Ocala, FL – The penultimate day of A Sudden Impulse showcased the highly anticipated $40,000 NSBA Open Trail Challenge. A competitive field of some of the nation’s best horse-and-rider combinations maneuvered a challenging pattern, but it was Chad Evans who took home the victory aboard Kathy Huspeni’s Sugaray, while also earning his rightful spot in the NSBA Quarter Million Dollar Club.
Evans spoke about the talented nine-year-old gelding by RL Best Of Sudden x Whatscookngoodlookin, “He’s such a great horse. I’ve had him since he was a three-year-old. He’s my buddy. He has all sorts of quirks, but I think that’s what makes him such a good show horse,” shared Evans. “When it’s time to show, you can tell he gets a rush of adrenaline. He knows when it’s a big deal, and he wants to get in there.”
The pattern had a few fun decoration pieces that Evans really enjoyed, “I loved the pattern. WEC pulled out some fun things like the orca, plants and WEC letters. I even had a little rush walking it.”
Evans shared his appreciation for having a large class for the trail competitors, “Senior trail is always one of the biggest classes at a horse show, so it’s nice to have some serious money that makes it exciting for all of the competitors.”
Evans has enjoyed his time showing at World Equestrian Center – Ocala, “It’s such a beautiful and fancy facility, but it’s user smart. They really thought about the horse’s safety and care. You can tell it’s been designed by not only people who show horses, but care for the horses. We all love it here. We make a 30-hour drive to come show here and it’s for all those reasons.”
Reid Thomas and Heidi Rasor’s 2019 gelding Xxtreme (Extremely Hot Chips x Ms Flashy Goodbar) won the $3,000 NSBA Open Trail Limited Rider bonus.
$40,000 NSBA Open Trail Challenge Top Three Results:
1 Sugaray, Chad Evans, Kathy Huspeni
2 Two Ziplines, Melissa Jones, Katie Kopf
3 Willys Goodride, Jason Gilliam, Sarah Lebsock
$3,000 NSBA Open Trail Limited Rider Bonus Top Three:
1 Xxtreme, Reid Thomas, Heidi Rasor
2 No Bad Daze, Jake Hartman, Tanya Hartman
3 Machine Dun Kelly, Curtis Reynolds, Taylor Bates