Stacy Huls Wins Her First AQHA World Championship

He’s a cruiser.

by Christine Hamilton
The American Quarter Horse Journal

“To sit on him at the canter is like sitting on a cloud,” Karen Lobb said of her gelding, Blended Choclate. “You just sit back … and you just make sure he’s out where somebody can see him, and it just feels so neat.”

“He’s a cruiser,” added AQHA Professional Horseman Stacy Huls of Phoenix. The American Quarter Horse Journal spoke with both women shortly after Stacy rode out of the Jim Norick Arena after winning the junior hunter under saddle world championship with the gelding they call “Ben.”

“It was a great ride,” Stacy said. “He just goes in, does his job, he’s so dependable, looking right through that bridle for me. Everything I ask, (he was) just right there 100 percent. It was fun!”

The 2008 junior hunter under saddle world champion, Ben belonged to Kim Wright, another customer of Stacy’s and her husband, Doug’s. Kim decided to sell the horse this past summer. Doug met Karen (Lobb) through a clinic, and she ended up with Ben.

Since then, Karen’s daughter, Danielle, placed third on Ben in the hunter under saddle at the 2010 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show, and Karen won with him at the All American Quarter Horse Congress showing Select. He also did well at the Reichert Celebration.

“I thought Stacy did a wonderful job today,” Karen said. “It was, I think, the best ride I’ve ever seen with her and Ben. He’s such a beautiful horse; he’s so nice to ride…. I was really proud of both of them.”

From Edmonton, Alberta, Karen had many people sending their long-distance best-wishes.

“I want to thank everyone back home (in Canada) because they’ve been very supportive.… We’ve got lots of new friends that we’ve made over the years (down) here, but it’s so cool to get all the text messages and calls from everyone back home.”

Stacy added: “I have to go back and thank Kim, the original owner…. I have to thank her for having the faith in us to buy him in the first place. And I have to thank my husband.… Everybody’s been very supportive. It’s been a great ride.”

“Big Ben” is over 17 hands tall and only a three year old. “He really has quite a personality. He is just so curious. But when he shows he knows his job and loves to do it. He has been shown very little really. We won the Limited Open 3 Year Old Hunter Under Saddle and was Reserve in the Open 3 Year Old Hunter Under Saddle at the NSBA World Championships. He was also Reserve in the Junior Hunter Under Saddle at Congress this year.”

Blended Chocolate and Stacy Trot into the Junior Hunter Under Saddle Finals. Photo courtesy of AQHA

“I knew this horse was special when we got him the end of January. He is just so easy. He’s the most wonderful horse to be around. He’s a blast. No lunging required. About a 20 minute ride and he is all done. He’s just an amazing horse”, Stacy explained.

“Im hoping he stays with me forever”, Stacy exclaimed. “He is just amazing. We love him so much. The owner couldn’t be here today to see him win, which was too bad. She’s in Hawaii on vacation so I don’t feel THAT sorry for her,” Stacy laughed again. “But she got to watch it on the webcam and is really excited. She is going to start showing him in January in the Select Division and she just can’t wait.”  Stacy grew up in Oklahoma City and started riding when she was 4 year olds. She first started showing in 4-H and eventually moved up. “When I was about 12 I started showing Quarter Horses and I knew then that I didn’t want to do anything else except show. Im a lifer,” she laughed.