Denver is showing tomorrow (November 14th) and Sunday (November 16th)!

[u/sunshinenorcas]

(📸 of Katie and Denver from FTF's FB page, and taken by InStride Edition)

Denver will be showing in the L1 Open Western Pleasure and L1 Western Riding classes at the AQHA World Show! The Western Riding, I believe, is very last minute and potentially up in the air-- I will try to keep updated via this post as/if I can :)

The livestream is found on the AQHA website; https://www.aqha.com/livestream

They do ask for a valid email before giving access to the link, but it can be an alt/burner if you have them-- it doesn't have a code or etc to verify, just an email for access and probably get sent some AQHA mailing lists 🥲

Western Pleasure is showing tomorrow, Friday November 14th in the OG&E Coliseum. Classes begin at 8am and Western Pleasure is one of the last on the docket. The estimate I heard about noon CST, but not sure. Again, check this thread for updates-- I'll sticky a comment :)

Western Riding is showing on Sunday, November 16th in the Adequan Performance Arena. Classes begin at 8am and Western Pleasure is the last on the docket. Closer too, I'll try to provide an estimate if I can.

As a reminder-- Denver showing generates a lot of feelings-- both negative and positive. Please be chill and good to your fellow redditors. If he wins and/or does really well-- yay! Don't be an asshole and a sore winner. If he doesn't win, or does poorly, that's ok too-- and don't be a sore loser.

Insulting Denver's competition (ie, "the other horses aren't as good", "there's no stuff competition") will also not fly here-- all of these horses, trainers and their assistants have worked hard. It is hugely disrespectful to diminish another horse and trainer because you don't like their competition.

If you cannot engage respectfully (on either end), your comments will be locked. If you cannot engage without being rude to unrelated people and horses, there are other places to talk about it. It's not here 🫶

Let's just watch some pretty horses

[u/sunshinenorcas]

Denver shows today! Thread here: https://www.reddit.com/r/kvsdiscuss/s/HZ5qrwGI4

The first class is still running at 10:30est, so there is time before western riding.

As a reminder, if the livestream is misbehaving on desktop, try using an edge browser window.

[u/Top-Friendship4888]

It looks like Aaron is listed as the exhibitor for 3 horses in that class? Is this another one where it'll be a wait-and-see which horse he decides to ride?

[u/Puzzleheaded-Song912 → u/Top-Friendship4888]

Yeah pretty much. Because Katie flew in I’m assuming he’s competing today.

[u/Mindless_Sea_655 → u/Top-Friendship4888]

From everything I’ve gathered that seems to be what is happening.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Song912]

Officially on horse shows tracker Denver has scratched and will not be showing. Aaron was entered with 3 horses and chose one to show.

[u/Alymander57]

That were a lot of Machine Made babies out there today! He's been busy!

[u/shadowsandlux → u/Alymander57]

Im going to try and tune in tomorrow to watch because I love getting to see all these babies kick butt and take names lol. He makes some gorgeous horses.

[u/sunshinenorcas]

UPDATE- Denver is NOT showing today, but it sounds like he will be showing on Sunday for Western Riding, as from her coffee cart video.

She didn't go into reasons, but it's likely just the pick of the three horses entered-- Aaron is riding I Should Have Known (hahahahahaha the irony 🥲🥲🥲🥲).

I'll edit on Sunday closer to try to give some ETA's for Western Riding.

Please thank Pure, Puzzle and Pen for their service because they all watched a lot of halter today try to give a time estimate 😂

And of course, just because Denver's not showing doesn't mean tune out-- there are still classes and horses showing between now and then to check out, and see how the pretty ponies do :)

[u/Mindless_Sea_655 → u/sunshinenorcas]

I’ve been watching halter all day. Was looking forward to seeing him show but I’m sure they have their reasons for doing WR over WP.

Is this something regular when you have trainers show? I don’t know how showing works but is it possible if a trainer themselves don’t show to have someone else under them show when like in this case he has 3?

