Riley Hope Farris guides Play Purr View RG to win the NCHA Senior Youth World Finals

In her mare’s last hurrah of Youth competition, Riley Hope Farris achieved a goal with 2012 sorrel mare Play Purr View (Metallic Cat x Playgiarism x Freckles Playboy). The 17-year-old from Midway, Texas, ended the year with 214 points to take the Senior Youth World Finals title at the July 27 competition during the NCHA Summer Spectacular in Fort Worth.

“TJ” was bred by Mariposa Farms LLP and is owned by Mike Farris, of Madisonville, Texas. She’s been riding the gelding since December 2018.

“She’s definitely your typical mare, but even though she’s not personable, every single time I walk into the herd, she gives me 110% without fail,” Riley said. “Once I learned how say it in her way and actually help her out, she’s been the biggest blessing to me. Pretty much everything I’ve ever won in the NYCHA has been entirely due to her, and I’m entirely grateful to her.”

Although she’s been showing since she was eight years old, Riley really got serious about competition in 2020.

“My entire family does this sport, and we like to haul up and down the road together,” Riley said. “My cousin Faith [Harris] has won world titles in the Junior and Senior Youth.”

Over the past five years, Riley has attempted to win this title, but something always got prevented her success. This year was different.

“Early this year, on the way home from a show, I told my dad that this was it—I wanted it this time, and we took off June first and never looked back,” Riley said.

Campaigning hard for the title, Riley says her biggest success was winning the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo NCHA competition with her highest score ever, a 228.

“That place holds such a sentimental value to me, it was probably my biggest highlight of the year,” Riley said.

At the World FInals, Riley wanted three clean runs befitting her horse’s effort over the past year.

“My goal was not really to have a good World Finals for me, but to have a good one for her,” Riley said.

The first round’s score was a 216.5. Riley says rider error led to her cutting the wrong first cow, which made the run not their best.

“The third round, we had a very solid run,” Riley said. “We marked a 217 and it was a ‘TJ’ kind of run. I had a couple of cows that run and she got to show off that big stop. I think it was a very fitting way to end her youth career.”

Although she’ll continue showing in youth aboard her other horse, Baby Genius (Metallic Cat x Sweet Shorty Lena x Shorty Lena), Riley hopes to get TJ’s lifetime earnings to $100,000 and then retire the mare to enjoy her many years of success.

“Winning the world is a major accomplishment to me, and I love getting to haul up and down with my family and friends every weekend,” Riley said. “It still hasn’t set in quite yet. I don’t think it feels real.”

Kaedyn Kaupke and Howlin Like A Cat (Cat of Many Colors x Judys Pepto x Peptoboonsmal) were the reserve world champions with a combined score of 638, year-end points totaling 138. The 2012 sorrel gelding is owned by Darlene Kaupke of Stillwater, Oklahoma, bred by Tyler Fagan.