It's Me Again gives trainer a title ride

It’s Me Again gives trainer a title ride
By Paul HugginsStaff Writer

PRICEVILLE – Moments after It’s Me Again won the racking horse world grand championship, Barbara Agnich rushed to her co-trainer, Rick Parish, and handed him a towel to wipe sweat off his face.
Agnich had been in the center ring before, after winning the world grand championship in 2005, and knew the pressure a rider feels during the high-stakes competition.
Surprisingly to Parish, he didn’t need the towel. The Dallas, Ga., trainer even described the competition as “relaxing.”
“That was just unbelievably fun,” he said. “(It’s Me Again) did all the work. I just got to sit there.”
It’s Me Again beat out a field of three other horses during the finals of the Racking Horse World Celebration. Shadow’s Rebel Yell trained by Jamie Lawrence for S.A. Barber of Arab was the reserve grand champion. She’s A Treasure trained by Mark Taylor for Herman Nunley Jr. of Iuka, Miss., finished third.
Parish said he simply didn’t feel the same stress he felt when he won in 1997 on Guaranteed Perfect. He attributed the calmness to being a little older and mellower and already having a championship under his belt.
That’s not to say Parish didn’t feel any pressure. He knew he had the favorite going into Saturday night’s final, which actually didn’t start until after midnight Sunday morning. He also knew he held the reins of one of the most prolific racking horses in history.
The 7-year-old stallion has always had success at World Celebration. During his career, he won the world grand championship for 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, 4-year-olds and 15.2 & Under show classes.
Last year, It’s Me Again’s owner, Arvolle Brown of Corinth, Miss., rode his horse to the amateur rider world grand championship.
“I always wanted to win the amateur world grand championship,” he said, “and after I did that last year, this was the next step.”
It’s Me Again made it well known in April he was going to be a top contender for the world championship when Benjie Wagoner rode him to the Spring Celebration title. Despite the strong showing, Brown switched trainers in June after the Shelbyville Classic, choosing Parish and Agnich, he said, because they focused more on racking horses instead of splitting time training racking and walking horses.
Parish said he, Agnich and It’s Me Again “clicked” almost immediately when they came together. Chemistry is an overlooked ingredient to getting to the championships circle, he said, because horses have diverse personalities.
“Everyone can’t get along with every horse,” he said. “But by the third day with (It’s Me Again), we knew we were going to do something special together.”
Owned entire life
It’s Me Again is a rarity in that Brown has owned him his entire life. He still owns It’s Me Again’s parents. What About Me is his sire and Pride’s Fashion Cut is his mother. What About Me was a great show horse, too, Brown said, winning just about every title his son won, except for the overall world grand champion. Brown, who started riding and showing racking horses in the late 1980s, said he never believed he would own the industry’s top horse.
“I always dreamed about it. It’s something you always wish for, but, no, I didn’t think it would happen to me,” he said. “It’s Me Again is one of the few that come along.”
Parish and Agnich agreed, saying the horse has the most important attribute of a champion: He loves to work.
“He likes his job,” Agnich said. “He wants to get out there and try to please. He’s a people pleaser.”
Parish added, “You never have to ask him to work. He wants to work. He’s one of the greatest horses I’ve been around.”
The naming of the world grand champion ended the nine-day horse show as the Racking Horse Breeders Association of America appears to be on the upswing.
The show had more than 1,300 entries this year, an increase for the second straight year. Official totals were unavailable, but organizers said campsite rentals, stall rentals and admission tickets all had increases this year compared to last year. The show also saw the sale of the arena property to the State Product’s Mart Authority, a deal the association has sought for several years.