2016 Miniature Horse WORLD Issues December 2016 Volume 32, Number 6 | Page 29
I bought my first Miniature in 2011 from a friend. I’m one of those
recruits who came from the large horse world. After showing American Quarter Horses, the Miniature horses were an entirely different world than the “big” horses I was used to. I’ve been involved
showing horses since I was four years old and have done everything
from hunter/ jumpers to reining horses, to huntseat and western
pleasure.
Our 2016 show season was a challenge and
simply finding the time to condition him and
getting prepped for the show seemed tricky.
I work twelve hour swing shifts at a pharmaceutical plant and that doesn’t leave much
time to get things done some days. Thankfully, Goldrush is a trooper and loves to drive
and work so he makes it easy.
My mini and I showed locally for a few
months, then one mini soon became two,
two became three, and you know how things
go from there. It was 2012 when a small,
tan, and handsome colt walked into my life,
and I immediately fell in love with him! Gander Hill California Goldrush was bred and
shown by Gander Hill Miniatures and Aubrey Overcash. As a yearling, he took a Top 5
at the 2011 World Show. When I got him as
a two-year-old, watching him trot reminded
me of a big huntseat Quarter Horse, and it
crossed my mind to start driving him, even
though he was small.
Goldrush has always had a show off attitude,
and his first driving show proved that the
little guy doesn’t always finish last. He was
2x Grand Champion and Reserve Champion
Classic Horse at this first driving show. It’s
only been up from there! We have competed at the AMHA World Show every year
since 2013, winning Grands and Reserves in
2013, 2014, 2015 and several Top 10 and
Top 5 placing as well.
Our World show experience began with
Goldrush showing in his first showmanship
class, winning 6th in a very tough class. We
went in AOTE Classic Pleasure Driving with
no expectations, other than to do our best,
and when they called his name as the winner I was ecstatic! He was also Reserve World
Champion Stock Type Halter Stallion earlier
that morning. Next was Ladies Classic Pleasure Driving, a full class of 32 horses, and
hearing that he was Reserve in such a large
class was thrilling, maybe even more so as he
is such a little horse in a big class of taller
horses. It was so exciting!
in sight and Super Amateur was certainly
one of them- although in my wildest dreams
I wasn’t sure it was obtainable. To win this
title was out of this world!
I felt we couldn’t possibly top all this
excitement, but then Goldrush was also
named High Point Driving Horse! It was
the sweetest icing on the cake for me! I
smiled uncontrollably all throughout the
presentation ceremony, trying to take in and
soak up this wonderful experience.
I can’t wait to see what next year holds for
us! I’m hoping to open a few new doors for
Goldrush including halter obstacle and driving obstacle to add to his repertoire. My goal
for 2017 is to make him a true “all around”
horse that excels as many events as he can
and to continue to perform in as many divisions as possible. This little horse fulfilled
my wildest dreams this year and I know I am
incredibly blessed to own him.
In our final class of the show Goldrush pulled
out all the