With over 59,000 Facebook followers and 29,000 fans on Instagram, First Thingz First may be one of the most followed stallions in the industry right now. But to his owner, social media personality Katie Van Slyke the 2021 stallion sired by RL Best Of Sudden out of VS The First Lady, is a total sweetheart with unlimited potential.

Van Slyke who lives with her husband, Jonathan in Nolensville, Tennessee, loves to tell the story about how she decided she had to have the red roan stallion affectionately known as Denver.

The first time she ever laid eyes on him was when his breeder and then owner Amy Smith, of Capall Creek Farm in Hampstead, North Carolina, posted a video of Aaron Moses riding him as a green 2-year old.

“Immediately I saw a super talented horse with a deep hock, amazing cadence, a flat front end and overall striking appearance,” she explained. “He really just took my breath away and I never forgot him.”

About a year later Smith created a new post to the Capall Creek Facebook page that included that original video, plus a video of Moses changing leads on Denver at a show on Ocala, and a video of the youngster in the pasture.

“I remember this clear as day,” Van Slyke said. “It was late one evening in April and my husband was almost asleep on the couch. I was doomscrolling and saw the post. I messaged Amy within 10 minutes and she said that they were offering First Thingz First for sale. Even though I had just purchased VS Code Red a year and a half prior, Jonathan and I decided we would move forward and do a vet check.”

By the time Denver left Ocala Van Slyke was his new owner but he returned to Texas with Moses.

“Obviously, Aaron’s show record speaks for itself but I also had received raving reviews about Aaron’s horsemanship and his training program overall,” Van Slyke said. “He and Amy had devised what seemed to be really smart plan for Denver and my gut told me to stick with it.”

Moses was a fan right from the start.

“He was incredibly smart,” he said. “He was doing things with two rides that it takes most horses 30 days to learn.”

There were several times over the course of the next few months that Moses and Van Slyke thought Denver would make his show debut. But ultimately they decided together to wait for the Pleasure Versatility Challenge, open to 3-year-olds at the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) World Championship Show.

“As the year went on we decided it was in his best interest to allow him the max amount of time to mature and hone those skills needed for the Pleasure Versatility Challenge,” Van Slyke said. “That’s what is so great about working with a trainer that has your horse’s best interest at the forefront.” 

And what a debut it turned out to be. First Thingz First claimed a Reserve Championship title and the silver trophy as well as the inaugural AQHA Fan Favorite horse award, with 13,000 votes. Fans both in person and watching via the livestream voted for their favorite horses in an online poll. 

“It was nice because our focus was almost completely that he would be an all- around horse last year so I was able to really focus on the elements of the versatility,” Moses said. “He prepared really well. Most of the pattern was really good but we had a couple unexpected mistakes that cost us a lot. He showed really good in then pleasure though which gave us our first real glimpse that he may be stronger in that event than we had anticipated.”                       

Denver’s show career was off to a strong start. His next appearance was at the Back To Berrien Futurity in Michigan where he and Moses won the DAC $2,500 Novice Horse Open Western Pleasure as well as the Green Western Pleasure.

At the National Snaffle Bit Association (NSBA) World Championship Show in August, Denver and Moses won the Breeders Championship Futurity (BCF) $10,000 Maturity Limited Horse Open Western Pleasure and were Reserve Champions in the BCF Open Performance Halter Stallions.

Then in October at the All American  Quarter Horse Congress First Thingz First claimed three Championship titles and a Reserve. Moses rode him to a win in the $10,000 Limited Horse Open Western Pleasure Maturity and the Southern Belle Breeders portion. 

“He’s a really honest pleasure horse,” Moses said. “Even though he really enjoys the other events he’s always given his all when he goes in the pen and really lets me show him to his best advantage.”

Texas trainer Jason Smith showed Denver to a win in the Performance Halter Stallions (as well as the NSBA portion of that class) at the Congress. Katie herself showed Denver to a Championship title in the Amateur Performance Halter Stallions Limited Division and a Reserve overall. 

“It was nerve wracking since it was a last minute decision but I was very proud and excited to get to show my boy,” Van Slyke said. 

In November, Denver began what will be the next phase of his show career, by making the finals in the Level 1 Open Western Riding at the AQHA World Show. As successful a Western Pleasure contender as he is, Van Slyke is equally excited about his career in Western Riding and Trail.

“He’s showing real promise in Western Riding but we will wait to decide whether it or Trail will be his best event,” she said. “Those are the two classes on which we will focus the next two years.”

She would also like to show Denver herself in Non-Pro Western Pleasure classes and possibly even in Horsemanship one day.

