Quarter Horse
Region Four Championship: After years on the sideline, this "show mom" is finding her own time to shine.
By Holly Clanahan for The American Quarter Horse Journal
Jul 27, 2010, 11:03
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As Denise Firth of Fort Thomas, Kentucky, walked Shanghai Impression out of the Ohio Expo Center coliseum on Thursday, she was grinning from ear to ear. And her daughter/coach, Courtney Firth, was finally breathing.
That smile-worthy run was good enough to net Denise and "Shanghai" a win in their novice amateur working hunter class at the AQHA Region Four Championship in Columbus, Ohio. Denise is a longtime show mom, having supported Courtney, 21, throughout her youth and now her amateur career. And Shanghai, 15, has been part of the family for the past decade and has earned Courtney three championships at the All American Quarter Horse Congress, multiple placings at Congress and the Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Show and several Montana Silversmiths belt buckles from AQHA Regional Championships.
But this pairing with Denise was special.
"I'm kind of in shock right now, honestly," Denise says, tearing up a little. "When I think about it, it's just an honor that my daughter lets me ride her horse. It's really him. I give him all the credit."
Courtney's the one who convinced Denise that, after years on the sideline, it was her turn to step into the arena.
"She said, 'Oh, mom, he'll take you over (the fences); he'll take care of you,' " Denise says. She started riding in August, and the Regional Championship was just her sixth show.
"I'm getting more confident, and because we have such a good horse, really, it is about him. He gets me where I need to go. I'm learning, and he's teaching me, and I'm having fun. This show is a pleasure," Denise says. Both mother and daughter love the Regional Championship's low-key environment, coupled with the high-end prizes.
"Who gives buckles?" Courtney asks. "It's so cool to come to a show and get good prizes."
The Region Four Championship is open to AQHA members in Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan and Ontario. There are 11 Regional Championships in all -- including one in Europe and one in British Columbia -- and they are put on by AQHA state, provincial or international affiliates.
Check out the remaining AQHA Regional Championships:
* Region 1 -- July 21-25, Langley, British Columbia
* Region 5 -- July 22-25, Lexington, Virginia
* Region 7 -- August 13-15, Salina, Utah
* Region 9 -- August 13-15, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
* Region 2 -- September 23-26, Rapid City, South Dakota
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