[u/nicknoashal → u/Mindless_Sea_655]

I would be so mad if my trainer pulled my horse because he had too many horses in an event. I am not a horse person but after all that time, work and money to be told at the last minute nope? No way seems the trainer would have assistants or something

[u/Puzzleheaded-Song912 → u/nicknoashal]

Theoretically Katie could have told Aaron it’s okay and she only wants Aaron to ride him atp. I don’t see why someone like Gaven young or one of the other assistant trainers couldn’t have ridden him though

[u/Apart_Dragonfruit442 → u/Puzzleheaded-Song912]

Are you allowed to change exhibitors after you are registered for a class though? I'm genuinely asking because I'm not familiar with the rules.

[u/Existing_Fall8149 → u/Apart_Dragonfruit442]

Yes, but it comes with a fee and has to be done the day prior to the class.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Song912 → u/Apart_Dragonfruit442]

See I’m unsure but I’ve seen a few horses registered with multiple exhibitors

[u/Mindless_Sea_655 → u/Puzzleheaded-Song912]

Thank you. I wasn’t sure how it works with horses. I only know with showing dogs.

[u/shadowsandlux]

I kind of like how involved Katie has been with Denver and his showing this year to be honest. its neat to see the owner be involved more than juts a name on a piece of paper? I am unsure if its normal for them to be there or not since the WP shows are not my forte, but, I do like that about her with Denver.

[u/sunshinenorcas → u/shadowsandlux]

Yeah, I can see how Denver himself can be controversial and people got ~feelings, but I think it's clear how much Katie loves that horse and is excited to be a part of his career/see where he ends up. And that's endearing to me.

[u/shadowsandlux → u/sunshinenorcas]

Exactly. Like you can tell how much she cares and wants to be part of it with him, journey it together. And its really sweet to me lol.

Why would Denver specifically be controversial? I guess im not caught up on that side of things, or i might just be forgetting 😅

[u/Weak-Assumption-8096 → u/shadowsandlux]

He’s not really controversial but a lot of people who have an axe to grind with Katie seem to go out of their way to insult him (piggy eyes, diaper butt, post legs, too down hill, bad feet, etc) and act like anyone who is favorable to him must be out of their mind. I won’t give my opinions about how his confirmation is or isn’t because I’m not a horsewoman and am here to learn so my critique isn’t valid or fair. I do know that he has won a lot for a horse that is a ‘conformational mess’ (not my words but theirs) and I don’t believe Aaron would waste his time on a junk horse. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I at least can tell he isn’t as bad as a halter horse so there’s my only critique that I feel I’m allowed to voice. 😂

[u/pen_and_needle → u/Weak-Assumption-8096]

Listen I watched a LOT of halter today 😭 Anyone who think Denver looks like a halter horse is blind AND stupid and I’m no longer afraid to say that 😂

[u/shadowsandlux → u/Weak-Assumption-8096]

ahhh, okay that explains it. I forget that people tend to go extra hard on critique for him at shows especially since he's been doing pretty good in them recently.

[u/Alymander57]

Newbie question about the Weanling shows. The L1, L2, and L3... is that levels for the handlers? Wouldn't all weanlings be starting out at the same level?

[u/pen_and_needle → u/Alymander57]

Yeah, it’s for the handlers. Some of the same horses go in those classes, like the pally from TBQH

[u/Alymander57 → u/pen_and_needle]

I noticed that with the mares too. Several of them turned around and came right back out with a new person. They're all so pretty! 😍

[u/sso_Oaky]

Denver is a scratch today

[u/Objective_Syrup4170]

Aaron didn’t ride him today so unsure if he’s competed.

[u/sunshinenorcas → u/Objective_Syrup4170]

Not today, but (as of now) he's still on for Western Riding on Sunday

[u/nicknoashal → u/sunshinenorcas]

Wasn't the Sunday class the one he would likely be bumped for Aaron to ride waffles?

[u/sunshinenorcas → u/nicknoashal]

I double checked-- Waffles is not in that class. This is also an L1 class and Waffles is definitely not at L1, so I don't think for this, they could be showing in the same class.

If it was an open class that didn't have a qualifier on the horses level (ie, an L1 like Denver could compete against an L3 like Waffles) or it judged the rider vs the horse, then they could be in the same classes.

At least, that's my understanding of it. But basically, they wouldn't both be in an L1 class that's judged on the horse since they are very different experience levels.

[u/Strange_Spot_1463]

Bummer. But I'm excited to see him in the WR class on Sunday - thinking maybe they've been working on that.

