A Sudden Impulse: Saturday, April 18, 2026 Featured Class Highlights

Ocala, FL – The final day of A Sudden Impulse featured another full slate of highlighted classes, including the $15,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle, $5,000 NSBA Amateur Trail, $5,000 NSBA Select Trail, $4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Non Pro Western Pleasure, $4,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Limited Non Pro Western Pleasure, $4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle and $1,500 Super Sires Stakes, and the $4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Open Western Pleasure.

$15,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle

The $15,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle was the final highlight event of the week in the WEC Grand Arena, where Jana Leigh Simons secured her second featured win of the week aboard Simons Show Horses LLC 2023 gelding, Against The Laww (Outlaw Enterprise x Al Mine). 

Simons spoke on the opportunity to show for a $15,000 purse, “It is somewhat unheard of, I would say, to give $15,000 to Limited Non Pro riders, in the Western, let alone the Hunt Seat. It is pretty remarkable. There’s not much to say other than I am not sure that has ever happened before,” Simons laughed.

“We have to thank Mary [Roberts] and Greg [Wheat] for doing this because it is pretty incredible. It is an insane amount of money for the Non Pro. It is really cool,” she added. 

Simons spoke highly of the talented young gelding. “He has been shown several times here and he is a trooper. For a green 3-year-old, he is a really good boy and hangs in there with you no problem. He is really broke and really good minded so he is pretty easy to get around.” 

“Amy Walls in Canada raised him and did a lot of it herself. You have to really give credit to some of the small breeders. We have done a lot of breeding as a family and it is tough. I am really happy for her that he has had success and she has followed his journey, so I am so happy for her,” Simons concluded by praising Against The Laww’s breeder, Amy Walls.

$15,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle Top Three Results

1 Against The Laww, Jana Leigh Simons, Simons Show Horses LLC
2 Southern Therapy, Virgina Hamadi, Virginia Hamadi
3 Sunday In Augusta, Meaghan Pye, Meaghan Pye

$5,000 NSBA Amateur Trail 

In the $5,000 NSBA Amateur Trail, 13 horse-and-rider combinations took to the arena, but it was Grant Mastin who secured his second victory of the week, riding Melissa Armstrong’s Hand Made Machine to a score of 235.

Mastin spoke about the 2012 gelding by Machine Made x Hot Angelina. “I just love how much this horse comes out and tries for me. I thank God every day for blessing me with this horse. Especially after last night’s pattern in the open, that was a lot, and then to come out and still perform for me, I’m just so grateful for that. We’ve had a good horse show, so I have no complaints.”

He also shared his appreciation for the level of competition and opportunities offered in trail events, including the $50,000 Marsh McLennan Agency NSBA All-Age Non Pro Trail and the $142,000 NSBA All-Age Open Trail Finals. “I thought it was phenomenal. I really appreciate how much Mrs. Roberts and Greg Wheat have put into the trail events, because it is such a big component of this part of the industry. As you saw last night, you had 20 of the greatest horses out there competing. You could do that class 10 times over and have 10 different winners, that’s what makes it fun.”

$5,000 NSBA Amateur Trail Top Three Results

1 Hand Made Machine, Grant Mastin, Melissa Armstrong
2 Wrap Me In Red, Siena Holyoak, Siena Holyoak
3 Made No Regrets, Cheyenne Augsburger, Cheyenne Augsburger 

$5,000 NSBA Select Trail 

Jennifer D’Onofrio concluded her trip to WEC – Ocala with a win in the $5,000 NSBA Select Trail riding her daughter, Isabella Marie D’Onofrio’s, 2015 gelding Whata Moonlite Ride (Only In The Moonlite x January Version), to a score of 230.5.

D’Onofrio’s week in Ocala had dual purposes, as she took to the show pen for both the Orange Blossom Classic and A Sudden Impulse shows and watched her daughter compete in the NCEA National Championship. 

D’Onofrio shared more about her mount and her week. “This is Bob! He’s actually my daughter Bella’s horse. She had her collegiate national championship this weekend, so I got to show him. He’s our unicorn, our little trail unicorn. He’s so fun to show, and I love getting to do a lead change in a trail pattern. The trail at this horse show has been a lot of fun,” she smiled.

“I came for the horse show, the Orange Blossom and A Sudden Impulse, and I also got to cheer on my daughter at the NCEA National Championships. She rides for Oklahoma State,” she noted. “Being here is just incredible. It really is Disney World for horse people. I honestly get a little emotional thinking about how lucky we are to ride here every day. It’s such a beautiful place. It is amazing for the horses and they deserve it, they do so much for us. Now, Bob gets lots and lots of treats,” she laughed.

$5,000 NSBA Select Trail Top Three Results

1 Whata Moonlite Ride, Jennifer D’Onofrio, Isabella Marie D’Onofrio
2 Lets Ride, Janet Egolf, Janet Egolf
3 Hez Blazin Trouble, Susan Wilson, Susan Wilson

$4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Non Pro Western Pleasure

Debby Brehm took the first featured win Saturday morning in the WEC Grand Arena with her own 2021 mare, Cool Liike Me (Machine Made x KM Hot Number), in the $4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Non Pro Western Pleasure. 

