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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – In 2012, Mary Hannah Brown graduated from Kelseyville High School. In August of this year she – and the horse she rode in on – graduated into the ranks of the very best in a world-class competition in Oklahoma City.
The event was the Built Ford Tough American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Championship Show in which Brown captured the Western riding discipline title for exhibitors 18 years and under.
Brown showed an American Quarter Horse named Zippos Petite Prince to win out over 77 other entries in her division on Aug. 3.
The horse is owned by Carol Thomsen of Nicolaus, Calif., and is a 13-year-old sorrel gelding sired by Petite Lord and out of Zippo King Bars, who was bred by Kramer/Davis of Bradenton, Fla.
For her championship, Brown was awarded a custom-designed gold trophy; Montana Silversmiths buckle; specially designed logoed jacket, courtesy of Cripple Creek Outerwear; a WeatherBeeta embroidered blanket; world champion patch; neck wreath; and a gold medallion.
On Aug. 6, at the same competition, Brown and Zippos Petite Prince also captured a third place in horsemanship, in a field that featured 175 entries.
Brown's world title may be unprecedented for teenaged riders in Lake County. She told Lake County News that it was “like a dream come true.”
To be eligible to compete in Oklahoma City, Mary Hannah had to earn a predetermined number of points in the Western discipline in prior events.
The same was true in other classes, including halter, English and western disciplines, encompassing more than 2,300 entries from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Venezuela.
In all, the young riders competed for 35 world championships.
Once in Oklahoma City, Brown earned a place among 15 finalists from the original field of 78 in the Western discipline.
Entering her sophomore year as a nursing major at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, Brown said she has been riding since she was 7 years old.
Her enduring friendship with Thomsen and the fact that she had worked with Zippos Petite Prince for three years led to showing in the Ford Tough competition.
The horse had been in prior shows, but not recently, and had some success.
He also had some unique qualities.
“He's honest and he won't try to cheat you,” Brown said. “He knows what you want him to do before you ask. But he won't do anything until you ask. I ride him like he's my horse.”
Brown said she was not completely surprised by the world championship.
“I knew I was capable and I knew I could do it as long as everything went well,” she said.
Asked for a physical description of Zippo King Bars, Brown said, “Well, he has a white star on his face and in my eyes he's perfect.”
Email John Lindblom at
