Check out the photos below from Day 14 of the 2009 AQHA World Championship Show (click on the photo to see the captions). For more coverage of the World Show, go to www.aqha.com.
Say what? The world champion T-shirts say something different for each class.
AQHA Professional Horseman Rusty Green tosses his signed world champion T-shirts to the crowd during his victory lap on Certainly Inspired - they won the 2009 2-year-old western pleasure world championship (Journal photo)
As part of the awards presentation, each new world champion signs four T-shirts and throws them to the crowd during the victory lap. Who catches them depends on the champ’s throwing arm and how loud the crowd cheers and waves to get the thrower’s attention. They are unique: The only place you get them is after an AQHA world championship.
They also have sayings that change with the class. Here are a few of them:
Hunt seat equitation – “Best seat in the house”
Working hunter – “Glad I’m working”
Trail – “Put your left hoof in; take your left hoof out” or “Don’t tick this”
Jumping – “Just get over it”
Tie-down roping – “I followed that cow on Twitter”
Ranch sorting – “It takes all sorts”
Pole bending – “No, Officer, I haven’t been drinking”
Working cow horse – “Will work for cow”
Western pleasure – “If you can read this, you’re too close”
Halter – “Stud muffin” or “As the hot walker turns”
Performance halter – “I’m not really a halter horse, I just play one on T.V.”
Reining – “Dirt surfing”
Pleasure driving – “I’m just here for the hats”
Featherlite All-Around Amateur and Featherlite Superhorse – “One horse to rule them ALL”
