Monica Hamm of Phoenix won her a world championship in her first Ford AQHYA World Championship Show on August 9 in the 3-year-old mares class. Her mare, Existing, was the 2007 reserve world champion 2-year-old mare. Monica has just been showing halter since March and has also earned a youth Superior award with her aged gelding, Telusive Tide. She’ll be showing him later today.
Q. Tell me about Existing, what is she like?
Monica: She is very mellow; she loves to have fun. She’s calm, and she is a really good horse.
Q. What’s her nickname, and why do you call her that?
Monica: It’s “Zisty,” because it’s short for that, and I don’t have to say her whole long name.
Q. Why do you like to show in halter?
Monica: I like showing in halter because it gives you something else to do, and you don’t always have to concentrate on schoolwork. It’s like a whole other world with horses.
Q. What do you like about fitting a horse?
Monica: I love braiding their tails, combing their hair, brushing them.
Monica Hamm, 11, of Phoenix and her youth world champion 3-year-old mare, Existing.
Q. How did you get into halter horses?
Monica: My grandpa and my grandma have a horse business – they build custom saddles in Phoenix. Pretty much my grandma started us off. She made the halters and my grandpa had horses his whole life.
Q. Who would you like to thank especially for helping you with this win?
Monica: I would like to thank my grandma, Rita, and my grandpa, Vern, most of all. I would also like to thank Ted and Darlene Turner (my trainer).
Q. Do you have any advice for young people wanting to show?
Monica: The only advice I have is just be calm and just think about your horse. Don’t think about winning. Just think about your horse and what you’ve been taught and things you are going to do in the arena.
Q. What are you going to do with this mare now?
Monica: Hmm. I think I’m going to… She’s going to go back to Texas, and I’m going to. I don’t know, give her all the love I can!
BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW Monica’s grandparents are Vern and Rita Habighorst of Phoenix, owners of Blue Ribbon Custom Tack.
WINNER STATS
Horse name: Existing Pedigree: 2005 mare by Mr Elusive and out of Article By Color by Color Me Skip Exhibitor: Monica Hamm, Phoenix Owner: Vernon Habighorst, Phoenix Trainer: Ted Turner, Jr., Aubrey, Texas
Total class entries: 26 Sponsored by Terry Bradshaw
