SPECIAL NOTE:
2008 AQHA WORLD SHOW TENTATIVE DATES!
NOVEMBER 7-22, 2008 (dates tentative)

Read below for a special recap of this past year's world show.

SENIOR PLEASURE DRIVING

BACK-TO-BACK WIN FOR MOVIN ARTFULLY.

Team Wrangler member Jason Martin of Pilot Point, Texas, and Movin Artfully - 2007 world champions in senior pleasure driving.

The 2003 Sooner Trailer Superhorse Movin Artfully, aka “Joey,” added another world championship title to his list of accomplishments – he was crowned the 2007 senior pleasure driving champion November 15.

Placed first under four of five judges, the 17.2-hand gelding was driven by AQHA Pro Horseman and Team Wrangler member Jason Martin of High Point Performance Horses in Pilot Point, Texas.

“I think the best thing about this horse is his road gait,” Jason said, in his in-the-arena Journal Spotlight interview. “He can really go out there and cover a lot of ground.”

Team Wrangler member Charlie Cole, also of High Point Performance Horses, won reserve with the late Ann Call’s mare, Luke Here Honey.

Jason also drove Joey to his 2006 world championship in senior pleasure driving and has had the horse for most of his show career. It’s the horse’s fifth world championship – he was also 2003 world champion in junior hunter hack and junior pleasure driving and 2004 world champion in junior hunter hack

Youth exhibitor Melissa Doddridge of Tustin, California, has owned Joey for about two years now.

“The whole time he was going out there, me and my mom were freaking out, we were really nervous,” Melissa said. “But he was amazing; he looked great. The whole time they were placing the class, we were holding our breath. For him to win it two years in a row is pretty cool.”

Melissa shows in English events, mostly over fences although she’s recently started showing hunter under saddle and hunt seat equitation. Her mother, Pam, also shows and won the novice amateur pleasure driving with Joey at this year’s All American Quarter Horse Congress.

“He’s really (my mom’s) horse,” Melissa said. “We bought him for her, and then I’ve been showing him, and she hasn’t really had a chance to show him yet. She won at Congress with him, so next year is her year.”

Melissa loves showing Joey over fences, but she’s not too sure about driving him.

“I sat in the cart with Jason once,” she said. “But I think I’d be a little too scared to drive one.

“He’s really good (over fences),” she continued. “He’s a lot of fun, and that’s my favorite class. I just do over fences mostly, and for me it’s great, he’s awesome, he’s like a once-in-a-lifetime horse; he’s perfect.”

Keep an eye out for Joey and Melissa at next year’s Ford AQHYA World Championship Show because that’s her next goal with him – to win a youth world championship.

“I’m really lucky to have him,” Melissa said.