Mason Egan says the best part of showing horses is having the opportunity to compete with his equestrian friends from all different states.

 “We all cheer each other on,” he said.

Mason, rides with Stable Strides Farm Therapeutic Riding Program in Flower Mound, Texas, and was one of many to compete in the Challenged Horseman Program (CHP) classes for competitors with disabilities, at the Palomino World Show at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield this past week.

The Palomino Horse Breeders of America is extremely proud of its Challenged Horseman Program, which has riders of all ages, and allows the participants to experience the joy of working with horses and competing for top prizes at the Palomino World Championship Show, as well as other shows around the country each year.

This year, CHP classes were offered in a wide variety of disciplines from Showmanship, Trail, Western Pleasure and Horsemanship to Hunter Under Saddle and Equitation.

Teamed with Megans Playboy, Egan won Championship titles in Walk Trot Equitation and Walk Trot Horsemanship and they were Reserve in CHP Walk Trot Western Pleasure.

“I really enjoy Horsemanship and Equitation, but I think Playboy likes the Western Pleasure class the most,” he said.

At home, Egan practices about four to five hours each week and he says Megans Playboy is special.

“He is a great horse,” Egan said. “He’s gentle and kind. He listens to me whenever I need a friend. He also loves cookies, just like me! He’s my favorite horse ever.”

Egan has been attending the Palomino World Show for four years now and says it’s his favorite show.

 “Showing has taught me how to have good sportsmanship with my friends,” Mason said.

Rhiannon Huffman was also in Springfield for the show. She is part of the Partners For Progress Therapeutic Equestrian Center out of Wauconda, Illinois. Teamed with Superwomman, she won the Walk Trot Showmanship Unassisted class and then rode Im Callin Dibbs to a win in Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle Unassisted and a Reserve Championship in Walk Trot Trail Unassisted.

This year marked Rhiannon’s third trip to the Palomino World Show.

“Winning felt like I passed a test or got a 100% on a worksheet,” she said.

Like all the CHP competitors, Rhiannon practices a lot at home. She said Equitation is the hardest class for her but that her show partner is very good at Trail and Showmanship. She plans to compete next at the National Snaffle Bit Association’s World Show in August and then at the Quarter Horse Congress in October.

And after that?

“I’ll keep showing and riding horses,” she said. “I want to help others with disabilities and eventually make my own TV shows and movies and comics.”

CHP results include:

Showmanship

CHP Unassisted Walk Only Showmanship (1 shown) – Champion, Andrews Alibi, owned by Paula Gatewood, Dry Ridge, Kentucky, shown by Catherine Kappesser.

CHP Walk Trot Showmanship Unassisted (9 shown) – Champion: Superwomann, owned by Corbett Ryan, Wauronda, Illinois, shown by Rhiannon Huffman; Reserve: Walk Away Hocus, owned by Partners For Progress, Wauronda, Illinois, shown by Kelsey Weick.

CHP Showmanship Unassisted (8 shown) – Champion: Doctor Can Dee, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Patrick McKenzie; Reserve: Setting The Stage, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Amy Bentler.

Equitation

CHP Walk Trot Equitation Unassisted (5 shown) – Champion: Megans Playboy, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Mason Egan; Reserve: Walk Away Hocus, owned by Partners For Progress, Wauronda, Illinois, shown by Kelsey Weick.

CHP Equitation Unassisted (7 shown) – Champion: Setting The Stage, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Amy Bentler; Chockstar, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Spencer Robinson.

CHP Walk Trot Hunter Under Saddle Unassisted (5 shown) – Champion: Im Callin Dibbs, owned by Ryan Corbett, Wauronda, Illinois, shown by Rhiannon Huffman; Reserve: Willy Fine Wine, owned by Eugene Joseph Castellitto, St Charles, Missouri, shown by Robert Castellitto.

CHP Hunter Under Saddle Unassisted (7 shown) – Champion: Details N Assets, owned and shown by Erin Bates, Lookebe, Oklahoma; Reserve: Chockstar, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Spencer Robinson.

Trail

CHP Walk Trot Trail Unassisted (11 shown) – Champion: Hes Got Da Jack, owned by Partners For Progress, Wauconda, Illinois, shown by Evan Zaloudek; Reserve: Im Callin Dibbs, owned by Ryan Corbett, Wauronda, Illinois, shown by Rhiannon Huffman.

CHP Trail Unassisted (8 shown) – Champion: Details N Assets, owned and shown by Erin Bates, Lookebe, Oklahoma; Reserve: Setting The Stage, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Amy Bentler.

Western Pleasure

CHP Walk Trot Western Pleasure Unassisted (10 shown) – Champion: Hes Got Da Jack, owned by Partners For Progress, Wauconda, Illinois, shown by Evan Zaloudek; Reserve: Megans Playboy, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Mason Egan.

CHP Western Pleasure Unassisted (8 shown) – Champion: Chockstar, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Spencer Robinson; Reserve: Setting The Stage, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Amy Bentler.

Horsemanship

CHP Walk Trot Horsemanship Unassisted (10 shown) – Champion: Megans Playboy, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Mason Egan; Reserve: Hes Got Da Jack, owned by Partners For Progress, Wauconda, Illinois, shown by Evan Zaloudek.

CHP Horsemanship Unassisted (8 shown) – Champion: Setting The Stage, owned by Stable Strides Farm, Denton, Texas, shown by Amy Bentler; Reserve: Details N Assets, owned and shown by Erin Bates, Lookebe, Oklahoma.

CHP Golden Horse Award Award Winners

Walk Trot Lope – Champion: Amy Bentley; Reserve: Erin Bates.

Walk Trot – Champion: Mason Egan; Reserve: Evan Zadulek.