2009 AQHA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW NOVEMBER 6 - 21 | OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

WEANLING GELDINGS & WEANLING MARES OFF TO A GOOD START. BY CHRISTINE HAMILTON, FIELD EDITOR Ross Roark exhibited Feared, owned by Josh Weakly of Shelbyville, Illinois. Owner Josh Weakly of Shelbyville, Illinois, started off the FedEx Open Week halter competition on November 20 with a weanling double-play. AQHA Pro Horseman Ross Roark led his weanling gelding Feared to the weanling geldings world championship. Josh just purchased the gelding from Terry and Leslie Wilkerson on November 13. Then AQHA Pro Horseman Luke Castle led his filly, Curvy Cowgirl, to the weanling mares world championship – four of five judges had her in their top three. The Journal caught up with Josh and his trainer, Andy Staton, later in the day to talk about his world championship horses. Q. Please tell us first about the gelding, he’s a recent purchase? Josh: Andy and Kendall saw Feared last week, and we went over and looked at him. He just had something about him. We knew that he was a cool horse and thought that he would be a great addition to our herd. We ended up buying the horse and let Ross (Roark) show him today Q. What was it about him that stood out to you? Andy: Just the future. He’s very futuristic. We just love how he’s bred, and if you just look at him, he’s so breedy-looking. We think he’s really going to make a great older horse. Curvy Cowgirl, 2008 world champion weanling mare with breeder Allison Jackson, exhibitor Luke Castle, AQHA Executive Committee Member Peter Cofrancesco III, and Kendall Staton.  Q. And the weanling mare, please tell us how you got her. Josh: Well, she was kind of a long story. Andy’s wife, Kendall, went to look at another baby filly in North Carolina and liked the filly they initially went to look at, and heard about Curvy Cowgirl. So she went to Robert Light and Allison Jackson’s and looked at the filly and called me and said, you’ve got to have her. So, we owe the credit on Curvy Cowgirl to Kendall; she found her and stuck with her the whole time. She’s a very special filly, and we’ve done very well with her. Q. Has she been tough to fit at all? Andy: No, she’s just so solid. She’s a gamer and is just a really solid filly that always puts her game face on and uses her ears, and she’s a really cool filly. I think she’s an example of a Quarter Horse. Q. How did you get into showing halter, Josh? Josh: You know, I showed halter for 10, 15 years, and I’ve always liked a good horse, I have a good appreciation for a good horse. I’ve met a lot of good people along the way. I just like to have a good time. I like to win, too! (He laughed.) Q. Andy, you’ve been in the business a while, do you have a mentor? Andy: I have a lot of friends who’ve helped me along the way. There are a lot of good people here that do a very good job and they compete against each other every weekend and at these horse shows. Everybody’s my mentor, anybody that comes and does a good job and shows hard and does good. You can look out there in the clean-up pen, and everybody’s horse looks good, and they do a great job. Fun Fact: Curvy Cowgirl got her name when one of her breeders, Allison Jackson, was listening to the radio trying to think of names; George Straight’s song “How ‘Bout Them Cowgirls” gave her the inspiration.   WINNER STATS WEANLING GELDINGS Horse: Feared Pedigree: 2008 black gelding by Fearles x My Te Telusive by Telusive Exhibitor: Ross Roark, Monahans, Texas Owner: Josh Weakly, Shelbyville, Illinois Trainer: Andy Staton, Shelbyville, Illinois Breeder: Chad Beus, Spanish Fork, Utah Total class entries: 21 Purse: $14,844 WEANLING MARES  Horse: Curvy Cowgirl Pedigree: 2008 chestnut mare by Mazeratti x EF Mystique by Ima Cool Skip Exhibitor: Luke Castle, Wayne, Oklahoma Owner: Josh Weakly, Shelbyville, Illinios Trainer: Andy Staton, Shelbyville, Illinois Breeder: Robert Light, Oxford, North Carolina Total class entries: 42 Purse: $29,689  World Champion Prizes: Custom-designed gold-tone trophy, Montana Silversmiths buckle, neck wreath, gold medallion, Cripple Creek-logo jacket, world champion patch, Tex Tan product, Justin Boots		RESULTS JUDGES 2009 QUALIFYING POINTS 2009 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE CHECK YOUR QUALIFYING POINTS COMPETITOR INFORMATION