Persistence pays off for Rachael Landman & Sensational Prince
For nearly 12 years, Rachael Landman has been competing at the APHA World Championship Show aboard her 2010 sorrel overo gelding Sensational Prince, and for 12 years, a world championship title has eluded the pair. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Rachael mused. This year, though, the stars aligned, and the team from Ponder, Texas, secured a world championship in Novice Amateur Western Riding.
But the road to the winner’s circle wasn’t without obstacles, she says. “Henry” suffered a deep digital flexor tear in 2022, and that setback almost ended his career. Through careful, ongoing management, the team battled back and were able to return to Cowtown.
And then there’s the class itself. Western riding is a new event for Rachael and Henry. They’ve only competed in it three times before changing leads across the John Justin Arena at the World Show.
“My goal was to win a world title before I retire him,” Rachael said about the 15-year-old gelding. “It takes a combination of the horse being good, the rider being good and luck on your side, and all three have never aligned. I went in [to Novice Amateur Western Riding] and said, ‘We’re going to send it.’ It’s going to go well or it’s going to go poorly, but I wanted to leave everything on the table because you never know what will happen next week or next month.”
And send it they did, rocketing to the top of the judges’ cards to secure Henry’s first world championship title in their last class of the 2025 World Show.
“It’s the biggest weight off of my shoulders,” she said. “We knew all the pieces were there; it was just a matter of showing up again and again until everything came together and not letting yourself get discouraged. I had a little bit of a come-apart after the Novice Amateur Trail the other day—unfortunately we just had a day where it wasn’t in our cards. But you have to forget yesterday and keep going on to the next thing. Each time in the pen is a new slate.”
With a bucket list title achieved, Henry’s likeness now gets to join the other APHA world champions forever inked on his owner’s forearm—her personal hall of fame. And while a world championship ribbon doesn’t change Rachael’s love for Henry, it’s satisfying to know others appreciated his winner’s heart, too.
“At the end of the day, I do this for the love of the horse,” she said. “Sometimes you lose when you should’ve won, sometimes you win when you should’ve lost, and sometimes, like today, you win when you should win. Know yourself, know your horse and set yourself up for success as much as possible. These horses don’t know they’ve won or not—this is all for us. To that end, pet your pony and say thank you. That’s what’s important. But the ribbon helps, too.”
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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.