First in the pen for Junior Western Riding, Sensational Luxury and Monica Baker were first overall in the placings. First in more ways than one, Sensational Luxury wins her first world championship.
Walking into the pen as draw No. 1, Monica Baker knew she had to make an impression on the Junior Western Riding judges. Sensational Luxury rose to the challenge, and together Monica and “Hilda” laid down a winning run to earn the mare’s first world championship title. The Journal spoke with Monica at her stalls to get the low down about her winning run.
Q: Congratulations on Hilda’s first world championship title. Walk me through your pattern.
Monica: When I saw that I was first to go, that’s the part that was a little bit scary because there are no tracks—all the pressure’s on. We had to set the bar high. We don’t do pattern three a lot, so I really had to focus on pattern three—there’s a lot more steering involved. She warmed up really good this morning and she just went out there like a trooper and did her job. I was really happy with her performance.
Q: Tell me a little about Hilda.
Monica: I have had since she was a long yearling, and she’s 5 years old now. I know her really well; I’ve done all the work on her. She’s a really sweet mare. She’s easy to train and she picks up things very well. She’s a good mover, so it makes her job easy for her. She’s very good minded. It really helps in that class if you know your horse really well.
Q: How do you like pattern three compared to the others?
Monica: I like it. It was probably a benefit for this mare because she’s extremely broke. For a greener horse, it would be a little bit harder because there’s a lot of steering involved in that pattern, but I kind of like it at the World Show because it’s a little different. I think it will be really nice for the Senior horses.
Q: You said this was Hilda’s first world championship. How does that make you feel?
Monica: It means a lot because you can be reserve many times—I’ve been reserve in the Western riding before here—but it’s nice to finally win the class and have a good go. It’s pretty special.
Q: Hilda’s Amateur owner, Michelle Askin, showed her earlier this week. How did she do with Hilda?
Monica: Her Amateur got a few Top 10s with her. She loves her to death. She couldn’t be here because she had to fly home, but I think somebody already put the video on Facebook so she could see it. When the mare was 3, she was reserve here in the Novice Amateur Western Pleasure with her, so she’s had her for a few years.
Q: What makes Hilda good at Western riding?
Monica: She’s really flat in her lead changes. She swings her toe a lot and has a lot of impulsion. She’s really soft when she hits the ground, carries her head and neck right, and she can do it on a loose rein.
Q: What is she like at home?
Monica: She’s very sweet. She likes to get turned out every day, she has a big pasture of grass she gets to play in. She just has a great personality. She’s really laid back.
Q: Is there anyone you’d like to thank for the win today?
Monica: I think probably my sister, Kara Whitsell; she trains also. She’s helped me a lot with the mare. We kind of bounce ideas off of each other about how to improve. It’s a family business, so my mom, Patty Baker, helps a lot too.