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Tennessee
Walking Horse OnLine Congratulates
Adult
Supreme Champion
Paula Faye, New
Mexico
Autumn Go Gal
(Reprinted from Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse
magazine, June 1986)
Paula Fay of Albuquerque, New Mexico and her seven-year-old bay mare,
Autumn Go Gal have made New Mexico Walking Horse history by earning that
state's first and the nation's tenth ever Supreme Versatility Championship
on August 10, 1985.
Autumn Go Gal was bred by Johnny Shaver of Blacksburg, Virginia. Her sire
is Rocket's Rebel C. and her dam is Mary E.'s Merry Gold. She was sold in
the 1979 Sale of Show Ring Champions to Colonel Robert Templeton of
Phoenix, Arizona. Paula first saw Autumn in March, 1980 when she was a
green broke two-year-old. A month later Autumn moved to Albuquerque and
began her show career.
Autumn's attractive head, long well-shaped neck, and exceptionally smooth,
well-blended body combined with Paula's skillful showmanship made them
almost unbeatable in Plantation Model and Tennessee Walking Horse Breeding
Classes. Autumn also competed very successfully in Open Halter Classes at
all breed shows, defeating Arabians, Quarter Horses, and color breeds,
earning a total of 33 Versatility Model points.
To earn an Adult Versatility Championship, the horse and rider must earn
at least five points in each of three different performance classes, as
well as 15 Model points. Paula began exhibiting Autumn in English
Pleasure, Western Pleasure, and Water Glass. They earned two Water Glass
points in 1980 and two English, one Western and another Water Glass point
in 1982.
Since a horse must defeat three horses for each point earned with a
maximum of five points for first place, four for second, and so forth, it
became obvious that Autumn and Paula would have to compete in all breed
shows in order to have enough competition. 1983 was really their year with
seven Western Pleasure, three English Pleasure, and four Water Glass
points, all but two earned in all breed competition. In September, 1983,
Autumn became New Mexico's first Adult Versatility Champion.
But Paula had set her sights on an ever bigger goal. She had wanted to
show Autumn to the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors'
Association Supreme Versatility Championship from the start. The
requirements for this title include 15 model points, eight points in each
of three different performance classes, and eight points in either
Reining, TWH Over Fences, or Pleasure Driving. Paula selected Driving. She
and Autumn had been competing in Open Pleasure Driving since 1981, but
Driving Classes and enough competition to earn points were hard to find.
Undaunted, Paula and her friend Colista Lyon launched a campaign to
promote Open Pleasure Driving.
Autumn's first foal was born in April, 1984, so she was shown very little
that year. However, in 1984, the TWHBEA changed the requirements for a
Supreme Versatility Championship. They added trail to the list of more
difficult classes and now required eight points in each of two of the
classes. At that time Autumn was only a few points from completing the
elusive Supreme, and suddenly Paula was faced with training her for an
entirely different class. She considered the classes and, encouraged by
her friends, began training for Trail.
Early in 1985, Paula and Autumn began to compete at all breed shows. Paula
used English or Western Pleasure Classes to warm up for the Trail Classes,
which were usually held late in the day and Autumn earned some extra
points in those classes. The Trail Class proved Paula's biggest challenge
with Autumn. Some days she would be right on and others she acted like she
had never seen an obstacle! At the early shows, Paula was often
discouraged. Her first placement was sixth out of 15. By summer, Autumn's
performance was much more consistent and she earned four points. On July
14, Paula and Autumn placed first in a class of 21 for five points. The
Trail trial was over.
All that was needed now was one Water Glass point. Water Glass Classes are
even harder to find than Driving Classes, but the New Mexico Foxtrotter
Association agreed to offer the class and to open it up to both
Foxtrotters and Walkers. Autumn and Paula placed second out of six. Autumn
Go Gal was a Supreme Versatility Champion. She also won the Trail Class
and finished her career with an even 100 Versatility points.
Paula had been warned that she would suffer a big letdown after she and
Autumn finally made it, but so far that hasn't happened. Paula is already
planning her second Supreme Championship with Autumn's beautiful daughter,
My Gal Friday. Sired by Supreme Versatility Champion, Good Friday K, the
filly is a longer-striding, more high-headed version of Autumn. As a
yearling, she is already earning an impressive array of ribbons in Open
Halter Classes, and in March earned her first Model points.
At eight, Autumn is too young to be permanently retired, but she will
spend a few years raising foals for Paula's good friends, Ann and Bob
Kuykendall at Windy Hill Walkers in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Paula
is having fun with My Gal Friday, who is already broke to drive!
Adult Supreme Champions
Youth Superior Champions
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