With reining royalty on both sides of her pedigree, big things were expected of mare Andiamoe.
Andiamoe and Shawn Flarida, her trainer, delivered by marking a 228 to win the Level 4 Open at the All American Quarter Horse Congress Futurity. They won $34,302 during the event held Saturday, Oct. 1.
“Her confidence level is phenomenal,” Flarida said. “There is nothing that she does not think she can’t do.”
Andiamoe progressed through a round of preliminaries to advance to the Congress finals. There, from draw 25, she put on a show.
“Some of my favorite parts – she circled to the right with her head on the ground and she went so fast and so slow,” Flarida said. “And her turn, she can actually get up to speed within two or three steps of spinning. She’s cool and a super athlete. And running and stopping, she just enjoys that.”
Sired by EquiStat Elite $7 Million Sire Gunnatrashya and out of millionaire producer Wimpys Little Chic (by Wimpys Little Step), the mare known as “Princess” is genetically primed for reining stardom.
“That little mare is so special,” rider Shawn Flarida said. “I rode her mother, her father and her [maternal] grandfather. She’s just a great mare. I think she’s special to me because I was around her family and I feel like I know her from before.”
Some of Flarida’s career highlights with Princess’s ancestors include National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) Futurity Open championships on Wimpys Little Step, Wimpys Little Chic and Gunnatrashya. He also won the National Reining Breeders Classic Level 4 Open and NRHA Derby Level 4 Open on Wimpys Little Chic, making her a reining Triple Crown winner.
Princess was bred and owned by leading breeder Arcese Quarter Horses, of Weatherford, Texas.
“It’s been an honor to ride her for Mr. Arcese and she’s just a super horse. Great minded and a great athlete. Every day when you ride her, she tries so hard to please you. She comes to work every day and they gain your respect when they’re like that.”
According to Flarida, Princess has an unusual dose of confidence on the show grounds, which he attributes to her lineage. “Scary” stripes painted on the surface of parking lots and unusual buildings are no match for princess.
Reserve Champions in the Level 4 Open of the All American Congress Futurity were Big Chex Nic (Big Chex To Cash x Nic It Olena x Nic It In The Bud) and Jesse Gentile, of Valley City, Ohio. The pair scored a 223.5 to bring home both the Level 4 Open Reserve Championship and Level 3 Open Championship, earning a total of $20,879. Big Chex Nic was bred by Jeanne Spencer, and is owned by Tori Thomas.
