Exhibitors Enjoy Labor Day Weekend At Old Dominion
Monday, September 15, 2003
by Mary Daughtry
LEXINGTON, Va. - The horse show committee promised "excellent competition" and a "fun and friendly" show for all those who came to the Old Dominion Morgan Show on August 29-31. Those who attended this show would have to agree that the promise was fulfilled. This is the second year at the Virginia Horse Center's indoor complex which features a show ring with an adjoining barn on either side. During one brief thunderstorm, this aspect really came in handy as the exhibitors could enter the show ring from each end without ever going outside. Everything about the center is top of the line.
During the breaks from showing, many people visited the historic town of Lexington and it seems that each year there are more motels and restaurants near the complex. Along with the A rated Morgan show and futurity, the club sponsored an open dressage show on Saturday and an open carriage driving show on Sunday. Though not limited to Morgans, these venues were full of top-quality Morgan competitors.
Entertainment and hospitality are key notes of this show. Every morning there were complimentary coffee, juice and donuts near the show office. On Thursday the Old Dominion Morgan Horse Association sponsored a welcome pizza party. After the show on Friday night, Midshine Morgans and Sweet Promise Farm hosted one of the exhibitors parties which featured barbecue and all the fixings. The second exhibitors party was held after the show on Saturday night. Saturday Acres Morgans presented a build-your-own taco spread.
The Figure's Friends Youth Group offered a lemonade stand, T-shirts for sale and held a raffle for a signed P. Buckly Moss lithograph. There was also a silent auction with many interesting items. Silver Sparks, the president at the youth group, presented the flag each night in the opening ceremonies mounted on The Dream Machine owned by Melinda Sorenson. On Saturday night the audience was treated to a Musical Kur by Whippoorwill Ebony and Cathy Echternach.
Woody Henry came up from Florida to judge the show while Gary Hooghkirk served as ringmaster. Jane Frye kept things lively at the organ and Terry Young took the winning pictures. Thanks to digital photography and computers, he had proofs ready about one or two classes after the pictures were taken. Jewel Marsh kept everything in the office running smoothly and club members filled in wherever needed.
In Hand
Richard Ebersole's Ridgeview New Horizon claimed the first tri-color of the show as the Grand Champion Mare after winning the class for mares three & over. QM Suzanne's Aria was reserve champion for Marle Hill Farm.
Krista Dent presented the flashy chestnut Strike It Rich for Sally Lawing to take the title of Grand Champion Gelding after winning the blue in the geldings three & over. The winner of the younger age group Midshine's Christmassweets was named reserve champion for Marcia Cesanek.
Five stallions vied for the blue in the stallions three & over and the winner was Mtn. Run Saint Christofer, owned and shown by James Griffin. Second went to KBA Sport Model for Roxann Baldwin. The placings were the same in the championship class with Griffin's sporty bay stud taking the title of Grand Champion Stallion.
Also in hand, Green Bay U-Early won both the hunter in hand and sport horse suitability classes for Kathleen Budner. Dan Pavan led Arrow Hill Aladdin to the winner's circle in the western in hand class for Sharon and Creston Owen. Taking first in the Justin Morgan standard class was Coalition Royal Billing with owner June Davis.
Park
There was only one entry in the park division, but what a crowd pleaser that one was! Krista Dent rode HVK Flaire Lady as if she had a ring full of competition in the open park saddle class. This bold bay mare is owned by Herbert Kohler.
English Pleasure
Krista Dent also rode the winner of the ladies English pleasure class, the exciting AKM Manhattan was the winner for Sally Lawing. Mtn. Run Tizit and Dan Pavan had the ring to themselves in the open class. In both the amateur and amateur stake the results were the same. The handsome bay gelding K's Nobel Vision and owner Barbara Risser made the victory pass in both while Red Alert and Sharon Owen were reserve. In the Open English Pleasure Championship Marcia and White Christmas took the tricolor while Red Alert claimed reserve again.
In the junior exhibitor class for riders 13 & under the veteran Charlestown Firecracker and Maggie Gallman carried out the blue under the direction of Mike Goebig. In the older age group for riders 14-17 Jessica Holmes, fresh from her blue ribbon week at Louisville, catch rode Merriehill Wish Me Well to the blue for Carol Grosz and trainer Krista Dent. In the junior exhibitor championship Maggie and Charlestown Firecracker were awarded the top prize and Jessica and Merriehill Wish Me Well were reserve.
Pleasure Driving
Broadmoor brought several nice driving horses to Old Dominion. Mike Goebig
presented yet another fine two-year-old for Rhoda Hoenmans. Whitemud French Minuet won both the blue and tricolor following her Mid-A victory. Goebig also made two victory passes in the junior driving class and stake, this time with Charles Marcon's dynamic Touch of Spring. James Griffin and his bay stallion Mtn. Run Saint Christofer were reserve in both classes. This pair took the blue ribbon, however, in the limit class.
Broadmoor collected two more wins in this division with SMS Imagine That. Jessica Smeed was on the lines of her talented bay in the open and stake. Red Alert was the reserve champion in the open championship.
Sally Lawing and her Strike It Rich were the blue ribbon pair in the amateur qualifier. However, in the amateur stake the white-faced bay gelding Hollybrook Indian Brave stepped it up a notch and won the championship for Mary Daughtry. Tempest For You Blue and Sharon Picus were the reserve champions in this entertaining division.
Classic Pleasure
Cross-entering is permitted at Old Dominion and Marcia Cesanek's White Christmas was at the top of the classic pleasure saddle open class and championship also, this time ridden by Christen Cesanek. In the championship June
Davis and Coalition Royal Billing claimed the reserve spot.
