Orphan foal makes debut at NSBA World Show; Recap of competition

Lyndsey Norris and Justin Brown with Suddenly Batt Man at the NSBA World Show

He had a shaky start in life but on Monday a yearling gelding, orphaned at birth, fulfilled the dreams of his breeder and owner by making his show debut at the National Snaffle Bit Association’s World Championship Show in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Although he didn’t place in the Top 10 in the Open and Breeders Championship Futurity Western Longe Line, Suddenly Batt Man made a lot of people proud.

His breeder, Tracie Plummer watched on the live feed. His owner, Lyndsey Norris of Quitman, Texas, cheered from the stands and his trainer, Justin Brown, showed him to a clean round.

“I thought he was a little too slow so I will move him up a bit in the Non-Pro,” Norris said.

She shows on Friday in the Non-Pro and Breeders Championship Futurity Western Longe Line classes, which run concurrently.

Suddenly Batt Man was born on Jan 13, 2016 but his dam, RL Illustrious suffered a torn uterus and died soon after giving birth.

Plummer, of North Plains, Oregon, was crushed and scared. She had lost her precious broodmare and was faced with the challenge of finding a way to raise her new brown foal, nicknamed Jimmy.

She tried a surrogate mother but Jimmy was shunned and so Plummer went to Plan B.

“Jimmy took to bottle-feeding very well and that was his best source for nutrition,” she explained. “Socializing the foal seemed like it was going to be difficult task, but our 18-year-old pony adopted him and showed him the ropes.”

Norris purchased Suddenly Batt Man, by Batt Man, from Plummer in February. To look at him today you would never guess he had just a rough start in life. He’s a handsome, well-adjusted yearling gelding.

Tracie Plummer with Jimmy as a new foal.

In March Norris enlisted the help of Brown to help her achieve her goal of showing at the NSBA World Show and Jimmy went to Brown’s Henderson, Texas facility to start boot camp.

“He has been very easy and so compliant to work with at home,” Brown said. “He is always eager to learn anything that we introduce him to.”

Norris said, more than anything the gelding is so trusting of humans.

“He flocks to people. People are his herd instead of horses, and because of that trust, he is extremely willing,” Norris said.

Both Brown and Norris love the fact that Jimmy not only is a great mover, but his mind is exceptionally good.

“If you have a good mover with a poor mind, you’re not going to get anywhere. And if you have a good minded horse but it’s a poor mover, you aren’t going to get anywhere either. Fortunately, Jimmy has both,” said Brown.

Since Jimmy was bottle-fed as a baby by a woman, he immediately gravitates toward females when they are nearby.

“I think his personality is probably pretty typical of a baby that was orphaned and raised on a bottle. He is very friendly. There is no personal space with him and he is like a magnet to women,” said Norris.

Katy Jo Zuidema and Al Wayz On Your Mind

Brown says another good quality about Jimmy is that he is not afraid of anything.

“Unlike most other horses, he’ll stick his head in the dumpster, pull out the plastic, and play with it. He is very curious,” Brown said.

Brown and Norris both agree that Jimmy will excel in the western pleasure, and based off his bold personality and brains, it looks like he will do well in various disciplines.

“He has the talent and intelligence to be a great all around horse with a long show career as long as he is paired with someone that he can really trust,” said Norris. “It is very important that he always be with someone who can understand that people are his herd.”

It has come to Norris’ attention that Jimmy’s striking beauty and graceful movement aside, people are naturally drawn to him.

“He is just a fun horse. There is a certain magnetism about him,” said Norris.

In preparation for showing, Brown and Norris agree that the biggest difficulty they will face is keeping Jimmy off them while they are lined up for inspection.

“Jimmy would honestly probably sit in the stands with us if he could,” said Norris.

Norris took a break from showing for a little over 20 years. When she left the show scene Longe Line was just coming into play, so this class is a whole new ball game for her.

Brown and Norris thought that the NSBA World Show would be a great show for Jimmy’s debut.

“It fits him very well,” Brown said. “This is his level of competitive showing here.”

Jason English and Gone Viral.

After Norris and Jimmy show on Friday he will return home and enjoy some pasture time until it’s time to bring him back in to start him as a 2-year old.

The NSBA World Show opened on Monday with a busy schedule in three arenas. In the Open Western Longe Line and BCF Open Western Longe Line (run concurrently) featured a total of 19 yearlings. An estimated $7,148.48 purse in the BCF was up for grabs. Shesaezrockinggoodbar, sired by The Rock and out of Shesaezzippingoodbar, owned by Mac McGinnis, of Dalton, Georgia, collected a check for $1,858.61by winning the BCF with Jon Barry on the line, and another $1,224.65 for the red roan filly’s win in the Open Western Longe Line.

