tear streaked down Gypsy O'Neal's face as she walked out of the second class of the 2008 Bayer Select World Championship Show, receiving congratulations from dozens of people in the short hike to her stall. In her first trip to the Bayer Select World, she won her first world championship with a 2-year-old gelding. She thanked everyone from her family and friends to the employees at her trainer's barn.

Q: Is this your first world championship?
Gypsy: Yes, it is. It’s the first time I’ve ever showed at this level in AQHA, and I’m thrilled.

Q: What were you thinking while you were out there?
Gypsy: I was just saying thank God for the opportunity to even be out here, to have a nice horse, to be able to get here to the show safe – you know, sometimes we take the little things for granted. The main thing isn’t going in there and winning, it’s going in there and doing the best job that you and your horse can do and then it’s up to the judges after that. I just thank God my horse stood still and I didn’t cry while I was showing, not until afterwards. And I’m thankful for my family standing behind me. My mother, who’s 95, and my husband and son. I just thank God for all of them.

Q: Tell us about your horse.
Gypsy: He’s a special horse. Wayne Bell and Jan sold him to my son, very reasonably, both (the horse) and his mother so we could have a horse nice enough to show at this caliber (show). We like to use the opportunity to go so that Tim can preach the Sunday morning service, because we’re pastors. And that’s our first call. And our second call is we get to have the horses to enjoy life. He’s special. He almost died when he was born, and Jan’s daughter had to bottle him for several days. And then when we weaned him, he almost died again and we had to go back and bottle him and put him back on his mother. He’s had a lot of adversities. For some reason, he went to kicking in the trailer on the way home from the last show, so this time my husband rode in the trailer with him all the way here to make sure he didn’t get hurt. Now I tell you, that’s a good husband, isn’t he?

 
Gypsy O'Neal and Won And Only Fella

Q: How far a drive was that?
Gypsy: Six hours he was in the trailer. It was a wonderful opportunity to get to come, and I just enjoy the Select so much. The people are so precious here. The show’s run smoothly, and it’s just a blessing to be here.

Q: What are you going to do to celebrate?
Gypsy: I think I’ve had my cry, my celebration, and it’s time to get back to work.