AQHA Magazine July August 2019 AQHA July-Aug 2019 Final | Page 16

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PG.14
{ STYLISH PLAYER
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rofessional Cutting Horse trainer Dean Holden
recalls how it felt to win the AQHA Open Derby
Championship title at the NCHA Futurity with
Stylish Player. “I was extremely happy to win one of
the major aged events at the Futurity on this mare.”
When asked, what was your impression of her during
the first and second go rounds? Dean answered, “Pam is
always very consistent, but we didn’t score as well in the
first go meaning we had some ground to make up in the
second which we did so that was great.”
Dean commented on his impression of Stylish Player
during their run in the final. “We were first out so I knew
I just had to step up and put as big as score as I could up. I
knew that if I did my job she would be there for me.”
When asked, What was it like waiting to hear your score
and then waiting to see how everyone else went in the
final? Dean responded, “Very stressful, there was a lot of
good horses that followed me on that final with a lot of good
showman.”
Dean Jones, Todd Graham, Heath Sinclair and Corey
Holden are all such an incredible part of Dean’s team.
“They are always great help,” says Dean. “Heath and Dean
& DEAN HOLDEN
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and I talked about which cows in the previous herd worked
well, we were looking for something to take a hold of my
horse as we knew she could handle faster cows.”
Tell me about your prep with Stylish Player leading up to
the NCHA Futurity? “The lead up to the Futurity is always
busy, the most important things are to keep the happy and
healthy and to keep good cows in front of them. Pam is so
cowy the biggest thing with her is slowing her down and
making her comfortable, trying not to let her over react.”
When asked, do you get nervous leading in to such a
prestigious event? Dean answered, “I try and concentrate
on doing my job and not let nerves get in the way, but yes I
do get nervous.”
Tell me about your first impression of Stylish Player and
why you decided to train her? “My first impression of Pam
was that she was a little crazy mare that could move as good
as you’d want one too!”
Dean commented on when he started training Stylish
Player and what his first impression of her on a cow. “I
started training her as a two year old and my first impression
of her on a cow was that she was very very cowy and an
incredible athlete.”
Dean Holden on Stylish Player
Photo by: Tracey Nicholson
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION