Newly crowned Appaloosa Pleasure Horse Association (ApPHA) World Champions proudly accepted their prestigious awards during the World Championship Appaloosa Show held in Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 24- Nov. 2.

One of the stars, 19-year-old, Macenzie Fallis, assistant trainer at Heeley Pleasure Horses, Van Meter, Iowa won both the Open and Limited 2-year-old Western Pleasure Futurities aboard Taking Hits owned and bred by Sara Heeley.  The wins marked first World Championships for both Fallis and the very talented gelding by Chocolately out of Hot Kisses who earned a 3-horse trailer, saddle, and cash awards for their wins.

“It was her first time and now she’s a 2-time World Champion,” Sara Heeley says. “She was excited when the first judge called her out third, but when the second two judges let her win she could hardly contain herself.”

The Heeleys were very pleased with how well their horse was presented by the young Fallis.

“I thought he killed them all,” Sara says. “He was my winner by a mile. He’s just so consistent and has a great top line. He loves what he does so it makes it easier.”

In fact, Taking Hits really had not had a lot of formal training prior to the event.

“We bred and raised him at the farm and started him in February,” Sara says. “He was naturally talented but little. We rode him until May and then kicked him out until August and started riding him again. He sat the whole time we were at the Quarter Horse Congress so he really hasn’t had that much time on him.”

In the future, the Heeleys plan to give Taking Hits some time off over the winter but hope to see him return for 2014 in the 3-year-old events.

“It’s the end of the year so we will have to see,” Sara says. “I am definitely excited to show him in the 3s if we still have him.”

Both top honors in the Hunter Under Saddle events went to 2-year-old gelding, Handsoffmyartifacts, by All Hands On Zip out of Ms Artifactual owned by Megan Wagner of Pilot Point, Texas and trained by Arturo Maestas and Jesse Jones. With multiple World Champion rider, Beth Case in the irons the gelding captured the ApPHA Open 3 & Under Hunter Under Saddle Maturity title.

“He was a catch ride for me but he was really fun to show. He has a great feel,” Beth says.

Then, Megan showed him for a win in the ApPHA Non-Pro/Youth 5& Under Hunter Under Saddle Maturity.

“I’m still not off cloud nine after the World Show,” Megan says. “It was so exciting to watch Beth win with him both times but winning both of my classes on him is something I will never be able to describe. I got to share that moment with the most important people in my life. I will never forget that and I hope they all know how thankful I am for being there and all of their support, especially my parents and Arturo.”

Maestas and Jones found “Tank” at the Pinto World for Wagner who purchased him from Justin Johnson and Samantha Hoing.

“I was a little nervous about him at first but Arturo was right just like always!” Megan says. “Tank is just a super special guy! He is really sweet and quiet and so much fun to show. He is just so strong. He canters like a big, western horse so slow and pretty. He is pretty much what I always dreamed for in a hunt seat horse.”

Although Tank was pretty green when Wagner first got him, she credits Arturo and Jesse with doing a fantastic job getting him ready for the World Show.

“They work hard and care about their horses and their customers. I think that was obvious at the World Show,” Megan says. “Beth did an amazing job getting him shown, as only Beth can. She is just so much fun to watch ride. Jesse told me before I showed him the second time, ‘Just ride him like Beth did.’ I was thinking, Oh my God, there is no way, he can’t be serious! He was totally serious.”

A veteran showman in ApPHA classes, Wagner very much enjoys the classes they offer at the ApHC World Show.

“I love the ApPHA classes!” Megan says. “They are so much fun. I have shown in the Non-Pro/Youth Hunter Under Saddle class for five or six years now. It is a highlight of the World Show for me. Eddie Horne is so good to work with and puts a lot of effort into those classes and I think it really shows. The judges are great. The prizes are great. They are just fun!”

Rock My Motion, a 3-year-old gelding, by Hot Chocolate Chip out of Shes Radical won both the ApPHA Open 3-Year-Old Snaffle Bit Western Pleasure Maturity with trainer Jodie Ploog of Lakeville, Minnesota and the Non-Pro/Youth 5 & Under Western Pleasure Maturity with Jordan Semmelmayer for owner Janis Semmelmayer-Corona of Del Mar, California.

“He is a great minded horse,” Ploog says. “He always shows happy with his ears up. He has a really great personality and is very easy to get along with.”

Ploog also piloted him last year for then owner, Gary Raak, to win the Limited 2-Year-Old Snaffle Bit Futurity and Reserve Champion in the Open 2-Year-Old Snaffle Bit Futurity. Currently, all-around events are being adding to his repertoire for next year’s show season.

This year six ApPHA classes were offered during the ApHC World Show. They were judged by Steve Heckaman, Jay Jordan, Linda Tedesco, and Clint Fullerton. Since the association’s inception over 25 years ago, the ApPHA has grown in popularity and has been able to increase purses and offer awards like saddles, trailers, and trophy belt buckles.  Through the years, the ApPHA has awarded over $1 million in prizes.

The ApPHA classes are held annually in conjunction with the World Championship Appaloosa Show.

• Patrick Heeley rode Chipped In Paradise to a World Championship title in Junior Western Pleasure for owner Kristine Fasano, Adel, Iowa. Sired by The Miracle Chip and out of Angel In Paradise, Chipped In Paradise scored a total of 318 points to top the class of 24 entries.

• Pretty Version topped the list of all four judges in the Open Western Longe Line to snag a World Championship title. Owned and shown by Mark Schafer of Tioga, Texas, Pretty Version is sired by Impulsive Zipper and out of Good Ms Dailey.

• Pat Heeley rode My Daddys Chocolatey, by Chocolatey and out of Only Shes Invited to victory in the World Sale 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure Incentive, a class designed to spur interest in the association’s World Championship Sale.

• Tim Zuidema rode Sheza Charlie Chip to a World Championship title in Senior Western Pleasure. Owned by Nettie and David Olsen of Waxhaw, North Carolina, Sheza Charlie Chip is sired by Colored By Charlie and out of Smooth As Chocolate.

For complete results from the ApHC World Show visit www.appaloosa.com.