Nearly 25 years later, James Saubolle remains captivated by Paint World
Photo by Ruehle Photographix
Almost 25 years ago, James Saubolle was standing in the John Justin Arena, drinking in his first APHA World Championship Show. He had some success that first year with Tonitesthenitehoney, then came back the following year to lay claim to his first reserve All-Around Youth 14–18 title at the show. Now a veteran exhibitor with a barnful of clients and success that paints his walls with blue, red and gold ribbons, the horseman from Aubrey, Texas, still is excited by the World Show experience. A love of horses and love of competition keeps him coming back for more, year after year.
“It’s our pinnacle event,” he said. “It’s the biggest, most grand stage to showcase our best abilities. There’s so much competition, and everyone brings their A-game.”
For James and his Elite Show Horses team, pursuit of all-around success is the name of the game. While he appreciates the event-specialists who excel in a single sphere of competition, James loves building a connection and partnership with horses whose skills cross multiple event areas.
“Even now, we still take one horse and show it all day. I love that,” James said. “I love that bond you create. There’s something very special about winning an all-around. I loved doing that as a kid, and it’s followed me all the way up.”
And success has carried through, too. James’ team are no strangers to the winner’s circle, often bringing home championship titles and all-around awards. Most have been part of his program since their Youth careers—among them this year are Alexie Estrada, who was named world champion in Amateur Hunt-Seat Equitation aboard Pop Sensation, a horse she leased from barn mate Libby Maness, and Youth exhibitors Peytyn Goodin and Izzy Hostetler, who went first and second in Youth Western Horsemanship for the second consecutive year.
James still shows, too; he captured a bronze world championship with Even More Sensational in Senior Western Riding. These days, though, he’s even more delighted by watching his clients take their own victory laps.
“It brings tears to my eyes,” he said. “Of course, I want to win—I wouldn’t want to compete in a sport where I didn’t—but when they win, all of it comes together. It’s for me, it’s for them, it’s for the horse, it’s for their families. There’s so much behind the scenes that makes that rider and that horse peak at the right time.”
The thrill of victory never goes away, he says. It’s a feeling James doesn’t take for granted.
“From the outside, somebody else might say, ‘Oh, they win a lot.’ But we take every win so seriously because it could be the last,” James said. “Life changs all the time, so every win means so much.”
Over the years, James has tried to rein in his tendency to strive for perfection. While he still tries to be as close to that standard as possible, James focuses on creating problem-solving skills in his riders that ultimately help them find the plus column on judges’ scorecards.
“That’s what keeps me motivated: no matter how good you are, it can always be better, and I build toward that all the time,” he said. “I do my best to give them problem-solving answers. If you can ride ahead of what could go wrong and fix it faster than everybody else, you’re going to leave with fewer penalties. A line I use a lot is, ‘Stop being a prop and start being a rider.’ I want to look up there and see that person communicating with their horse. That’s what horsemanship is about.”
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The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association. Since it was founded in 1962, APHA has registered more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories. APHA promotes, preserves and provides meaningful experiences with Paint Horses. Learn more at apha.com.