Story originally posted by Horsecity.com Staff

Flashy Lookin Lady is a sorrel mare by World Champion stallion, Jacs Are Lucky Too, and out of a two-time Superior western pleasure mare, A Flashy Chip.

With firsts on all four judge's cards, Flashy Lookin Lady took the $100,000 prize for owner Joanie Zelnio with Jay Starnes Jr. piloting. The mare was at the top of the cards of judges L.G. Heier, Patty Campbell, Kim Myers and Rick Christy.

Jay Starnes has been exhibiting Quarter Horses for the past 15 years, having ridden World Champion Western Pleasure winners and earned multiple Congress Western Pleasure champions as a non-pro. He turned in his amateur card and began training horses professionally less than a year ago. This win was especially sweet to Jay's father, Jackie Starnes (left). "My dad raised this mare, and sold her to Joanie Zelnio in April," said Jay. "She kept her in training with us through the Masters."

"She really seems to like being a show horse, or at least she liked being one on Friday," Starnes said . "She's very trainable and has a very good mind. That makes such a difference."
Flashy Lookin Lady is a sorrel mare by World Champion stallion, Jacs Are Lucky Too, and out of a two-time Superior western pleasure mare, A Flashy Chip.
Flashy Lookin Lady is a sorrel mare by World Champion stallion, Jacs Are Lucky Too, and out of a two-time Superior western pleasure mare, A Flashy Chip. The mare's owner, Joanie Zelnio, competes in Select Amateur Western Pleasure with trainer Troy Oakley's assistance. She has placed in the top ten at the Congress in Novice Amateur and Select Amateur Western Pleasure. Flashy Lookin Lady will be moving to Oakley's barn for the next phase of her show career.

Besides Jacks Are Lucky Too, Invitation Only had a strong influence on the top ten finishers, with six of the top ten carrying his bloodlines.

A full crowd in the Celeste Center looked on as 24 previously unshown two year old horses competed for $200,000 in total prize money. Prior to the one-go event, owners of the 40 slots were introduced with their exhibitors, and one slot for 2006 was auctioned to the highest bidder. Tammy Bobo of Ocala, FL, had the winning bid at $26,000. The money raised from the sale will be added to the 2006 Masters purse.

Canice Thorsell and her western band provided entertainment for the event and performed a song she wrote especially for the inaugural Congress Masters competition.

Quarter Horse breeders, trainers and exhibitors had the opportunity to purchase a slot for the 2005 Congress Masters class during the 2004 show for a fee of $4500. An additional $500 was paid in April, and slot owners were required to name both the horse to be shown and the exhibitor to compete during the summer. Earlier this year, current slot owners voted not to add additional slot positions, with the exception of one slot that was auctioned Friday night during the inaugural event.

The order of finish in the class was:

• Masters Champion - Flashy Lookin Lady, Jay Starnes Jr. for Joanie Zelnio, Unionville, PA $100,000


• Reserve Champion - Invitation In Black, Randy Wilson for James Garner, New Paris, IN $26,000


• 3rd - Unexpected Invitation, Jeff Long for Stanley and Susan Scott, Ocala, FL $19,000


• 4th - Zippin N Good, Scott Frye owner and exhibitor, Galax, TX, $13,000


• 5th - Roseys Story Two, Gil Galyean for Fritz Leeman, Massillon, OH $10,000


• 6th - Only Invitation, Rusty Green for Charles & Jeannie Pircher, Rio Medina, TX $9000


• 7th - Classical Invitation, E.H. Pait for Jerry Strickland, Jonesboro, AR $8,000


• 8th - HF Rolex, Mitch Leckey for Robert Wolf, Okemos, MI $6,000


• 9th - RR Downtomylastdime, Brian Baker for Darol & Karen Rodrock, Bucyrus KS $5,000


• 10th - Keep In It Good, Troy Green for Paula Berry, Plain City, OH $4,000

Additional $5,000 to the highest placing eligible limited exhibitor: Jay Starnes Jr.


Starnes Makes It Three in a Row with Hot Lopin Louise in the 3 Year Old Western Pleasure Derby

Jay Starnes Jr. continued his winning streak at the 2005 Congress by capturing the Congress Three Year Old Western Pleasure Derby Open division on Hot Lopin Louise. Starnes earned three firsts and one fourth on the cards of Bob Kail, Rick Christy, L.G. Heier and Tom McBeath.

Hot Lopin Louise is owned by his mother, Cathy Starnes, who won the Amateur Select Western Pleasure with the mare earlier at this year's Congress. Jay Starnes and Hot Lopin Louise also won the Limited Division of the Derby earlier this week. By Blazing Hot and out of Born Loping, the mare was purchased from the Schroeders in 2004 and shown since last year. "She's just a real easy show horse," Jay Starnes said of his mount. "In fact before we showed, I didn't even ride her today. She's a pretty laid back mare."

Starnes is a former non-pro rider who turned in his amateur card a little less than a year ago. In his first year as a professional trainer, he has now won the Congress 2 Year Old Masters, as well as the Congress Three Year Old Western Pleasure Derby Open and Limited divisionsÐ not bad for his first effort. "I sure can't complain," says Starnes.

Next on the Starnes' agenda is the AQHA World Show. "My wife will be showing her all around horse, my mom will be showing in the Amateur Western Pleasure, and I will be riding a two year old that I rode in this year's Reichert Celebration that also made the finals of this year's Congress Junior Western Pleasure," said Starnes.

Just as he did in the Masters on Friday, Randy Wilson took the reserve title, this time with Roses Only, owned by Kimberly Sue Sellers, of Martinsburg, PA.