Aged Mares

Kaylee Hamm knows what a good win looks like.

by Allison Armstrong
The American Quarter Horse Journal

Winning a youth world championship makes a great late birthday present. Kaylee Hamm of Phoenix ought to know. She turned 12 years old on August 4, and on August 5, won the aged mares class at the 2012 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show.

“(Winning) feels really good,” said Kaylee, smiling. “This was the second time I’ve shown (Tearles N Fearles) and her second time here.”

Kaylee won the class with her grandfather’s mare, Tearles N Fearles, aka “Fancy.” Like Kaylee, the 2008 sorrel mare is no stranger to the championship arena. Fancy became the amateur Select world champion 2-year-old mare and the open reserve world champion 2-year-old mare in 2010. Then Kaylee and Fancy won the youth world championship in 3-year-old mares in 2011.

“She can be hyper,” Kaylee said. “When I walk her down the ramp (into the arena), she gets all hyper and sorta scared because she knows I’m nervous. But then in the stall, she’s quiet. She’ll do what other horses do and lick her water bowl and splash it everywhere. It’s really fun to see her do that.”

By Fearles and out of GQ Solo Dancin by Mister GQ, Fancy was bred by Jim and Georgia Snow of Quinlan, Texas, and is owned by Kaylee’s grandfather, Vernon Habighorst of Phoenix.

Even though Kaylee has shown – and won – multiple times, her nerves still get to her.

“I used to shake and never stop,” Kaylee admitted. “Now my stomach just hurts and usually I get over it. But once the (second to last) horse is left, I feel really confident. I’m sorta nervous to see which (of us) will win, but I just keep focusing on my horse.”

Kaylee attributes much of her success in the ring to her grandfather, and her trainer, AQHA Professional Horseman Tyler O’Neal of Athens, Texas.

“I’d like to thank my grandfather for buying all my horses, letting me show them and also my horse trainer, for letting me talk to him and do what I want and for him making me a better person at showing.”

It’s going to be quite a celebration for the Hamm family tonight. Right after Kaylee won in aged mares, her 15-year-old sister, Monica, won the championship in aged geldings with RPL My Te Cheerful, aka “Henry.”

“Today, we’re having cake and just hanging with the horses and family,” Kaylee said.