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The Congress is coming, everyone is stressed, and frankly—we needed to laugh.

This week, Ali sits down in the barn with longtime friend and horseman Shaun Sellers for a completely unfiltered conversation about his journey from the elite hunter world to the stock-horse industry, preparing a young buckskin mare for Congress, and why his approach to horse showing is anything but conventional.

Shaun shares how he develops confidence in young horses, why horse welfare will always come before a class, and how keeping things fun can make you a better horseman. They also get into show-ring nerves, questionable fashion choices, pheromone cologne in the longe line, sparkly jackets, badly behaved personal horses, unexpected puppies, and the reality that sometimes it simply isn’t your day.

Behind all the chaos is an important reminder: horse shows will always be there, we’re riding glorified farm animals, and if you’re still having fun—you’ve already won.

Fair warning: this episode contains adult language, barn humor, and absolutely no shortage of opinions.

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Something new is happening in the AQHA hunter world… and we are HERE for it.

Ali sits down with Lainie DeBoer and Sarah Chabot to break down AQHA English Versatility—from how the idea started and the two-year process of developing it to the brand-new English Versatility Challenge headed to the AQHA World Show.

We’re talking about why the hunter division needed another opportunity, what judges are actually looking for, how the pattern works, who can enter, the VS Code Red Versatility Series, major prizes, $50,000 currently up for grabs at the World Show Challenge, and why this class could open entirely new doors for hunter under saddle horses, riders, breeders and stallion owners.

And before you start picturing your HUS horse staring down a three-foot fence… relax. 😂 The inaugural World Show pattern is designed to be inviting, with rails on the ground, no jumps—and yes, there are even cookies waiting for the horses at the end.

More importantly, this isn't just about adding another class. It's about trying something different, listening to exhibitors and creating new opportunities for the horses we love.

Could English Versatility be a glimpse at the future of the AQHA hunter division?

We think you're going to want to lean into this one.

Want to see what the class looks like? Click Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WppJvyVcvrA

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Micah Howard and I are DIY Amateurs, which is basically a cute way of saying we spend an absolutely irresponsible amount of money to do most of the work ourselves.

We ride our own horses. We haul to weekend shows. We obsessively analyze videos. We occasionally require professional adult supervision. And then, for reasons neither of us can fully explain, we also think it’s a perfectly reasonable idea to roll into places like the Congress, NSBA World and AQHA World Show and say, “Yeah… I can probably do this.”

In this episode, Micah and I get into the very glamorous reality of doing this yourself — figuring out quirky horses, finding trainers who will tolerate our independent streaks, learning when to ask for help, getting humbled at weekend shows and then showing up at the big ones like we belong there.

We talk about the $500,000-horse problem, horse show politics, intimidating barns, expensive rigs, aging amateur bodies, showmanship theatrics, financial decisions that would concern a licensed professional and the deeply unhealthy emotional relationships we have with our horses.

At one point, OnlyFans enters the financial planning discussion.

Things deteriorate from there.

But somewhere between the inappropriate jokes and questionable financial decisions, we actually get serious about something that matters: you do NOT need the fanciest horse, trailer, trainer or bank account to belong in this industry.

Sometimes you buy what you can afford.
Sometimes you make the horse yourself.
Sometimes you get your ass kicked at the weekend show.
Sometimes you make the finals at the World Show.

And sometimes you do all four with the same horse.

So this episode is for the DIY Amateurs. The weekend warriors. The people riding after work. The ones who pull their own trailer, saddle their own horse, watch the video 47 times, ask someone smarter than them for help and then go home and try again.

We may not have a giant machine behind us.

We do, however, possess a truly concerning amount of confidence.

And apparently, that’ll get you pretty damn far.

This episode is sponsored by ME!!! Guys, we have merch now!

https://ali-hubbell-shop.fourthwall.com/

Click the link and happy shopping :)

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