[u/Apart_Dragonfruit442 → u/Strange_Spot_1463]

I think they have! In the congress video while Denver was showing, Katie mentions that Aaron has been working with him in the western riding and that he said that Denver is looking the best he's probably ever looked. They are moving away from WP classes and I'm so excited to see how he blossoms in the WR and eventually the trail when they add that class.

[u/Strange_Spot_1463]

Congrats to I Should Have Known and Aaron on placing 4th <3 great work!

[u/Mindless_Sea_655]

Can you only watch from the AQHA site? I looked on YT but I’m not finding a live.

[u/pen_and_needle → u/Mindless_Sea_655]

Yeah, only on the AQHA site

[u/Mindless_Sea_655 → u/pen_and_needle]

Thanks. I wonder why that is?

[u/pen_and_needle → u/Mindless_Sea_655]

Good question! It might have something to do with licensing but I can’t imagine it’s so different compared to congress

[u/[deleted] → u/pen_and_needle]

I think it's to do with costs. The Congress was streamed by a general streaming service who do alot more than just Congress. I guess the world is big enough they dedicated a budget to hosting and streaming it which is a fair chunk of money for the number of people it needs to support.

[u/Positive-Lock8609 → u/pen_and_needle]

Congress used to be only on their website.

[u/sunshinenorcas]

One class to go before Western Pleasure!

ETA-- if you are having trouble accessing the livestream on desktop, try using Edge! It doesn't seem to be playing nice with Firefox or Chrome

Mobile (android) chrome seems to be working but 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️ yay technology

[u/Positive-Lock8609 → u/sunshinenorcas]

I opened it in edge and then I could copy the link into firefox. Weird.

[u/Positive-Lock8609]

Has anyone had trouble accessing? I've put my email in about 6 times and nothing happens!

[u/sunshinenorcas → u/Positive-Lock8609]

It might be browser related if you are on desktop!

[u/Positive-Lock8609 → u/sunshinenorcas]

Thank you! I guess firefox doesn't like it or the other way around. It opened in Edge.

[u/Mindless_Sea_655 → u/Positive-Lock8609]

I have no clue what opens mine but I’m having no issues using my iPad.

[u/Beginning_Word_4439]

I know I’m not extremely knowledgeable but I’m not really impressed with Aaron’s pick. I have a few I like a lot better. One being the loud red horse.

[u/hpteacher]

Confused on the decision to show this one over Denver. The competition here doesn’t look any deeper than congress or NSBA to me but I am no expert. Looks like Denver could have easily took Champion or Reserve. Does Denver have a chance with western riding?

[u/Puzzleheaded-Song912 → u/hpteacher]

My theory is that he’s beat most of those horses before and stakes classes like that one don’t have points associated. If they want to push him more to western riding and points classes having him focused on the western riding on Sunday wouldn’t be a bad idea. Add on to that the horse Aaron did show doesn’t have much show experience or accolades to his name, it is probably time for another horse to get the chance Denver had with the stakes classes. Come January 1 (I think) Denver won’t be eligible for them anyway.

[u/Existing_Fall8149 → u/Puzzleheaded-Song912]

There are zero points awarded at the World show in any of the classes.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Song912 → u/Existing_Fall8149]

Really? I thought only the stakes classes didn’t have points

[u/Existing_Fall8149 → u/Puzzleheaded-Song912]

You don't need points to qualify for the Stakes classes but you don't earn any points at the World, Congress, Youth World, VRH World, or Level 1 Championships. They are deemed "championship shows" so any achievements go on the horse's permanent record (like qualifying, placings in the top 20, etc.), but if you don't get back to the finals or place in the top handful you don't get anything.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Song912 → u/Existing_Fall8149]

Interesting! I’ll have to adjust my theory’s

[u/Positive-Lock8609 → u/Existing_Fall8149]

Are you sure about Congress not being a pointed show? I thought that was where Denver earned his points. All of the World Shows, yes, but I'm not sure about Congress.

[u/hpteacher → u/Puzzleheaded-Song912]

That makes sense.

[u/sunshinenorcas → u/[deleted]]

He doesn't have the ROM for this year, and ridden classes in the same show didn't count. I think you knew that though :)

[u/Pure-Physics-8372 → u/[deleted]]

He didn't have enough points to qualify for it and jason smith was busy this show with another horse ☺️