Stock Horse of Texas Celebrates Members and Versatile Horses from 2023

There is no better way to honor hard-working riders and their talented horses than gathering as an association to dine and celebrate, which is what the Stock Horse of Texas did March 2, 2024, in Bryan, Texas, to wrap a successful 2023 show year in style. The awards banquet is held at the 2024 kick-off show, ensuring a raucous group of cheering well-wishers attend to see their peers receive part of the more than $105,000 in awards given.

“Our sponsors’ selfless giving allows this grassroots-grown organization to thrive,” said SHTX President William Lewis. “It’s not enough to say, but thank you, thank you, to all of our sponsors, donors and to our great competitors for another fantastic year.”

The focus of the year-end banquet is to honor those horse and rider pairs that battled through at least fifty percent of the yearly events to qualify to receive an all-around award in one of the 13 divisions, including Collegiate. However, horses that have achieved points to qualify for Superior and Merit awards, and the new Legacy Horse Award, are recognized.

The SHTX show year sees competitors ride in four versatility all-around events, earning points that amass for the year-end all-around. The 2023 all-around champions were presented with their custom-ordered Martin saddles, and reserve champions received their custom-ordered JW Brooks hats. Those riders in each division are:

Open 
Champion – Allora and Amy Leonard and Stylish Lil Boon (Mr Playinstylish x Shesalittleredboon x Peptoboonsmal)
Reserve Champion – Mark Luis riding Sho Cat (Metallic Cat x I Sho Spensive x Freckles Fancy Twist)

Level 1 Open 
Champion – Zachary Haydon and Seven Nation Army (Purdy Boy Flash x Metallicttoy x Metallic Cat)
Reserve Champion – Spencer Gray and Darlings Playmate (A New Player x Sonitas Lil Darling x Sonitalena), owned by Martha Vogelsang

Junior
Champion – Spencer Gray and Hes A Stylish Player (A New Player x Stylish Holly Lena x Docs Stylish Oak) owned by Martha Vogelsang
Reserve Champion – Renate Finley and Heirlooms (Lil Joe Cash x ARC Cee My Chrome x Custom Crome)

Non-Pro 
Champion – Sara Saxe riding Spittin Hickory (Hickory Holly Time x Just Wright Lilly x Hes Wright On)
Reserve Champion – Greg Lee Byars riding That Lady Can Do (Cat Man Do x Racklady Poco x Poco King Tuck)

Limited Non-Pro 
Champion – Daeleigh Faith Patridge and RVR Natural Cat (Palo Duro Cat x Play Naturally x Chicas Playboy)
Reserve Champion – Jayne Elizabeth Iffla and Playin Catty (Catty Hawk x Playin Goldie x Freckles Playboy)

Intermediate 
Champion – Jennifer Fridley and MSU Joe Has An Ace (UGA King Of Aces x Joes Frosty Drift x PC Joes Frost)
Reserve Champion – Katie Smelley and Hoo Rey Roux (Sigala Rey x Girl With A Gun x Playgun)

Novice
Champion – Grace Chambers and TAMU Pepyrey Marsali
Reserve Champion – Melanie Denton and Gems Dualin Dolly (Golden Dually x Pesco Little Gem x Doc Bar Gem)

Level 1 Novice 
Champion – Braxton Mitchell and Dual Smarts Smooth (Dual Smart Rey x Smooth And Pretty x Smooth Herman)
Reserve Champion – Callie Goins and ND Shes So Bella

Youth 
Champion – Catharine Paben riding NADA Pepto Taz (Pepto Taz x Smart Tequila Shiela x Color Me Smart)
Reserve Champion – Marin McCarthy riding Gottagetitmyway (Gotta Go Get It x Justa Hot Chic x Just Plain Colonel)

Novice Youth 
Champion – Emerson Faterkowski and Smarrt Quick Fox (Smart Quick Merada x Sandinos Sugar Foot x Foxy Lil Pep)
Reserve Champion – Tyla Drue Perry and Rusty Dun It Smart (HR Tiny Tim x Chics Document x Smart Chic Olena)

Collegiate
Non-Pro Champion – Emma Trasher and Shiners Smoking Whiz (Smoking Whiz x Justwatchwhatigot x Shiners Lil Jaguar)
Non-Pro Reserve Champion – Mead Gerfen and Rey Out There (Rey Dual x Lost The Farm x Docs Hickory)
Limited Non-Pro Champion – Daeleigh Patridge and RVR Natural Cat (Palo Duro Cat x Play Naturally x Chicas Playboy)
Limited Non-Pro Reserve Champion – Teghan Brooks and Vons Judgement (Taris Judge x Von Jamaica x Von Reminic)
Novice Champion – Jesslie Herbst and Times R Tough (A Chic In Time x Hustlin Tips x Eatin Out)
Novice Reserve Champion – Tana Butts & Swingin Blu Boon (Justa Swingin Peppy x ST Kings Fancy x Hankins Goldnugget)

