Who could ever imagine starting off your first year transitioning from walk-trot to walk-trot-cantor could ever have such an exciting ending! Well, Breannah Connors knew. She said, “I worked very hard all year so I could prove to my father and mother I was competitive enough to go to the All American Quarter Horse Congress.”
The All American Quarter Horse Congress is the largest single breed horse show in the world, being called the “The ultimate test of the horse and rider.” It’s not uncommon for classes to exceed over 100 entries in each, with assigned practice times going well into the night just to prepare your horse for the arena. People have shown there year after year never receiving a call back and Breannah was well aware of the odds and what it took to make the finals.
It’s the experience of a lifetime and Breannah was ready for the challenge.
Breannah started riding “Krymsunista “ aka “Grace” in July of 2015 when her horse “Mitchell” came up lame with a foot abscess. Grace was originally purchased one month prior as a horse to train and sell and had been ridden 5 years as a trail horse on a ranch. She definitely was a gentle horse but not trained at all for the show pen.
Making a transition from walk-trot to walk-trot-cantor is a huge step for any age let alone an inexperienced horse and 12 year old rider.
2016 started off rough with Breannah facing many challenges and problems in the show ring because of “Graces” lack of experience and training.
With the help of her father Joe Connors and trainer Mark Potter things were starting to come together.
By the end of August Breannah and her 8-year old mare Krymsunista were spot on, winning Grand Champion at several shows they attended.
In September they showed at The Empire Fall Quarter Horse Show making the finals in youth classes with well over 25 horses and then coming back to the finals to place 2nd, 4th, 5th.
So it was final — “Quarter Horse Congress here we come!”
The Congress did not start well. Two days after Breannah arrived, she came down with a double ear infection, and then to top it off someone carelessly ran into her right before her class. So to say the least the odds started right off against her. But being such a driven and determined individual as she is, Breannah trucked forward to make the finals in a deep youth Hunter Under Saddle class with four splits and then came back to the finals to place 8th in the AQHA and 6th in the NSBA with over 80 horses.
The support from our barn family was amazing!! From everyone at the show helping and supporting us every inch of the way, to everyone at home watching on live stream. We are truly blessed to have such a great group of people.
With all the showing and riding and taking off 2 weeks of school for the Congress, Breannah still managed to stay on High Honor roll never slipping on any grades keeping a straight “A” average. Breannah attends St. Josephs School in Auburn, NY and without the tremendous amount of support and understanding and organization from all her teachers, especially Mrs. Cooney, Ms. Rogalski and Principle Carney. Thank you for working with Breannah to make this accomplishment possible.
A heartfelt Thank You to Mark Potter for your endless riding and training of Krymsunista sometimes twice a day, and making sure both Breannah and Grace were ready and well prepared for the Quarter Horse Congress. Your tireless instruction and patience with Breannah was unbelievable and we all know how hard at times that can be. Thank you for pushing us and believing you could make this happen, because you did make it happen! You are a dedicated trainer and instructor, and this goal could never have been accomplished without you!!
Breannah comes from a successful horse show family. Her father Joe Connors is a World Champion Trainer and instructor with Congress wins, World show wins and several top 10 NRHA futurity horses. Joe is also the founder of Hurricane Hill farm and Equine body Works in Auburn, NY. Joe gave Breannah the best possible start to riding, teaching her correctly at a very young age. Her Mother Kim competed successfully showing and winning many state titles and qualifying several of her horses for The Quarter Horse World show. And of course her cousin David Connors has won over 25 world show Championships, Congress Championships and super horse titles.
A winning family tradition continues!!
