WESTERN HORSEMANSHIP CHAMPION

SUSAN PENNAU AND CAUGHT A GOOD LUCK ARE SELECT GOLD.

BY CANDACE DOBSON, FIELD EDITOR

Susan Pennau had an entire section of the Amarillo National Center on their feet and screaming when she and Caught A Good Luck were announced as the Bayer Select World Championship Show horsemanship champions. A good majority of that crowd was her family.

“I had almost all my family here today, and all six of my grandchildren were here to watch me, so that made it extra special,” she said.

Horse shows are an everyday family outing for Susan. She travels with her daughter Jill and son-in-law, AQHA Professional Horseman John Briggs. The couple has three sons that Susan helps with their school work while traveling to horse shows.

“It’s a wonderful life,” she said. “We all help each other in one way or another, and it makes winning something like this even more special when you’ve done it with your family.”

Susan was all grins when she and Mighty Thor were announced the Bayer Select horsemanship champions.

Susan even borrowed “Mighty Thor” from her grandson Bryce to compete at the Bayer Select World.

Susan fell during the showmanship finals, but she didn’t let it phase her. She climbed in the saddle for horsemanship and rode straight to the top of the class.

“I actually wasn’t too nervous out there. He warmed up really well, and we had a pretty good run,” she said.

After taking the grandkids for a quick trip to McDonald’s to celebrate their victory, Susan is taking a break from the show arena until her crew heads north to Columbus, Ohio, in October for the All American Quarter Horse Congress.

“We go everywhere together,” she said. “We’re quite a team.”