Renee Knowlton of Ionia, Iowa, showed in her first Ford AQHYA World Championship Show last year, winning the first performance halter gelding class with A Texas Revolution. There were 62 horses in the 2007 competition. This year, though, there were 113 entries, causing the class to be put into two splits. Renee and A Texas Leaguer were called back for the finals split along with 29 other competitors and were once again named the Ford Youth World performance halter gelding champions. The Journal found Renee by the Super Barn warm-up pen, getting ready to head back to the coliseum to watch her sister show in hunter under saddle. Here’s what she had to say about her winning run.
Q. How does it feel to have back-to-back world championships?
It feels great. He was so good. I was really, really nervous. I was shaking the whole time, but he showed awesome and I’m real happy with him.
Q. Why were you so nervous? You’ve done this before.
Yes, but it’s hard to win one first of all and then coming back to defend your title is even harder. And the class was a lot bigger this year. They had to split it up and that made me really nervous. But it was worth it. It was really worth it.
Q. Did it make you nervous as they got further and further down in calling out the placings?
(Renee laughs…) Very. I kept looking up at my trainer going, “Oh, oh. I hope this is going to work.” But they all faith in me and helped me throughout the year.
Q. Tell me about A Texas Revolution.
He’s sired by Invitation Only and out of Zippos Desert Rose. He’s an all-around horse now. He’s been a great horse to have. Easy at the barn. Easy to get out. You can go ride him if you want to even though he’s all haltered up. He’s just been a dream horse. Obviously he paid off.
Renee Knowlton and A Texas Revolution defended their Ford Youth
World title by winning the performance halter geldings championship.
Q. What’s his personality like?
(Renee stops again to laugh …) We call him “Chubs” because when he gets into the halter mode, he knows he’s pretty, and then my mom thinks he acts like Elvis becaue he is a diva. But that’s how he is. He didn’t like the halter at the very beginning and then once we got him into performance then he liked it a lot better. He loves it.
Q. What was different with this year’s win compared to last year’s?
Obviously coming to a different place and this is only my second time to the Youth World. Last year was my first time and this year was my second time. The routine was same. Getting him ready was the same. Everything was the same except for having him in a different place and the bigger class with splits. I don’t know what happened but everything paid off and all the pieces fell into the right places today. I’m happy.
Q. Is there anyone you would like to thank?
My mom. (As tears begin to roll down her cheeks, Renee stops for a second to collect herself.) She’s got multiple sclerosis and she’ll be in a wheelchair in a couple of years. She’s the one that got us into horses and I’m really glad that she did. I’m glad that she bought this horse for us. She supports us 110 percent. And thank the trainers who got him ready and helped me all year. All the youth competitors helping me and being such great support. But my mom the most.
BETCHA DIDN’T KNOW
Renee’s sister, Cari, also qualified A Texas Revolution for performance halter geldings but graciously let her sister take the gelding back to defend their world championship title. Renee is qualified to show as a youth for three more years. Wonder who gets to show A Texas Revolution next year?