The Collegiate division of SHTX is strong and recognizing those riders doing double duty academically while also pursuing riding goals is at the forefront of SHTX’s scholarship program. There were three scholarships awarded at the banquet:
            • Dr. Josie Coverdale Memorial Scholarship — Dr. Josie Coverdale was an associate professor of equine science at Texas A&M University and was known for her passion for her career, her students, her selflessness and her character. In her memory, a scholarship was established by her friends and is presented to a Texas A&M student, and this year’s Josie Coverdale Memorial Scholarship goes to Haley Winkler.
            • Amy Doris Bell “Pay It Forward” Memorial Scholarship — The Amy Doris Bell “Pay It Forward” Scholarship is given in memory of Amy Bell. It is meant to honor Amy’s ideas, desires, and commitment to helping others improve their lives.  This scholarship goes to the highest placing Youth exhibitor riding a Ranching Heritage Horse. This year’s recipient is Audrey Hart.
            • Darlene Hicks Memorial Scholarship — Darlene Hicks was a member of Stock Horse of Texas Association who continued to compete while she fought a valiant battle against colon cancer. She won buckles, bronzes, a saddle and she was SHTX Reserve Champion Limited Non-Pro for 2010. One saying that gave Darlene encouragement during her battle was, “courage is being scared to death – but saddling up anyway.” The Darlene Hicks Memorial Scholarship is presented to a graduating senior who is active in Stock Horse of Texas, and was presented to Lillian Sloan.

One of the largest divisions that drives the association is the Novice. The banquet saw four riders recognized for earning 1,600 points in the Novice Division with Achievement Buckles: Christy Agan, Paige Howard, Carol Mills and Jennifer Woitena.

“Our competitors embody camaraderie while working toward their riding and show-pen goals, and many attend more than 70-percent of our events but don’t make it into the Top 10 All-Around standings for the year—those are our Constant Competitors,” said SHTX Executive Director Jill Dunkel. “This year, 49 riders were recognized for their dedication and awarded a year end jacket to celebrate their efforts.”

At the heart of SHTX is the desire to help people ride a better horse. To that vein, one of the association’s founders, Jack Brainard, is honored with the Jack Brainard Most Improved Award given to a rider who has not earned the Top 10 year-end status but is showing steady improvement. For 2023, Mitzi Freeman was awarded the Dennis Moreland headstall with custom buckles.

“Recognizing riders who try, who give their all and show up not only motivates, it inspires, which is also why SHTX recognizes the 4th Quarter Club for riders over 70,” said Dunkel. “At this year’s banquet, we added six more riders to the club. They competed in at least two shows in the all-around to qualify and also receive a silver 4th Quarter Club silver pin sponsored by Patti Colbert.”

Stock Horse Of Texas offers concurrent classes and awards with multiple organizations. The American Paint Horse Association Highest Placing Horse recognized was NADA Petpo Taz, ridden by Catharine Paben and owned by Jonathan and Laura Yarbrough. The American Quarter Horse Association honors the Highest Placing Ranching Heritage Horse from last year with a trophy and $250 to the breeder and $250 to the owner. This year, Sara Saxe and Spittin Hickory took home the prizes.

“While we give away many awards, the greatest award we can give isn’t tangible, it is the recognition of the volunteers who power this organization,” said Dunkel. “SHTX recognized William Lewis and Randy Snodgrass as the SHTX Top Hand Award recipients. They have helped with almost anything, from picking up trash, putting stickers on walls, driving tractors, moving cattle…. Absolutely anything that needed done, we knew we could ask.”

Members who focus on the overall experience of others, helping in and out of the show pen, are nominated for the Spirit of SHTX Award. This year, the winners are: Taylor Peters, Becky Horlen and two youth, Eli Denton and Ava Turner.

A complete list of all who were honored and the great sponsors who help fund such an amazing awards program is available at https://bit.ly/49QSyis.

The 2024 SHTX show year started with the March Kick-Off Classic in Bryan and will culminate at the 2024 Western Horseman Stock Horse World Show in Abilene, Texas, in October. This year, the American Reliable Insurance / Ordner Insurance Derby will be held in September at the Aggieland Classic show in Bryan, Texas.