Sport Horse Nationals

Top Story

September 25, 2009

One Last, Big Show for Avery Lincoln

On the cusp of his 17th year, the Al-Marah stallion AM Good Oldboy+ discovered his "second" calling-as a hunter horse. Initially, clearing a few jumps during light riding in his post-retirement was just part of his conditioning. Since December 2008, though, Good Oldboy has found success at multiple events in the hunter division, including a Top-10 award in Arabian Green Working Hunter at Sport Horse Nationals this week. The chestnut stallion (AM Sea Captain++ x AM Tis Beverlie), bred and owned by Bazy Tankersley of Tucson, Arizona, earned multiple champion titles in his first career as a reining horse under the guidance of Gary Ferguson. During his hunter-career start, he has been in the capable hands of trainer Dianne Grod. During the past 10 months, Grod and Good Oldboy have posted several wins leading up to Sport Horse Nationals. At the Region 7 Championship Show, he was champion in Arabian Hunter Hack and Arabian Green Working Hunter, as well as reserve champion in Arabian Working Hunter. "We retired him as a reiner but believe all horses are better off continuing with a conditioning and riding program when retired," says farm manager Jerry Hamilton. "He needed another career and Dianne was the perfect little rider." First it began as light riding, but then they discovered how much he loved it. "He was perfect and willing to go do it (hunter)," Grod says. "He has one of the greatest brains in the world and is a 'show-me' kind of horse. It's as if he asks what we want him to do, and then he does it. "He was so easy to teach to jump. If anything, he caught on too quick and was starting to try to tell me how to do it," chuckles Grod. "The hardest thing in the beginning was to not say 'whoa'." When she did, his head would connect with some of his reining cues.

At his first show, the Saguaro Classic in Scottsdale, Arizona, he won both his classes-Arabian Working Hunter and Arabian Hunter Hack. Also at this year's SHN, his son Al-Marah Asterisk++ was Top 10 in Arabian Green Working Hunter, as well as Top 10 in the Arabian Hunter Hack Championship and Arabian Sport Horse Stallions In-Hand Championship. "All his kids that have jumped have been good jumpers," Grod says. "He passes off a wonderful disposition. He has good jumpers that know how to jerk their knees." AM Good Oldboy’s offspring, which total 88, have won in multiple divisions and disciplines. He was a leading sire in the SHN Payback program. Some of his successful offspring include AM Star OfHonor+++/, three-time reserve national champion in working hunter and hunter hack; 12-time Top 10 winner in working hunter, sport horse in-hand (SHIH), hunter hack and sport horse under saddle (SHUS); AM HeyYou Star+++/, champion second-level dressage and four-time Top 10 in dressage, SHIH and SHUS; AM Shahrazad, national champion novice cutting and reserve champion non-pro cutting; AM Shouldabeenacowboy, Champion SHUS Jr. and Top 10 SHIH; and AlMarah Star Zone, Champion SHIH 2-Year-Old Jackpot. "The versatility of his offspring is incredible," Grod says. "His horses can do anything." Good Oldboy is well on his way of proving he can do anything and is now a "good, old boy". He was also entered in the Arabian Sport Horse Stallions In-Hand Championship, Arabian Sport Horse Stallions In-Hand ATR Championship, Arabian Sport Horse Under Saddle Championship and Arabian Hunter Hack Championship at this year's SHN. Good Oldboy's previous career as a reiner included successes as the 2001 National Reining Reserve Champion in Reining; 2002 Top 10 Reining; 2005 Canadian National Top 10 Reining; 2006 Canadian National Top 10 Reining and 2006 Reserve Champion Reining.