Launching his show career in the United States at the 2014 Arizona Sun Circuit, Alan Vincent of France and 3-year-old gelding, Only Because Im Cool, loped their way to several top finishes in Novice Amateur Western Pleasure.  A European Champion, Vincent is no stranger to success in the show arena but has recently been drawn to expanding his horizons by competing in the United States as well.

“The Arizona Sun Circuit was my first show in the United States,” Vincent says. “I placed first, second, and third in Novice Amateur Western Pleasure. For about two years, I’ve been traveling a lot and have been to different shows to watch the most skilled riders and horses performing and training. I love the competition and challenges, and watching at all these shows made me want to show here.”

Vincent’s horse, Only Because Im Cool or “Crosby,”is by Only In The Moonlite out of Im Cool Looking. Purchased from Gil and Becky Galyean last year, Crosby has remained in training with Gil and his assistant, Aaron Moses who Vincent credits for Crosby’s success. Besides being presented in Novice Amateur and Non-Pro classes this year, Crosby will be presented by Karin Prevedel, Vincent’s European trainer in Open events. Both plan to show Crosby at several shows this year in the United States.

“She taught me a lot with my horse in Europe. I could not have certain opportunities without all the help and work she did for me,” Vincent says.

Five years ago Vincent started competing at Quarter Horse shows, but he has been interested in horses since he was a young boy.

“I never thought I would own one. I would see them more as a dream because having a horse at home isn’t something common from where I am from — not like it is here in the United States for example.”

When he was 10, Vincent’s mother enrolled him and his sister in a horse club for three months. When his parents moved to a new house with a bigger yard they allowed both him and his sister, Cindy, to get a horse each. At 12, Alan got his first horse, Poco, a 3-year-old Quarter Horse he still owns.

Soon after getting Poco, Vincent wanted to show and went in search of a competitive partner. He bought A New Intrigo, a 7-year-old gelding, from Karin and Ruggero Prevedel.

“I went to my first horse shows and became addicted to it,” Vincent says. “I showed all around Europe mostly in France in the beginning and then in Germany where the main European events take place.”

Today, Vincent lives near Paris and works for his parent’s international transport company, SCTIL. He also spends a lot of his time at Prevedel’s facility to work on constantly improving his riding skills.

Throughout the last few years, he has won a European Champion title in Youth Hunter Under Saddle, DQHA German Champion title in Youth Trail, DQHA Reserve Champion in Youth Hunter Under Saddle, European Bronze Medal winner in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle, many champion titles in AFQH French Championships in open and youth division, and multiple all-around titles.

“I’m still showing him in Hunter Under Saddle, Western Riding and Trail,” Vincent says. “He’s a lot more than horse to me. He is my hero. I went through all kind of emotions with him from not being called in the placing to being a European Champion. It’s a big rollercoaster that goes through frustration, joy, sadness, pride and all kinds of feelings but the most important is to never give up.”