2-YEAR-OLD STALLIONS

A JACKET AND A TROPHY.

BY CHRISTINE HAMILTON, FIELD EDITOR 

“When they called out the 11th one, and I knew I was 10th, I thought, ‘Oh, gosh, I got a jacket!’” said John Hoffer of Auburn, Kansas. “And then I just kept waiting and waiting.

“Finally they called me, and I couldn’t believe it.”

He and his buckskin stallion, Not Kiddin Me, won the jacket and the gold trophy that came along with the 2006 Bayer Select world championship in 2-year-old stallions.

The reserve championship went to Randal Menscer and Mr More Phenomenal, last year’s Bayer Select champion yearling stallion.

“We thought he was good enough to win,” said John’s wife, Barbara. “But towards the end there was a fly on him, and every time John would get him to set up he’d move, and every time a judge was there he’d move.

"Finally they called me, and I couldn't believe it," said John Hoffer of Auburn, Kansas. He led Not Kiddin Me to the 2006 Bayer Select world championship in 2-year-old stallions.

“My husband really doesn’t like to show, and he did a superb job, and I’m so proud of him,” Barbara added and gave her husband a kiss. “I’m proud of you, too, bud,” she said to the horse.

“He’s awful pretty, and we’re proud of him,” John said. “This is our No. 2 highlight. Dun Beyond Reality won a world (championship) the first time for us.” Dun Beyond Reality, also a buckskin, was the 2002 world champion 3-year-old stallion and 2003 world champion amateur aged stallion.

Not Kiddin Me is a homebred for the Hoffers, by Buckleys Mr Twister and out of Not Kiddin by Kid Clu.

“All our horses are N/N,” Barbara said. “We work really hard on our operation to try and breed high quality horses. I think God’s really has blessed us a lot because he’s given us beautiful animals like this.”

Not Kiddin Me’s barn name is “Twister,” named after his sire.

“His daddy got shot when he was 3 years old,” Barbara explained. “We had three mares bred to him, and this is one of the babies. He carries on his legacy.”

Aaron Hall of Hall Quarter Horses in Wichita, Kansas, trained the horse. Hall worked for AQHA Pro Horseman Denny Hasset for a number of years before going out on his own.

“Barbara brought him in (to me) as a project,” Aaron said. “I saw good things about him, and I thought if he ever came into himself he’d be a nice horse.

“He’s finally hitting stride right now. It’s perfect timing.”

For now, Twister is headed for the AQHA World Championship Show. In spring 2007, he’ll stand at Bill and Ann Lanning’s Edgewood/Lanning, Inc., in Pilot Point, Texas.

Read more about Not Kidden Me in the Journal’s online coverage of the 2005 AQHA World Championship Show at: www.aqha.com/showing/shows/worldshow/experience/shothorse.html.