With Ann Admonius at the AQHA World Show

Every little girl dreams of that once-in-a-lifetime horse who is a teacher, a partner, a best friend. For Aubrey Alderman of Kansasville, Wisconsin, Zippos Tiger Bar (Butch), is that horse. When the pair met, Butch was 20-years-old and at an age when many show horses are already retired and Aubrey was 10 and looking to begin her show career.

Over the past five years, the pair has formed a true partnership and found great success in the show arena. For Alderman, many of her first big wins and awards but not for Butch. His long standing success story began many partners before Alderman and many years before she was even born.

By Zippos Mr Good Bar out of Lori Tiger by Tiger Leo, Butch was bred by Reynolds Inc and was born April 10, 1989 in Lexington, Nebraska. A talented colt from the start, Ann Admonius, of Ocala, Florida, recalls the first time she saw Butch.

“I remember Rodney Miller came up to me at a show and said he had a horse I needed to see,” she says. “We went down to Rodney’s place and watched him go around. As soon as he loped off, I just had to have him.”

Zippos Tiger Bar with Aubrey Alderman

After Admonius acquired Butch, he was sent to trainer, Troy Compton where his show career took off. In 1992, Butch was crowned the AQHA World Champion in Junior Western Pleasure and finished third place with Admonius in Amateur Western Pleasure. He also finished his first AQHA Superior Awards in Open and Amateur Western Pleasure as well as many futurity winnings and Quarter Horse Congress Championships. Butch continued on his winning ways finishing in the Top-Ten at the 1993 AQHA World Show in both Junior and Amateur Western Pleasure.

“He always had a fan club,” Admonius recalls. “I think it was just his whole demeanor. He was always such a people horse and so much fun to ride. He was very natural and could always lope.”

Admonius credits Butch’s great mind coupled with the good care he received through the years to having such a long, successful career.

“I sold him to Joetta Bell who had a successful youth career on him,” she says. “I always kept track of him even after he was sold again and I kept trying to buy him back but he kept getting great homes. I just let it be known that if he ever needed a forever home he always had one with me but I think everybody that owned him has taken really good care of him and he has done well for everyone that has had him.”

In fact, Butch placed at the AQHA World Show several more times in Youth Western Pleasure with Joetta Bell and in Senior Western Pleasure. She also added another AQHA Superior to Butch’s record in Youth Western Pleasure. Butch earned another AQHA Superior in Amateur Western Pleasure for his next owner Thomas Hillock and then later two more AQHA Superiors in Youth Western Riding and Trail for T. Joe Jeane.

It was shortly after that when Alderman first met Butch while on a family vacation in Texas.

“We went to a surprise 50th birthday party for Steve Heckaman and my dad was talking with Suzy Jeane about a horse for me,” Aubrey says. “The next day we went over and rode him and I fell instantly in love with him. The next week my dad said he was going off on a business trip but he came home with Butch!”

Her first serious show horse, Alderman credits Butch with all her success.

“He’s my best friend literally,” she says. “He has taught me everything I know about riding. He’s a real people horse and loves peppermints. He follows me around everywhere just like a dog!”

For the past four years, Butch and Alderman have competed successfully in a variety of all-around events. In fact they finished 2011 Reserve Congress Champions in Youth Trail 11& under and the 2011 Quarter Horse Congress Reserve Champion All-Around Novice Youth 13& Under. They also won several classes at the 2011 AQHA Regional Experience Show in St. Paul, Minnesota.

In 2012, the pair finished All-Around Champions in Novice Youth 13 & Under at the Nutrena East Novice Championship Show and were awarded the 2012 Nutrena East Novice Youth Warrior Award for their great shows at both the Novice World Championship Show and their top placings at the Quarter Horse Congress. The pair have over 130 AQHA Youth points in seven events and over 145 Novice Youth points in five events. At the 2014 AQHA Youth World Championship Show, Alderman and Butch finished as finalists in Equitation.

To date, Butch has earned 885 AQHA points in nine different events of Open, Amateur, Youth and Novice competition. He has also logged over $16,000 in NSBA earnings, over $8,300 in AQHA World Show earnings and over $11,400 in AQHA Incentive Fund winnings.

This winter, Butch, now 26, is at home and being used for lessons and ponying by Alderman’s grandfather, trainer Jim McKillips.

Meanwhile, Alderman is busy showing Zippos Sudden Chex in Youth Western Pleasure. The new pair were just crowned champions at the Fun in the Sun Extravaganza in Venice, Florida. Since he loves to go show so much, both Alderman and McKillips hint that it is highly possible to see Butch back out on the circuit again this year.

“He has been such a great horse,” Alderman says. “He has a forever home.”