Lexington Junior League - Tuesday Morning
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
There are no friendly rivalries quite like those in Saddle Seat Equitation, and a great one continued today in the Saddle Seat Equitation 16-17 class. Cameron Kay and Aleia Brown squared off once again, with Cameron getting the top spot today in a unanimous decision aboard CH Reedann’s Heir To Glory. Heir To Glory has to be close to earning his “CH-EQ” as well, making him one of a very few horses to have both of those titles from the American Saddlebred Registry. These two incredibly talented young ladies own the National Championship titles from all three of last year’s finals. Cameron also got the better of their showdown at Midwest Charity last month in the Senior Equitation Championship there. Aleia always seems to rise to the occasion here at the Red Mile. The reigning USEF Saddle Seat Medal National Champion was third in her age group here last year, coming back to take her second straight Lexington Senior Equitation Championship. This year’s edition will be one to watch for sure!
Don Bridges had the winner in the Five-Gaited Pony class, heading up By Design Only and Caroline Dolt for their round of honor. An entry of Cedarcrest Farm, By Design Only is by Designed and out of Voila, by Sultan’s Warhawk. Also the Five-Gaited Pony winners at Rock Creek and Shelby County Fair in their only other outings of the year, this team is right on point at the halfway mark of the season. Five-Gaited Pony Champions at JD Massey earlier this year, Audrey Kim and I’m A Little Wicked were reserve in this one from High Caliber Stables. I’m A Little Wicked is by Santana’s Charm and out of Penny’s Free Spirit, by Penny’s Superior Stonewall. This is the third year that this team has been together in this division.
The kids classes continued with the AHHS Hackney Pleasure Driving Youth Medallion. The nattily attired young gentleman, Dylan Kirk, took top honors here with Seamair Dear Sir. The entry of Gail Lane is trained by Heather Boodey. Dear Sir is no stranger to this division or to well-dressed young men. Who can forget Max Kaplan and this veteran campaigner winning here in 2002 and 2003? Heartland Walk The Line and Taylor Russell were a good reserve here for Beth Jones and trainer Connie Smith. By Heartland Code Of Honor and out of Heartland All Sugar, Walk The Line was the Junior Exhibitor Hackney Pleasure Driving Champion here last year.
Team DeLovely went one-two in the 14-15 Saddle Seat Equitation class. Macey Joan Miles was the unanimous winner here aboard CH-EQ Lemon Shake-Up WRF. Fresh off a stint at the National Championship tournament as a volleyball star, Macey showed the breadth of her talents with a winning ride this morning. She was the Junior Equitation Champion here in 2012 and 2013. Also from DeLovely, Malika Keglowitsch was the reserve winner with CH I’m McDreamy. Malika was also reserve in this class a year ago. She was Top Ten in the Good Hands Finals last year.
A huge and somewhat fractious Show Pleasure Driving class came to the ring 13-strong, with several near misses coming from the hard-driving amateurs. Kathy Capsuto Walker was unfazed by the goings on, driving to the blue behind her homebred Bewitching Lad. By Charmed And Bewitched and out of Harlem’s Irish Lass, Bewitching Lad has been nearly unstoppable this year, with eight wins and a reserve in nine trips to the ring. He has been the Show Pleasure Driving Champion at every show he has been to, from Rock Creek to Midwest, May Classic, and Kentucky Spring Premier. T.J. Santaferra headed up the round of honor. Callaway’s There’s No Stopping Us debuted in a new division with owner Krista Headley driving to reserve. Jim and Fay Lowry are quite familiar with success in this tough division, putting their skill to work with this son of Callaway’s Blue Norther and the Broodmare Hall of Famer, Callaway’s Carousel. Another in a new division, He’s Heaven Sent and Linda Fischer were third for the Boyer family. Copper And Kings finished fourth with Dr. Chip Pugh driving for Leslie LaForce.
CH Stonecroft I’m Radiant was the unanimous choice in the 10-entry 12-and-Under Walk-and-Trot Pleasure class. Anne Ellis Bohannon is the owner and rider for the High Caliber banner. Few instructors ride every step of the way with their riders the way that Mary Marcum Orr does on the rail. She was posting and turning right along with Ms. Bohannon to take the blue ribbon in one of their best performances yet. Kierson Farm went two-three behind the unanimous winner. Magic Legacy took the reserve prize with Courtney Kramlick riding for Jill Stagner. Why not make a team debut on the Red Mile? This was Courtney’s first time showing Magic Legacy, and she showed her stuff with a good ride. Majestic’s Trust Me and Lana Kimmel finished third, with Three Card Monte and Morgan Peer fourth for Susan Peer and Joanne Mayor.
If you were to draw the perfect walk-trot pony, it might look a lot like Nuttin’ But Style. Eleanor Rainbolt Forbes rode to yet another unanimous victory in the Three-Gaited Pony class this morning for Rainbow Princess Farms and trainer Mark Turner. They have never been beaten, and it would be interesting to go back and see if they have ever earned anything but a first-place vote. The reigning World’s Champion of Champions was on top again today. Catherine Wheeler made a great catch ride aboard Sylvan Springs to take a punched-up reserve prize for Waterwild Farm. Trained by Melissa Johnson, Sylvan Springs is by Sir William Robert and out of a Catalyst mare.
It was a good solo performance in the UPHA Junior Challenge Cup, with Lilyanne Goodman taking the victory pass aboard Tangled In Blues. Directed by Zubrod Stabloes, Lilyanne is in her first year out of walk-and-trot. She was the 10-Year-Old Walk-and-Trot Equitation World’s Champion last year.
