Lexington, Kentucky – The American Saddlebred Horse Association (ASHA) announced today that its only Triple Crown winner this year, WGC CH Breaking News, has been named Horse of the Year. The connections of the Horse of the Year will be honored at the ASHA Annual Convention during the Saddlebred Ball, Saturday evening, February 14, 2009, at the Griffin Gate Marriott Resort and Spa in Lexington, Kentucky.
Rider/trainer Peter Cowart of West Wind Stables in Statesville, North Carolina, will also be awarded with the Five-Gaited World’s Grand Championship Ring. Cowart will receive his Champions Ring from last year’s World’s Grand Champion Michele Macfarlane. Previous winners of this unique award were Smith Lilly and Todd Miles.
With his win at the UPHA American Royal National Championship in Kansas City, Missouri, CH Breaking News, a 10-year-old gelding, claimed the American Saddlebred Triple Crown, sweeping the Five-Gaited Championships at Lexington Junior League, Kentucky State Fair and American Royal—the three shows which comprise the Saddlebred Triple Crown—for the first time since CH Boucheron (also a World’s Grand Champion) accomplished this feat in 2004. WGC CH Grande Gil was the Three-Gaited Triple Crown winner in 2007. Previously named as American Saddlebred Horse of the Year have been Fine Harness Triple Crown Champion WGC CH Callaway’s Copyright, and CH Callaway’s Sugarplum.
CH Breaking News (CH The Talk Of The Town X Reedann's Cascade) was bred by Dr. Alan Raun of Cumming, Iowa. Megan McClure and her grandmother Beth Arndt, of Taylorsville, North Carolina, acquired him in January 2003.