Brehm began by reflecting on how the partnership with ‘Candy’ came together. “Well, she is called Cool Liike Me, and my trainers, Katie and Rusty Green, have loved this horse for a couple of years but they never really had a price on her. Lisa Thomaier owned her and showed her at NSBA last year. Lisa finally presented him to Katie, and Katie said, ‘Debby, this is one we really have to try to get.’ So we worked through a whole lot of stuff and got it done, and I’m just thrilled to death.”

Despite their new partnership, their success has come quickly, Brehm shared, “I rode her for the first time two days before the Congress, and we were third there. I thought that was pretty good! Then we were Bronze Champion in the Level 2 at the World, and I had only had her a month, so I was really pleased. This is my first big Maturity on her. I’m just thrilled to death. Katie has done a wonderful job, and she really helps me, because I live in Nebraska and don’t get to come down here very often. So it’s really nice that I already have a pretty good relationship with her. I figured it would take about a year to get really good together, but I’m very happy with what we’re doing so far.”

Brehm extended her praise for the venue and the impact for the sport. “I love it here. The facility is fantastic, the indoors, the outdoors, and if the weather is bad, they always find a place for you to ride. I always stay in either The Equestrian Hotel or The Riding Academy Hotel and they are both beautiful. It is so nice to be able to stay on the grounds so I can ride when I need to!”

“I can’t say enough good things about it,” she added. “The Roberts have put a lot of time, effort, and money into developing this place, and I really appreciate what they are doing for our industry and the impact is significant and deeply appreciated.”

$4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Non Pro Western Pleasure Top Three Results

1 Cool Liike Me, Debby Brehm, Debby Brehm
2 The Drinkz R On Me, Chase Hanson, Lyle Hanson
3 Flying To The Moon, Paula Czapko, Paula Czapko

$4,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Limited Non Pro Western Pleasure 

Ten horse-and-rider combinations returned to the rail on the final day of A Sudden Impulse, but it was Aubrey Jacobs of Dover, Ohio, who secured a unanimous victory aboard her own Ur Heart Or Mine.

Jacobs spoke about the 2023 gelding by Heart Stoppin/VQH Heart Stoppin out of Why So Lazy. “We call him Elway in the barn. He’s just a good boy, a good soul. He has really natural movement, and that’s something we love about him.”

The win marked a milestone for Jacobs. “That’s probably a first time for me, so it’s pretty exciting.” She now looks ahead to carrying that momentum north to World Equestrian Center – Wilmington for the upcoming Madness show.

When asked about World Equestrian Center – Ocala, she shared, “It’s like Disneyland for horse lovers, we love coming here.”

$4,000 NSBA 3-Year-Old Limited Non Pro Western Pleasure Top Three Results

1 Ur Heart Or Mine, Aubrey Jacobs, Aubrey Jacobs
2 Best One Made, Hanna Walier, Hanna Walier
3 Ole School Cool, Kylie Craven, Kylie Craven 

$4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle & $1,500 Super Sires Stakes 

In the $4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle, nine horse-and-rider combinations competed for top honors, but it was Taylin Paige Collins who rode her own Its Krunch Time to victory, also securing the $1,500 Super Sires Stakes win.

The talented rider from Rose City, Michigan, spoke about the 2017 gelding by Extremely Hot Chips x Huntin For A Cowboy. “We got him about a year ago, pretty close to it now. He’s amazing. He does everything. He’s a saint of a horse,” she shared. “My favorite thing about him is his personality. He’s just this goofy little guy. He’s snuggly, he loves cuddles, and he’s super chill. He’ll play with your face and lean on you. He’s the cutest.”

Collins also shared her thoughts on World Equestrian Center – Ocala. “This facility is beautiful. It’s so gorgeous here and so fun to compete at. Now we’re looking forward to heading to the other WEC in Wilmington for the Madness show.”

$4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Non Pro Hunter Under Saddle Top Three Results 
1 Its Krunch Time, Taylin Paige Collins, Taylin Paige Collins
2 Kruzin In My 64, Cassidy Thompson, Sofia Roberts
3 VS Redline, Haley Plumb, Haley Plumb

$4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Open Western Pleasure 

The $4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Open Western Pleasure brought featured competition at A Sudden Impulse to a close, with 14 horse-and-rider combinations competing for the final title in the WEC Grand Arena. In the end, Katie Cochran guided Tenielle Obrien’s Dont Get Me Started to victory.

Cochran spoke about the stylish mare, “She’s by No Doubt out of I’m Potential, which is also the dam of No Doubting Me and Top Gun. I’ve had her on my string since about the start of the year. Andy showed her last year at the Premier and won the VS Code Red class on her. Then we gave her the rest of the year off to mature and brought her back this year. She really fits me, and I’ve really enjoyed showing her. I started showing her in Arizona, and every time I take her out, she just gets better and better.”

On what makes the mare stand out, Obrien shared, “Her presence with her ears. She’s just a big, mature, beautiful mare, and she’s one that people really like to watch.”

$4,000 NSBA Maturity Limited Open Western Pleasure Top Three Results 

1 Dont Get Me Started, Katie Cochran, Tenielle Obrien
2 Doubl Or Nothin, Miranda Klein, Rick Smith
3 Moonlite Imagination, Chad Piper, Margaret Garwood 

Learn more about the Orange Blossom Classic & A Sudden Impulse here.

Photos courtesy of Shane Rux Photography.

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