The National Snaffle Bit Association has announced that AQHA Gelding Couture Blue Genes, owned by Debbie Hodde, of Brenham, Texas, has been named 2018 NSBA Horse of the Year.

The 2015 bay gelding is by Allocate Your Assets and out of Only Blue Couture (by Hot Ones Only and out of Blue Couture). Debbie raised the gelding, known as Prescott, and watched him grow up at home in her pasture until after the 2017 NSBA World Championship Show. Prescott is the third generation of Debbie’s breeding program, as she also raised his dam and grand dam.

Trainer Beth Case started the gelding in September of his two year old year, and the trio saw success in the show pen throughout last year. They began showing – and winning – at the Silver Dollar Circuit in Las Vegas in February and continued their showring success through the 2018 AQHA World Championship Show with a reserve world championship in Junior Hunter Under Saddle.

Debbie rode Couture Blue Genes to an NSBA world championship in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle as well as the 2018 NSBA BCF Non-Pro and Limited Non-Pro Three Year Old Hunter Under Saddle titles. The duo also won the 2018 All American Quarter Horse Congress Three Year Old Non-Pro and Limited Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle Futurity championships.

Beth Case showed the gelding to win the NSBA Riders Cup $2,500 Limited Horse Open Hunter Under Saddle and later the NSBA Three Year Old Open Hunter Under Saddle, BCF Three Year Old Open Hunter Under Saddle and Three Year Old Novice Horse Hunter Under Saddle world championships, as well as the Congress Three Year Old Open Hunter Under Saddle Futurity title. The trio also saw wins at the Prairie Classic, Silver Dollar Classic, Arizona Sun Country Circuit and Big A/Stars And Stripes, among others.

Debbie, Beth and Prescott ended 2018 as the NSBA High Point Three Year Old, Junior and Green Hunter Under Saddle horse as well as AQHA High Point Junior and Level 1 Junior Hunter Under Saddle horse. Prescott earned $30,766.06 in NSBA earnings in 2018.

The Horse of the Year title is determined by NSBA point standings.

Couture Blue Genes will be recognized during the 2019 NSBA Honors awards banquet on Sunday, August 11, held during the 2019 NSBA World Championship Show and Breeders Championship Futurity at the Built Ford Tough Livestock Complex in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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 [Reprinting all or part of this news release is permitted, so long as credit is given to the National Snaffle Bit Association and a link provided back to nsba.com.]
 
About NSBA
Established in 1983, the National Snaffle Bit Association has expanded from its roots of the pleasure horse to recognize various disciplines and eight breed associations in competition. NSBA’s programs uphold keeping the welfare of the horse as the primary consideration in all activities and encourage the use of standard rules for holding and judging events.