In part three of our six-part series on what it takes to win a World Championship title Cole Gouthro, of Staunton, Virginia, reveals that time in the saddle played an important part in his winning the Youth Ranch Riding at the Palomino Horse Breeders of America (PHBA) 2025 World Show with his show partner, Lover Loverr. Next up: Kylie Moeller, a winner in Youth Senior Showmanship at the Pinto World Championship Show.

When you put time in the saddle, success will follow says 15-year-old Staunton, Virginia competitor Cole Gouthro. To prepare for the Youth Ranch Riding at the 2025 Palomino World Show, Cole and Lover Loverr did exactly that and they returned home with the winning trophy and a World Championship title.

Lover Loverr, a 2020 gelding, sired by Magnum Chic Dream out of Wimpys Rose came to Cole and his parents, professional trainers Matt and Beth Gouthro, as an accomplished Reiner and they quickly added Ranch classes to his repertoire.

“He’s honestly kind of goofy sometimes, but he really wants to please and he’s super talented,” Cole said.

The team spent a lot of time doing a lot of quiet schooling runs.

“By the time we got there, we had already been on the road for about a month, starting in Tennessee, then the APHA World Show in Fort Worth, and then up to Illinois,” Cole explained. “So by then, Romeo and I were really in sync.”

Although 2025 marked Cole’s first appearance at a Palomino World Show he has competed in the past at other World Championship shows, including AQHA and APHA before.

“This is seriously one of the most fun shows I’ve ever been to,” he said.

His strategy was simple – keep Lover Loverr focused and just have fun.

“One of the hardest parts was the setup,” Cole admitted. “We had to warm up in a separate building, then walk outside and into the pen. That made it tough to keep him locked in and ready the whole time.”

When the gate was closed, Lover Loverr was ready to show.

“Romeo is a really pretty mover and has big, correct maneuvers,” Cole said. “That run, everything just kind of came together.”

Although his parents are professional trainers and they do coach him in Ranch events, Cole says they also let him figure a lot of things out on his own.

“I do a lot of my own riding and prep, which I think has helped me grow a lot as a rider,” he explained.

But perhaps the most important lesson he’s learned, and one he wants to share with other youth Ranch Riding competitors is that it really is necessary to put time in the saddle and really get to know your horse.

“You need to know how much you can push, then teach them to wait on you, and go for the big runs when it counts,” he said.