AMATEUR YEARLING GELDING CHAMPION

RICHARD PEDEN AND JMK VIRTUAL REALITY RISE TO THE TOP.

BY CANDACE DOBSON, FIELD EDITOR

Richard Peden of Alpharetta, Georgia, brought home JMK Virtual Reality’s first world championship after dominating the amateur yearling geldings.

It has been a big season for Peden and “Ronald.” The pair just came from Columbus, Ohio, where they were named champions in amateur yearling geldings at the All American Quarter Horse Congress. Ronald was also Congress champion in the open division.

Peden bought Ronald when he was 3 months old from James Kifer of Hartselle, Alabama.

Peden and Ronald accept their world championship trophy from 2005 AQHA President Frank Howell.

“We saw him in the pasture with his mom, and we just knew he was the one,” Peden said.

In a field of 16 finalists, Ronald's flashy style stood him apart but Peden said his size and power are his two strongest qualities.

“It doesn’t hurt that he loves to show,” he said with a grin. “It makes it a lot more fun.”

Peden is a regular in the show ring, but outside of the horse industry, he is a commercial contractor. He started showing halter horses 23 years ago when his wife, Joe, introduced him into the horse industry. He won his first AQHA world championship in 1996, and this year’s brought his grand total to five.

Ronald will compete in the open division next week in an attempt to sweep the World Show yearling gelding division.