Steven Jensen leads Kids Cool Kid to claim his world championship trophy.

For halter exhibitor Steven Jensen, 2007 felt a lot like 2003. That was the year Steven led his stallion, Kid Coolsified, to the 3-year-old stallion title.

As Steven took the shank on Kids Cool Kid this year, he knew he was leading a horse he wanted to represent that stallion.

“I had the opportunity to show his father four years ago here, winning the world, and it’s nice to bring the son back, doing the same,” Steven said, moments after accepting his championship trophy. “I think (Kids Cool Kid) is a great individual. He looks a lot like his dad – the face, the eyes, the head – it’s his daddy’s son.”

Earlier this year, Steven heard from trainer Andy Staton that he had a horse in training that might be a worthy successor to Kid Coolsified. So Steven drove down from his home in Saginaw, Michigan, to Kentucky with another yearling stallion by Kid Coolsified.

“We set them up in the aisle side by side, and I just looked at Andy and said, how much?” Steven said. “The second I saw (Kids Cool Kid), I knew this was his daddy’s son, the one I wanted to represent my horse.”

Steven’s wife Kelli, however, was harder to convince.

“I did not want to buy another horse this year, but when we went to the first show and he brought (Kids Cool Kid) out into the ring, I knew (Steven had) made the right decision,” Kelli said. “He very much looked like his daddy. In every way. His hair coat, his color, his conformation is beautiful. His temperament. He’s an easy keeper.”

Kelli had to take the horse into the show ring once for a grand championship drive when Steven was showing another horse.

“I wasn’t really excited about going in with a stallion but he was so sweet,” Kelli said. “He’s very well-behaved. He’s a great animal.”

Steven plans to breed Kids Cool Kid to a few mares, but he also already has plans to campaign the horse again in 2008. He enjoys showing, he said, and the horse does, too.

“He just loves being in front of the crowd,” he said. “He perks up, he stretches out and it’s like here I am, look at me.”

Kids Cool Kid will get the opportunity to show off again next week in open competition with AQHA Professional Horseman Luke Castle.