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Around the World Show: Parental Pride

_dec7398Patricia Borland of Lebanon, Oregon, never thought she’d step foot in the arena at the APHA World Championship Show, but today she stepped out a champion. Competing at her first World Show, Patricia earned a world championship in Amateur Solid Paint-Bred Yearling Mares.

Though Patricia’s never really been one to take the lead in showing—pun intended—she is a veteran horse show mom. Her daughter, Erin, is an experienced horsewoman who is married to professional trainer Matt Henderson, so Patricia’s well versed in what it takes to compete at the top levels of the sport. She’s often watched her daughter and son-in-law compete at the World Show via webcast, but this was her first time to venture to Fort Worth.
“They asked me if I wanted to come, and I can’t tell my daughter no,” Patricia said. “They just said to come and do it. Knowing they were behind me was special.”

Erin and Matt paired the novice exhibitor with TH Its My Partee, a 2013 chestnut solid mare by Goodnite Parteesover and out of Kids Cool Eclipse (QH); bred by Turner-Henderson Show Horses, the filly’s now owned by Matt. Despite the mare’s young age, she’s a veteran performer who seemed to bond well with Patricia.  _dec7386

“She’s shown her a couple times before this,” Erin said. “She’s really quiet and the mare is really quiet, so they just developed a bond and have done well together.”

The mare, in fact, is fresh off a big win at the Best of the West Futurity, a new halter competition that took place in Hurricane, Utah. She continued her winning ways at the World Show, capturing a first, second, two thirds and a fourth under the individual judge’s cards and landing the world championship title. Best of all, Patricia says she had fun in the process.

“It was unbelievable,” Patricia said. “They said, ‘Just go do it; we’ll love you any way it turns out.’ Tell me what to do, and I’ll do my best to do it—that’s my attitude.”

“She did great—I’m very proud of her,” Erin said about her mom. “She did exactly what we asked her to do. We couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Patricia’s advice to others dreaming of a World Show appearance one day is simple: don’t question your ambition.

“Don’t think twice,” she said. “If you want to do it, go for it.”

Want more news from the World Show, check out the World Show website, and watch the November 7 Around the World here:

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[Reprinting all or part of this news release is permitted, so long as credit is given to the Paint Horse Journal and a link provided back to apha.com.]

About APHA
The American Paint Horse Association is the world’s second-largest international equine breed association, registering more than a million horses in 59 nations and territories since it was founded. APHA creates and maintains programs that increase the value of American Paint Horses and enriches members’ experiences with their horses.

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