How does it feel to win your first youth world championship?
“Amazing! It’s a total dream come true. I’ve dreamt of this my whole life, my parents and I both. It’s just amazing – surreal right now.”
That’s according to Whitney Walquist of Cleburne, Texas. She and her gelding, Im Shy But Deluxe, aka “Travis,” won the youth world championship in horsemanship on August 7. There were 113 in the preliminaries and the field of finalists included world champion riders and multiple top-10 finalists.
Whitney has qualified for the Ford AQHYA World Championship Show several times, in 1999, 2000 and every year since 2004. But this is her very first world championship.
Travis has been her mount since her 2005 appearance.
“He’s the most amazing horse I’ve ever owned,” Whitney said. “He gives me 100 percent every time, he tries so hard. He’s my best friend.”
This year’s finals pattern was tough, including a square turn, a large, fast circle down to a slow, small half-circle and a rollback. But it wasn’t the complex pattern that worried Whitney as the finals approached.
“Before the class I felt like my horse was a little too fresh,” Whitney said. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to push him hard enough to get the pattern that I needed to win. But I said a prayer and the Lord took care of me and my horse took care of me, like he always does.”
The judges made the rail work tough, to riders entered the arena without stirrups at an extended jog. They didn’t pick up their stirrups until they reversed direction on the rail.
Whitney’s parents, trainer Bruce and Cindy Walquist, were on hand for the win.
“They taught me everything I know about riding, my mom and dad both,” Whitney said. “Ever since I got my pony when I was 3 years old, they’ve been cheering me on all the way, giving me the confidence I need.”
What would she say to other young riders that still dream of feeling exactly how she feels after this win?
“Never ever give up. Never give up,” Whitney said. “I tried for a long time, and I thought that it would never happen. It’s my last year of youth this year, and it happened. All the hard steps along the way, all the bad patterns, all the not-good runs, it was all worth it for this moment.”
