Taft Dickerson congratulates Bret Parrish.

Bret Parrish, of Pavo, Georgia, piloted Pistol Packin Mann to a win in the 2017 Hylton Maiden 3-Year-Old & Over Western Pleasure at the Spring Breakout/Dave Higgins Memorial Show, in Lexington, Virginia tonight, collecting a check for $25,000.

Parrish said the Hylton Maiden class was always the plan for the 2013 sorrel gelding sired by Machine Made and out of Shes Simply Southern.

“He really hit his stride last fall,” Parrish said. “I just waited for him to mature a little and he surpassed all my expectations.”

Parrish said once he arrived on the grounds in Lexington, Virginia for the show he just tried to keep the routine the same.

“I kept him the same and tried to let him to what he does best,” Parrish said. “He settled in great so we just kept his routine the same.”

When it came time to show Pistol Packin Mann delivered.

“I was very pleased, especially for the first ride on him,” Parrish said. “I could not have asked for anything better.”

Pistol Packin Mann is owned by Richard Baumann, Dothan, Alabama, who is also his breeder. Parrish says he will show next at the Madness in Wilmington, Ohio in May.

Taft Dickerson and Gone Viral.

Gone Viral was Reserve Champion in the class this year winning $11,375. The 2014 bay stallion is sired by No Doubt Im Lazy and out of Suddenly Style N, owned by Jason English/Debbie Tieman, Madison, Georgia, and shown by Taft Dickerson.

“He is just a really special horse,” English said. “We started riding him in August and he is very athletic and talented.”

English said he appreciates the Hylton class takes a lot of pressure off the trainers, owners and the horses.

“The class gives a brighter future to a field of horses that maybe didn’t make it as 2-year-olds,” he said. “It also allows us to not have to push them. Cecilia has always been a strong supporter of our industry and we all should be forever grateful.”

A total of 15 horses were entered and 13 showed this year for a total purse of $68,750 in the event now in its seventh year. Judges for this year’s class were: Kerry Allen, Keith Miller, Clint Fullerton and Kenny Hall.

The Hyton Maiden 3-Year-Old & Over Western Pleasure class is made possible by the generous financial support of Cecilia Hylton, of Hylton Quarter Horses in Gainesville, Virginia. She introduced the class at the Reichert Celebration and moved it to her home state in 2011. It has been the highest paying Western Pleasure futurity class in the nation for the past several years.

The exhibitors await results.

“Cecilia is extremely grateful for all the support and continued success of the Hylton Maiden,” said Lucas Cash, who managed the class this year. “She wants to personally thank all the trainers that have continued to make the long trip every year to show in her class.”

Complete results are as follows:

Champion – $25,000 – Pistol Packin Mann, a 2013 sorrel gelding, sired by Machine Made and out of Shes Simply Southern, owned by Richard Baumann, Dothan, Alabama, shown by Bret Parrish, $25,000

Reserve Champion – $11,375 –  Gone Viral, 2014 bay stallion, sired by No Doubt Im Lazy and out of Suddenly Style N, owned by Jason English/Debbie Tieman, Madison, Georgia, shown by Taft Dickerson.

3^rd Place – $8,312.50 – Don’t Skip This Loper, 2014 black stallion, sired by Lazy Loper and out of Don’t Skip Ms Hotrod, owned by JCM Ranch, Aubrey, Texas, shown by Andy Cochran.

4^th Place – $5,687.50 – Best Kisses Ever, 2014 bay mare, sired by RL Best Of Sudden and out of Kisses And Scotch, owned by Nancy Mowrey, Dallas, Texas, shown by Gil Galyean.

5^th Place – $4,375 – Rockn On Diesel, 2013 bay mare, sired by Diesel Only out of Rod Rockn Annie, owned by Gail Wilkinson/Lone Oak Equine Investment, Ashville, North Carolina, shown by Randy Wilson.
6^th Place – $3,937.50 – KM Genuinely Best, 2014 red roan gelding, sired by RL Best Of Sudden and out of Genuine Goodbar, owned by Gavin Patterson, Frankfort, Ohio, shown by Ty Hornick.

7^th Place – $3,500 – Eazy Breezy, 2013 bay mare, sired by Invitation Only and out of Zippin The Breeze, owned by Kathryn Frederick, Ocala, Florida, shown by Aaron Moses.

8^th Place – $2,625 – Betcha Im Easy, a 2014 sorrel gelding, sired by No Doubt Im Lazy and out of Betcha Bite A Chip, owned by Steve & Tanya Relander, Aledo, Ohio and shown by Kenny Lakins.

9^th Place – $2,187.50 – Midnight Dreamer, 2014 gray mare, sired by Im A Platinum Dream and out of Huntin Ona Holiday, owned by John McNichol, Hardwick, New Jersey, shown by Danny Desmond.

10^th Place – $1,750 – Roscoe P Coltrane, sired by Getting Impulsive and out of Berry Awesome, owned by Joel Stein, Pilot Point, Texas, shown by RJ King.