Multiple American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World and Quarter Horse Congress Champion Im Willy Good Today (Drake) has been sold to Madeleine Bayless, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and will now be under the direction of Christie Arrington Performance Horses.

The 2016 gelding by Good I Will Be and out of A Walk In The Sky first rocketed to stardom by winning Amateur Select Hunter Under Saddle Championship titles at the National Snaffle Bit Association’s World Championship Show, the Congress and the AQHA World Show, with his breeder Sandra Morgan, of Scottsdale, Arizona.

Amateur competitor Erin Boatwright, of Corona del Mar, California, purchased Im Willy Good Today at the 2020 AQHA World Show and, under the direction of Keith Miller, they have been virtually unstoppable since.

In their first year together, Boatwright and Drake claimed titles almost every time they stepped into the show pen. They kicked off their career in 2021 by winning the Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle at the Fun In The Sun Circuit in Venice, Florida. Later that year they dominated the NSBA World Championship Show, winning the Limited and Open divisions of the Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle as well as the Amateur Hunter Under Saddle. Not to be outdone, Miller piloted Drake to NSBA World Championship titles in the Maturity Open Hunter Under Saddle and Junior Hunter Under Saddle. The also took home BCF Championships in 4-6-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle, 4-6-Year-Old Limited and Open Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle, they won all eight of the classes they entered at the show. Later that year Drake helped make Boatwright’s dream of winning an AQHA World Championship in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle come true later that year and Miller captured a Reserve World Championship title with Drake in Junior Hunter Under Saddle.

Boatwright claimed her second straight AQHA World Championship title in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle just last week and they also won both the Limited and Open Divisions of the Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle Maturity at the Congress last month where Miller also piloted Drake to Congress Championships in the Open Hunter Under Saddle Maturity and the Senior Hunter Under Saddle. Keith also added another World Championship title last Saturday when he won the Level 3 Senior Hunter Under Saddle.

“Drake is a true show horse and really embodies what our industry should be promoting as a true Hunter Under Saddle horse,” Boatwright said. “His stride is free-flowing, ground covering and athletic. I’ve never shown a horse that has won as consistently as he has.  Drake’s won nearly all his money earning classes this year, and only lost one due to a tie breaker. I think that’s unprecedented these days. I need a new room in my house for all the trophies he’s won me.”

Miller is also grateful for the opportunity to show such a talented individual.

“We will forever be grateful to Sandra, along with Stephen Stevens and Terry Cross, for breeding, raising and selling us such a phenomenal horse,” he said. “We have loved everything about Drake, not just in the show pen but his personality as well.”

Bayless, also an Amateur competitor took ownership of Drake following his performance with Miller in Senior Hunter Under Saddle at the AQHA World Show on Saturday.

She first spotted the tall, dark and handsome gelding at the 2021 NSBA World Show and said it was “love at first sight.”

 “Drake is an exceptionally special horse,” she said. “When I first saw him, I couldn’t take my eyes off his beautiful, floating movement and lovely expression.  Then when I observed his calm, gentle demeanor outside the pen I was hooked. Christie (Arrington) hasn’t stopped hearing me talk about him since. I am so grateful to Erin for allowing me to own such a talented and sweet horse.”

Boatwright admitted she was not necessarily looking to sell Drake and had set her sights on starting his career as a Hunter and in Equitation classes.

“As we all know, our horse careers can take twists and turns.,” she said. “This sale is definitely bittersweet for me because among many other wins, he helped me win my first (and second) AQHA world championship titles. I know he checked boxes in Keith’s career also. He pulled me out of quarantine and got me back on a horse after having my son, Graham. These are all things I’ll forever be grateful for.”

Arrington says a brand new pasture has been built just for Drake and they are all looking forward to the 2023 show season. Bayless will show Drake in Amateur and Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle classes and Arrington will show him in Open events.

“I just knew he would be a perfect match for Madeleine and fit well into our program,” Arrington said. “I am very excited about what is to come for them and appreciative that Keith will be assisting, advising and helping us show him.”

In addition to Im Willy Good Today, Bayless will be debuting with her western show partner Best Money Made (Cash), a 2018 gelding by Machine Made and out of KM Best To Be Slow, in the L1 Amateur Western Riding and Trail. Cash will also be competing in the Green Western Riding and Trail with Justin Clay Arrington.

“I couldn’t be more excited about bonding with Drake this year and working with Christie and Keith. I owe a huge thank you to Erin, Keith and Sydney Miller and Christie for making this all happen for me,” Bayaless said. “I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us.”