Finnian's Mr. G and Susan Shields made a pair of victory passes in the junior exhibitor classic saddle and stake. CPMF Magic Light and owner/driver Pat Dills scored a pair of blues in the limit driver and novice horse classes. In the limit horse class Tempest Abbey Road and owner Kay Haartz Cortelyou carried the blue ribbon back to the Martin Training Stable tackroom.
Manhattan Design and Caitlin Harrison were the judge's choice in both the open driving and championship. Jo Nell Harrison and her stylish OH Relentless were reserve in both of these classes.
Western Pleasure
The competition in this division was tough with beautifully turned out horses and lovely ladies the norm. Jo Nell and Tom Harrison's Granada Farm brought three western mares to the show and took home a basketful of blues. Close in the ribbon count were Salem Total Eclipse and Elizabeth Abernathy. In the amateur owned, trained and shown class early in the show Jo Nell and her beloved WB Enticement were the blue ribbon recipients. They won the ladies class as well as the amateur stake. Salem Total Eclipse was the winner of the amateur stallion-gelding class as well as the open.
The amateur mare blue went to Carlette Hunt and her DAF Amazing Grace. Arrow Hill Aladdin and Sharon Owen took their place in the winner's circle in the amateur limit rider class. Another Granada Farm entry Futurity Mark's Savannah jogged out with the blue in the limit class. Radiance Cavalier, ridden by Amanda Hewitt and owned by Barbara Hewitt, won both the junior exhibitor western qualifier and stake.
The flashy palomino Guha's Gold N Spicy and Susan Martin took the blue and tricolor in the junior class and junior championship. Granada Farm's newest entry, CB Chick-a-boom and Carol Addison earned the novice blue. In the Open Western Championship the grand champion was CB Chick-a-boom and Carol Addison while Salem Total Eclipse took reserve honors.
Hunter Pleasure
The competition was also very deep in the hunter division. The largest classes of the show were the junior exhibitor hunter pleasure and stake. Winning both of these excellent classes was Saddleback Sky Pilot with Kim Fullerton showing for owner Kelly Simpson. The reserve honors in both classes was HUR's Final Topic with Lynzi Green aboard for Jane Hurley Thompson.
Krista Dent brought out Sally Lawing's homebred Providence First Commandment for a pair of victory passes in the junior horse class and stake. Second in both classes was Bethanne Ridgeway and her Preservation Hall, who had won the limit class. Krista Dent rode a pair of impressive youngsters to the winner's circle in this division as HVK Mystical triumphed in the Junior Maiden Hunter Pleasure for Herbert Kohler.
Cynthia Lundgren's CAL Foxy Lady trotted to the winner's circle in the hunter pleasure amateur mares. Octoberfest and his owner Bethanne Ridgeway claimed the blue in the amateur stallions & geldings class. Another amateur qualifier blue was won by Statesman's Ariel and Lauren Francisco. In the amateur owned, trained and shown class the white-faced chestnut gelding JAJ Capriole's Sir Walter and his owner Susan Sykes finished first. With all of these good horses qualified, the amateur hunter stake was bound to be a dandy. Once again, the grand champion amateur was JAJ Capriole's Sir Walter while the reserve championship went to CAL Foxy Lady.
Carreg Wen Liza's Legacy took first place in a large novice class for John and Thompson directed by Amanda DuPont. CAL Foxy Lady was at the top of the class again in the mare class. Bethanne Ridgeway took the blue ribbon in both the stallions and geldings class as well as the ladies class with letter-perfect performances on Octoberfest. All of this led up to a final tricolor ride in the Hunter Pleasure Open Championship for Bethanne and Octoberfest. Reserve champion was Midshine's Patriot Miss L for Pam Thompson.
Equitation
The hunt seat equitation riders came out in force as well. Besting the field for riders 13 & under was Kelly Simpson. Kara Hose rode to the winner's circle in the class for riders 14-17. In the Hunt Seat Equitation Championship Kara Hose posed in the winner's circle while Kelly Simpson took reserve. Lauren Francisco was the recipient of the AMHA Hunt Seat on the Flat Medal.
Ariel Shields was Judge Henry's pick in the AMHA Saddle Seat Medal. Katherine Straub turned in the winning performance in the saddle seat equitation stake with Ariel Shields the reserve. A large group of young riders competed in the walk-trot equitation rider 10 years & under. Proudly carrying out the blue was Elizabeth Fawcett.
Miscellaneous
Several youngsters tried to impress Judge Henry with their showmanship skills. Lauren Francisco was the best in the class 13 & under while the winner of fitting & showmanship 14-17 was Jennifer Joy. Saddleback Sky Pilot wore the blue ribbon in the road hack class for Kelly Simpson. Only two leadline riders took the opportunity to charm the crowd. Susannah Sykes was all business on JAJ Capriole's Sir Walter while Molly Rose Cesanek practiced her princess wave. Old Dominion takes the costume class seriously as it is a judged class. Several entertained with their own creativity and their horses' patience, but the winner was Clancy's Foxy Lady for Donna Jacobson.
The walk-trot classes for all ages were both won by JAJ Capriole's Sir Walter and Emory Sykes. This cute pair also won the championship for walk-trot riders 11 & under just ahead of Caprice's Master Ben. These ties were reversed in the qualifier. The Morgan High Point Championship in the dressage show was awarded to LR Ami B-Line and owner Rochelle Temple.
|