But for the immediate future Denver will return to Highpoint Performance Horses, in Pilot Point, Texas, where he will stand his second season at stud, under the management of Christi Christenson. 

And Van Slyke is anxiously awaiting the arrival of his first foal crop.

Van Slyke has one coming out of Kat Tails R Blazing, a multiple Congress Champion; NSBA World Champion and NSBA World Champion producer. She also has foals coming out of two younger mares that suffered career ending injuries – Hot Pistol Annie and Shes Got Me Flatlining.

“I’m excited to see what his foals look like breeding to both Hunt Seat and western mares,” she said.

The 2026 foaling season will be busy for Van Slyke who also has several other foals due by her other stallion VS Code Red out of Waffle House, Only Blue Couture and LA India Elegant (TB).

And Van Slyke believes so deeply about her stallions’ bloodline that she also purchased First Thingz First’s dam, World and Congress Champion VS The First Lady, from Capall Creek Farm. The 2015 red roan mare is the daughter of VS Code Red out of Cool Lookin Lady.

Van Slyke has foals out of her due in 2026 by RL Best Of Sudden and Machine Made. She is also expecting a foal by Hay Good Lookn out of Gone Commando.

“I love looking at each mare or each stallion individually and trying to find their best pairing,” she said. “Obviously, foaling can be stressful but it’s also so rewarding and fun. Now I’m getting to the point where I can reap the benefits of my foals the show pen.”

That has been a long journey. Katie’s parents, Matt and Terri Van Slyke were both barrel racers and met at a horse show so horses have always been in Katie’s life. She grew up showing POAs until she was 13 years old. Her first AQHA show was with a senior gelding by the name of Zip Rebel N Roll, sired by Zipped N Barred. Together they earned numerous AQHA points and circuit championships. Over the next few years she showed several all-around contenders like Global Shock, Ask Me For Details, Zippin On Top, Hot Lady Born Lopin and Hot N Krymsun. 

“I’m a very competitive person and it’s been my passion for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I yearn for a partnership with a horse that comes with showing and competing together.”

In 2016 Katie started dating Jonathan Mabry. The two had grown up together and known of each other but really connected when Jonathan’s parents moved next door to Katie. The two shared many interests, including hunting, fishing and farm life. Katie’s social media journey began unexpectedly when a friend took a photograph of her on her farm. She posted this “ordinary moment” picture on Instagram, and it was widely re-posted by several “country girl” pages. Overnight, she gained a significant number of followers, growing from a small base of connections in the horse world to 50,000 followers within four and a half months.

In 2020 Katie and Jonathan were married and Katie now helps run her parents’ Running Springs Quarter Horse & Cattle Company, home to Simmental cattle, mini donkeys, mini cows, goats, pigs, and, of course, Quarter Horses.

Katie gained initial traction on social media by documenting her hunting season and has since grown her brand through sponsorships, a podcast (“Katching Up with Katie”), and collaborations on products like horse treats. 

Today she has a significant, global reach, with a combined following of over 12 million across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. 

“I love the combo of being able to educate those about animals while also bringing joy to those who may have never experienced farm life,” she explained.

But it’s not always easy.

“While a lot of good comes with it, a lot of outside opinions come too. Navigating how to deal with hateful opinions from so many people over the course of eight years has been difficult,” she admitted.

Between her involvement with her show horses, maintaining her social media presence and building her farm, time is always at a premium for Katie.

“With the breeding business, we are having some major growing pains,” she said. “It’s a good problem to have but sharing Running Springs Farm as a Quarter Horse AND cattle farm can be quite difficult. Growing the horse side of the business is currently a little messy with building a new barn and creating more pasture space.”

And she is still learning about all it takes to be a successful stallion owner.

“There’s a lot more to it than just making babies,” she revealed. “It’s a combination of caring for an animal, marketing, strategy and doing your best to keep ethics and animal welfare at the forefront.” 

But education is something Katie values most.

“I know the value of learning from multiple people and keeping your brain open because you can learn something from everybody,” she said. “All too often, people think they know everything ,which in turn, gets them stuck at the same level forever. Always be open to improvement and you’ll alway be improving.”

First Thingz First is 16 hands tall and is six panel negative (HYPP (N/N); PSSM N/N; HERDA N/N; GBED N/N; MYHM N/N; MH N/N)

His 2026 breeding fee is $2,250. Semen is available in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia (Fresh semen available Feb. 1 to March 13, and frozen semen only after March 13). He is enrolled in the NSBA SIF and BCF; Super Sires; Premier Sires, among others.

To obtain a breeding contract or for more information contact Breeding Manager: Christi Christenson at Highpoint Performance Horses, christi.highpointperformance@gmail.com or call (903) 816-1428.