Who better to put a pony in the ring for an under saddle debut than Alex Rudder? Quickly developing into one of the top junior exhibitors in the business, Alex took Cocked N Ready to the winner’s circle for a delighted Dr. Chip Pugh and trainer Gerhardt Roos. Cocked N Ready is by LLF Top Of The Mark and out of Miss Kallie, by Dun-Haven Classic Contender. Oh, and Alex hasn’t shown a saddle pony in three years! Remi Adams just smiles and smiles when she shows Drum Beat. Chuck Herbert directed her to the reserve prize in this one. This is the second year for Remi and Drum Beat to be teamed together. They finished top three in both of their Louisville classes last year.
Few barns celebrate like Fiesta Farm, which seems fitting somehow. Stephanie Lilly’s team voiced their pleasure as Taylor Deer was called out the winner of the USEF Adult Saddle Seat Medal class. This will be Taylor’s fourth year showing in the National Finals here at Lexington. She was on point today for a rather intricate pattern. She and Tanbark Heiress took the blue to start the Fiesta. Ashley Brandies was a good reserve aboard Tender Troubadour. This will be Ashley’s second trip to the Finals, which are held later this week. Christi Schnetzler couldn’t have smiled any bigger with her top three finish, while Brett Self received good support from the crowd in fourth.
With 22 entries, the Adult Country Pleasure class was split, with 12 showing in section one. CH It’s Good Karma was the winner in this one with Bonnie Lee riding for Saddlewood Farm Ltd. This was check off the bucket list for Bonnie, as Lexington so often is for the Saddlebred world. The farrier work on this one was spot on, as Midwest farrier Dave Woods is Bonnie’s longtime partner. The long necked 14-year-old bay gelding still has it going strong. Last year, he and Brittany Baird won a split of the Adult Country Pleasure class at Kansas City. For all the winning that this horse has done in his career, this was his first trip on the Red Mile! It was also his first win of the year, peaking at the right time for new trainer Jonelle Chovanec. Sired by Designed and out of Christmas In New York ERB, the dam of Undulata’s Nutcracker, Undulata’s Snowflake was reserve for Roberta Hirshon. Trained by son-in-law Burt Honaker, Roberta rode well for Roberta and Miriam Hirshon. They were twice reserve in this ultra-competitive division at Chattanooga/Cleveland Charity.
The Section Two blue went back to DeLovely with Reedann’s Rare Mystery and Juliette Dell. An entry of the 6D Ranch, Rare Mystery is by The Mystery Writer and out of Rare Connection. This team has been unstoppable since their 14-17 Country Pleasure National Championship closed out their junior exhibitor career. This was their fourth victory pass of the year, including the Adult Country Pleasure Championship at Asheville. Jenn Katko and Sir Fabulous have also been tough competitors this season for the Judd Stables banner. By Sir William Robert and out of a Caramac mare, Sir Fabulous was the Reserve National Champion in the aforementioned 14-17 Country Pleasure division. While Jenn may look like she qualifies to show in junior exhibitor still, it was Kendyl Peters doing the riding last year. Jenn was up for wins at Gasparilla and Asheville this year already. Juicy Fruit and Karen Thompson finished up in third, with Wheira Teeheira rounding out the top four with Julia Tiller up for Jane Fickling Skinner.
While a total of seven entries qualified to show back in the Senior Saddle Seat Equitation Championship today, nearly double that came to play in the 14-17 Pleasure Equitation qualifier. Rayann Schaffer beat back the field today aboard New York City Kitty. Directed by Jennifer and Louis Louw, Rayann finished her season strong last year, taking Top Ten awards in three different national finals plus earning the ASHA National Pleasure Equitation Championship at St. Louis. Another top young rider from the California to Kentucky pipeline, Kristina Mauro was reserve aboard Soquili’s Mystique. She is directed by Zubrod Stables. Kristina was in the top five in all three pleasure equitation national finals last year. Anne Pateman finished in third under the direction of Barbe Smith.
A unanimous choice of the judges sent the reigning Western Country Pleasure World’s Champion of Champions to the winner’s circle today. Three years in a row the Western Country Pleasure Champion here at Lexington, Blushing Bull started the quest for a four-peat with a qualifier win today. Lindsay Sowell made the victory jog today for Suzanne Bradshaw and trainers Fay and Jim Lowry. Charlotte Kurtz and Stonecroft Me First were up for reserve honors under the direction of Adam and Desiree Clauson. Sired by CF First Night Out and out of That Special Face, Me First was the Western Country Pleasure Champion at both Rock Creek and Pro-Am already this year. Just last year, this team finished top three in the Shatner finals. The Power Of One and Laurie Fowler were up for third under the direction of Dena Lopez.
Gabbie Gardiner and Harley Rally made a sporty equitation cantering debut to win the 13-and-Under Pleasure Equitation class with the support of all three judges. A reserve champion here in walk-and-trot last year, Gabbie was also the 10-Year-Old Walk-and-Trot Equitation Reserve World’s Champion last year. The top two from that class have both taken victory passes this morning for Zubrod Stables, as Gabbie also rides under that same banner. Gina Pansari and Callaway’s Collateral took the reserve prize back to Kierson Farm. Gina graduated from academy at about this time last year. She was the Pleasure Equitation Champion at Raleigh Spring Premier earlier this year. Claire Perreault finished in third from Verrill Stables.
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