Mother and son build bond through competition at World Championship Horse Show

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Trotting into Freedom Hall is a feeling Stephanie Brannan knows well.

“There’s just nothing like it," she said. Stephanie Brannan and her 10-year-old son, Hunter, are both competing at this year’s World Championship Horse Show at the Kentucky State Fair.

The World Championship Horse Show is considered the world’s most prestigious American Saddlebred competition, featuring more than 2,000 horses and more than $1 million in prize money.

That means there is plenty of pressure for competitors hoping to come home with a blue ribbon.

“I mean, everybody hopes to win," Brannan said.

But for the Brannans, who own Wingswept Farm in Nicholasville, the show is also a chance to have fun and spend time together.

“It’s more exciting for me to watch him show than myself," she added.

Hunter Brannan will compete Monday, Aug. 24, and Tuesday, Aug. 25, with his 9-year-old pony, Lucy.

“She’s really fast," Hunter Brannan said.

For him, competing means blocking out the pressure and staying focused. “You don’t really feel anything because you’re so locked in.”

That competitive nature runs in the Brannan family.

Stephanie recently secured a third place win in her group with her 2-year-old Saddlebred, Wingswept Justice.

For this mother and son, the World Championship Horse Show is about more than winning. It is about sharing their love of horses, supporting each other and strengthening their bond along the way.

The World Championship Horse Show runs through Aug. 29 at the Kentucky State Fair.