"It's kind of hard to describe, I can't really fathom it right now," Alisa Bernhard said, just after winning the world championship in amateur working hunter. It was her third win of the day. "I've had a perfect day."

She and Tall Dark And Rich started their winning streak when they took top honors in the amateur hunt seat equitation.

Alisa Bernhard piloted her home bred hunter, Tall Dark And Rich to a world championship in amateur hunt seat equiation.

“It was the kind of pattern that we’ve been practicing all year,” she said. “It was really easy for him because he’s a real hunter horse; it was a very hunter pattern. It was my comfort zone, right there. It felt really smooth, everything went exactly as planned, he was really listening. He couldn’t have been better.”

Alisa and "Jimmy" followed with a win in amateur equitation over fences before finishing their trio of wins in the working hunter.

Alisa and Jimmy have a long-standing relationship, which makes for much of their success. The 2000 brown gelding by Rich Rendition and out of Forsaken Skies (TB) by African Sky (TB), was born and raised at her family’s farm.

“I broke him out when he was 3,” she said. “He’s been like a family pet.”

"He was kind of immature," Alisa said of Jimmy's early days under saddle. "We had some big old fall offs a few times. It wasn't always perfect, definitely not. But he was really willing. He was really easy to teach things. He had a lot of trust in me."

Alisa said she knew Jimmy would be something special when she took him to his first show in April 2005.

"He'd never been off the property, and he was just perfect," she said. "I could tell right away he loved showing. His ears were always up, he was really alert. He really likes being a show horse, he really likes his job."

In addition to their three gold trophies, the pair took home the reserve world championship in amateur hunter hack Wednesday night. At last year’s World Show, they earned reserve honors in green working hunter and top-10 finishes in junior hunter hack and working hunter.

“This is only his second year showing,” Alisa said. “I won the Congress with him this year, too. It’s been a good two years with him.”

Alisa said the secret to her success is consistency.

"I don't try to change the way I ride at shows like this," she said. "I try to be consistent. I love coming here, it's so much fun, but I try to ride the same at every show."

WINNER STATS Horse name: Tall Dark And Rich, 2000 brown gelding Pedigree: Rich Rendition X Forsaken Skies TB by African Sky TB Exhibitor: Alisa Bernhard, Germantown, WI Owner: Susan Bernhard Breeder: Susan Bernhard Total class entries: 31 Purse: $12,628.66 World Champion Prizes: Custom gold-tone trophy, Montana Silversmiths buckle, Cripple Creek World Show jacket, Tex Tan silver halter and spurs, Justin ostrich Techno Crepe boots, 100 pounds of Nutrena feed, Professional’s Choice and WeatherBeeta product. Total purse and prizes for the 2006 AQHA World Championship Show: $2,457,010