NCHA Holy Cow Performance Horses Youth World Finals: Champion Q&A

Junior Youth Champion

RIDER: ADEN BERNHAGEN HORSE: SHES MY CHERRY PIE NICKNAME: CHERRY

OWNER: BLACKSHEAR AND CINDY SNYDER

Q. WHAT MAKES YOUR HORSE SPECIAL?

A. She’s just all around good. She’ll go stop a cow, do what I need her to do and won’t mess up for me. I used her when I needed her on big events and all that. You can’t have her around anything else though; she has to be in her own little world, even though she’s nine years old. I mainly used my old gelding, Dr Cuzin, and a bunch of other horses this season. I just hopped around all year, but Cherry and GS Zans Cat, “Zany,” owned by Chaser Crouch, were probably my favorite horses to show all year. I won the Junior Youth at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo with Cherry last year.

Q. WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF THE 2022 POINT YEAR?

A. Probably working on improving my cuts. I started off rocky this year and didn’t know what was going to happen, but toward the end of the year, I started getting better and better and it improved all the way up until here.

Q. WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE 2022 POINT YEAR?

A. Winning the Shynia Randles Memorial Scholarship; I won that on Cherry.

Q. WHAT WAS YOUR GAME PLAN COMING INTO FORT WORTH, TEXAS, FOR YOUTH WEEK?

A. I was just trying to make clean cuts. I wasn’t trying to make something happen; I was just trying to make it through and see what happens. I pretty much had it sewn up by the final round, so I just wanted to go have fun.

Q. WALK US THROUGH YOUR FINAL RUN.

A. I came in and had a clean first cut, but it wasn’t as good of a cow as I’d hoped it would be. My second cow was alright. I couldn’t ask for anything else. Then, I cut my last cow and it was just perfect. I got second place with a 218.5.

Q. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO WIN?

A. It’s pretty awesome. I’m just excited.

Q. WHAT ARE YOUR SHOW MUST-HAVES, OTHER THAN THE ESSENTIALS?

A. Something to get around on, like a scooter or a bike. I’m not walking if I don’t have to.

Q. IS THERE ANYONE YOU’D LIKE TO THANK?

A. The whole Crouch team. My mom, my sister, the Lippincotts and Cindy Snyder. I’d especially like to thank the Crouches for letting me ride GS Zans Cat this year.

Q. ANY BIG PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR?

A. I plan to just try to come back and see what happens. I will try to get back to the World Finals. ★

Senior Youth Champion

RIDER: EMMA RAPP HORSE: HERSHAY KISS NICKNAME: SIMONE

OWNER: LORI GALE

Q. WHAT QUALITIES MAKE YOUR HORSE STAND OUT?

A. How hard she tries when I show her, and just her willingness to cut every day. She just has a very special personality. I won the Senior Youth at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo on her in 2021 and the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo on her last February. I also won the Senior Youth Eastern Nationals championship on her. I’ve been showing her for a year and a half now.

Q. HOW DO YOU MENTALLY PREPARE TO SHOW?

A. Most of the time, I just try not to get too nervous, and I try to focus on making good cuts. I try to think about what I need to do right before I go and just have a clear head.

Q. WHAT WAS YOUR PLAN COMING INTO THE WORLD FINALS?

A. I just wanted a fun run. I didn’t really have any pressure, so I just wanted to show well and enjoy it.

Q. WAS THERE A RUN THAT STOOD OUT FOR YOU THIS YEAR?

A. There was a cutting in Lubbock, Texas, in September where I marked my first 77. I won a good scholarship there. The San Antonio Stock Show sticks out to me just because it was a $10,000 scholarship there. My parents had been taking my brother there to try and win it, but he hadn’t. I won it the first year that I entered, and I just thought that was really cool.

Q. WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART ABOUT THIS SEASON?

A. Probably the end of March and beginning of April, because it was getting close to the end of the year, and I hit a dry spell. I just wasn’t doing very well, and there was a lot of pressure. There were two or three weeks there that were hard.

Q. WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE SEASON?

A. For the most part, I had a really great time all year. But especially in August, September and even into November, I had a lot of fun. It was exciting getting to go show every weekend, doing well and learning to show better. I got to spend a lot of time with my friends and make new friends.

Q. WHAT ARE YOUR ESSENTIALS FOR BEING ON THE ROAD EVERY WEEKEND?

A. I would always have some beef jerky and some of those little mini-muffin snacks.

Q. IS THERE ANYONE YOU’D LIKE TO THANK FOR HELPING YOU DOWN THE ROAD?

A. I’d really like to thank the Gales for letting me show their horses and for always being so kind to me. ★