At the ripe age of 28, Fabulous Stone is still going strong.

The sorrel daughter of Sticks An Stones has done almost everything an American Quarter Horse can do in her career, and she continues to do it well. One of her most recent accomplishments: In July 2018, at the American Quarter Horse Youth World Cup, the mare danced through showmanship patterns with the members of Team USA to earn two victories.

Bred by William A. Bergfeld Jr. of Conroe, Texas, “Fab” started her career as a racehorse. She began as a 2-year-old, took a year off, and then returned in her 4-year-old year to finish her career with four on-the-board finishes in her 10-race career, earning a racing Register of Merit.

Sire Sticks An Stones is a good son of American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame member Easy Jet, who sired the earners of more than $2.5 million. Fab’s dam, Mimi Might Makit, is a daughter of Mighty Deck.

Fabulous Stone found owner Laura Musemeche-Yarbrough in 2001 and was the family’s first American Quarter Horse.

“We knew little to nothing about horses (at the time),” Laura says.

Laura and her husband were getting into endurance and competitive trail riding events, and they bought the green ex-racehorse as a trail horse prospect.

“She could only go left, and you couldn’t touch her head,” Laura says with a laugh. “She taught us a lot about horses and their natural instincts. We took her out on these 30-mile rides, and she didn’t know anything about it. But she was a very athletic horse, and we learned to be better riders (with her help).”

When Laura’s daughter, Taylor, outgrew her pony, she wanted to get into western pleasure classes – so Fab once again enjoyed a career change.

“We got some good trainers and slowly learned the deal,” Laura says. “My daughter got a new horse that was trained in western pleasure, and my husband, Jonathan, also got a western pleasure horse. So I rode Fab.”

The mare then picked up the other all-around events, and enjoyed many years as an open-show horse.

When Laura switched to ranch events and started showing in Stock Horse of Texas competition, Fab was there, ready to try another new sport.

“She could care less about a cow, and she was very slow, because we had taken all the racetrack out of her,” Laura says.

So, maybe there was one sport that Fab wasn’t ready to master.

However, the mare also served as a broodmare, producing three foals, and then enjoyed retirement with her family.

When a call came for horses needed for the 2018 Youth World Cup, Laura pulled two of her horses – including Fab – out of the pasture to lend to the every-other-year international youth event.

And Fab found a special connection with her Team USA partner, Mallory Vroegh.

“Mallory just brought out all of the best in Fab that we put in over these almost-20 years we’ve had her; it was Fab’s shining moment,” Laura says. “Fab was a rock star! I was so proud, seeing her perform for that little girl. I was tickled pink.”

Fab is back to enjoying her retirement and her pasture at the family’s home near Brenham, Texas.