2007 Congress News
Bailey Pitts and Absolut Martini Girl Come Out on Top
for Their First Congress
By Carly Williams, Photos courtesy Kirkbride
Photography
Three years ago, Bailey Pitts
would have never guessed that she would be showing (and
winning) at the Congress on a mare called “Muddy.”
Sometimes, however, miracles can happen and perseverance
can pay off.
Absolut Martini Girl may have a
name resembling the good life, but she was born into a
‘less than stylish’ lifestyle. “She was born outside
during a rainstorm and ended up in the mud,” Bailey
laughed. “After that, she seemed to always want to roll
in the mud. At the barn she was at, they would always
say ‘go get that muddy filly’ or ‘go get that muddy
mare,’ and the name just stuck!”
Muddy has not lived up to her
name, however, and has grown into a superb Western
Pleasure horse. Bailey feels very lucky to have found
the mare, and even luckier that she has shown her to
such success.
“We saw her this March at a show
in Murray, Kentucky. A customer of Jon Barry’s owned her
and Jon was getting her ready to show during the day,”
Bailey said. “My parents and I watched her all day and
thought she was just a beautiful mover. We couldn’t
believe what a good loper she was.
“My parents went up to Jon that
day and said we had to buy her.”
Muddy became extra special for
Bailey because Bailey was looking for a horse to take
her to her first Congress, and she knew Muddy would be
the one.
Brad and Vicki Pitts originally
started B Pitts Quarter Horses after earning degrees
from the University of Findlay in equestrian studies and
business administration. They ran their business out of
Texas, where Bailey was born. Bailey began showing in
4-H on an Arabian/Quarter Horse cross while living in
Texas, but couldn’t deny her Quarter Horse roots. Within
the past five years, the Pitts relocated to Vicki’s
hometown in Indiana, where they began attending Quarter
Horse shows again and opened P5 Equestrian.
Bailey began showing at Quarter
Horse shows three years ago, but did not feel she had a
horse good enough to come compete at the Congress.
Everything changed in March of this year, when the Pitts
purchased Absolut Martini Girl.
“I came to the Congress in 2006
just to watch,” Bailey said. “It was the first time I
had ever been to the Congress and it was a blast just
coming to watch. My mom and dad kept telling me that
they would try to find me a horse good enough so that I
could come back this year to show. I knew once we found
Muddy that I would be coming to show in October.”
Bailey showed like a cool,
experienced showman in the Congress arenas last week,
never showing the judges that she had never been in this
level of competition before. “I was really nervous when
I first got here,” Bailey explained. “I just kept
thinking ‘I’m actually going to show against some of the
greatest horses in the world.’ Once I got started riding
though, and preparing for my classes, I knew I needed to
control my nerves. I forced myself to focus on my ride,
not my nerves, and it really worked out for me.
“I had a little more confidence
after I did so well in the Novice Youth Western
Pleasure,” said Bailey. “Until I saw my split for the
15-18 Western Pleasure! There were so many really good
horses in there, I just felt lucky to make it back.
Placing fifth was amazing.”
Bailey's 2007 Congress Placings:
Congress Champion, Youth Performance Halter Mares
Congress Champion, NSBA Novice Youth Western Pleasure
14-18
Reserve Champion, Novice Youth Western Pleasure 14-18
3rd, NYATT Western Pleasure
5th, 15-18 Western Pleasure