“I don’t know why, but there really isn’t much at all that bothers that filly,” McGinnis said.

Shesaezrockinggoodbar is prepared for Longe Line by Georgia trainer Waymond Roberts. She won the Super Sires Longe Line, presented at the Tom Powers Futurity in June and was first on three of the four judges’ cards at the NSBA World Show. The fourth judge had a conflict, having showed Shesaezrockinggoodbar to a Reserve Championship in the Open Longe Line at the Powers and did not score her in Tulsa.

Later in the day Sydnie Ochs and Invite Only The Best, sired by RL Best Of Sudden and out of Invite Me Breeze, were crowned World Champions in Youth Western Pleasure.

Alex Chavez and Troy Lehn.

Ava Coughlin and Touched Softly won the Novice Youth Western Pleasure and Kristin Galyean captured a World Show title in Amateur Western Pleasure aboard VS Lady In Red.

Over in the Ford Truck Arena competition got started on Monday with the BCF 4-6 Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle which drew a total of 11 entries. Beth Case rode Not Just Anyhoo to a win for owner Rebekah L. Kazakevicius, Ocala, Florida. Later in the day Kazakevicius won the BCF 4-6 Year-Old Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle as well.

“I think it went really well,” Rebekah said. “They were going to split the class, then ended running it together. I trotted in first, and from there I had really good spots. He was in a great mood today and was really fun to show.”

After the NSBA World Show Rebekah and Not Just Anyhoo will next compete in the Non-Pro Maturity at the Quarter Horse Congress. Then they will show in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle at the AQHA World Show in November.

Pretty Assets, sired by Allocate Your Assets and out of Art I Pretty, bested seven other entries to win the Open Hunter Under Saddle Maturity with Keith Miller in the irons for owner Meghan Tierney.

Al Wayz On Your Mind, sired by Allocate Your Assets and out of Your Arts Desire, won the BCF 3-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle with Katy Jo Zuidema in the irons, for owner Sarah Nimigan.

Beth Case piloted Goody Hoo Shoes to a win in the BCF 2-Year-Old Open Hunter Under Saddle for owner Tammy Thompson.

Jason English and Gone Viral had a huge day in the show arena. The stunning stallion, sired by No Doubt Im Lazy and out of Suddenly Style N, won the BCF 3-Year-Old Intermediate Open Western Pleasure in the Ford Arena early in the day and ended it with a win in Green Western Pleasure over in the Mustang Arena, collecting a check for $1,014.38. New owner Kari Craft will show Gone Viral in the BCF 3-Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure on Tuesday.

Justin Clay Arrington and Won It On My RV.

Blake Weis and Cool Cruzen Lady won the Limited Division of the BCF 3-Year-Old Open Western Pleasure, collecting $1,939.82 for owner Jane Humes.

Rusty Green rode For One Night Only to a win in the Maturity Open Western Pleasure for owner Linda Neece of Argyle, Texas, and Aaron Moses and It’s a Pretty Thing collected $1,841.98 for winning the NCF Open 3-Year-Old Western Pleasure for owner Giorgia Meadows, Cuba, Missouri.

Alexandra Chavez teamed with Rock County Kid to capture the BCF 4-6 Year-Old Non-Pro Western Pleasure in a very tough class of 14 entries. They also won the Intermediate Division for a total of $2,548.32 in earnings.

“I love that he is like a puppy dog,” Chavez said. “And he always has his ears up.”

In 2-Year-Old Western Pleasure competition, Jay Starnes piloted Why Don’t You Kiss This to a win in the BCF Open Division for owner Becky Crider Durrett, Fairburn, Georgia, collecting $1,680.17. Won It On My RV, sired by VS Flatline and out of Ill Be Dun Won It captured the Intermediate Division in a tough class of 16 entries.

“He’s just a great minded horse and tries really hard, Arrington said. “He just always wants to be around you almost in your lap.”

Trail classes, held in the Super Duty Arena drew big numbers throughout the day. Kade Gower and She Made It Happen, sired by Gucci Only and out of Ashleys Special Chip bested 49 other entries to win the Youth Trail. Grant Mastin piloted Hand Made Machine to a win in the 45-entry Novice Youth Trail.

In Western Riding competition, Natalia Devenchy, of Pueblo, Colorado, won the Youth Western Riding aboard Chex Is The Choice and Shelby Cochran teamed with Hez All That to win the 15-entry Novice Youth Western Riding.

Click Here to see Syndie Ochs receive her World Championship in Youth Western Pleasure