Here We Go!
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
On a stormy Fourth of July, the Lexington Junior League Horse Show kicked off a week that promises to be exciting both inside the ring and out. Storms earlier in the day had trees and power lines down, but the evening was more drizzle than actual storms. With rain in the forecast throughout the week, show manager Kent Moeller knew that the show must go on. Overall the track handles rain very well. There were a few slick spots and one horse even fell down in a corner, but horse and rider were unhurt and resumed the class, albeit with all entries watching that corner more carefully.
The rain didn’t dampen the spirits at Golden Creek Farms. They kicked off the week with three outstanding performances. As Jeff McClean escorted Tom Lowry from the winner’s circle for the third Golden Creek victory of the night, McClean exclaimed “winner, winner, chicken dinner!” Winner, Winner, Winner might have been more correct. Jeff started off the evening with a nice performance in the Amateur Hackney Pony Class behind Heartland Road Show, and Mary gave the encore with Heartland Demonstrator in the Ladies Harness Pony Class. Tom completed the trifecta driving The Lone Ranger to the win in the Limit Roadster Pony class.
Multiple trips to the winner’s circle also delighted the Mercer Springs crowd. Sallie Mason Wheeler started off the show with a unanimous win in the first class aboard Undulata’s Secret Rendezvous to take the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited 13 & Under title. About an hour later she was back in the ring and back in the winner’s circle. She rode Bodidly to the win in the Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited 13 & Under title amid a field of six.
The night of the gelding stake, we’re all primed for great gaited horses – but you didn’t have to wait til the end of the night for that. Tre Lee showed off the fancy Undeniably Undulata in the Junior Five-Gaited Stallions/Geldings to an appreciative audience for a unanimous decision to the delight of owners Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Shires and Allison Combs. The finale of the evening also resulted in a unanimous decision with Matt Shiflet and the crowd favorite Honey Badger leaving the ring as everyone’s favorite open five-gaited gelding. The Shiflet crowd also had much to celebrate as Whitney Shiflet rode Cary On Broadway MBA to the Ladies Five-Gaited Mare title. Adding to the fun were Costra Nostra and Phyllis Brookshire who captured the Ladies Fine Harness title in as elegant a fashion as one can muster in a raincoat.
Other notable action included Faith Sturm besting a field of eight to win the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Park Horse class with Cloverleaf Freedom Writer. Emma Sanchez and He’s In Style took out ten other contenders to be named the Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited 14-17 champions. Other happy winners include Kathie Constable with her The Bay Lily and Robert Gardiner winning the UPHA Park Pleasure Classic. Visit saddlehorsereport.com and you can find complete results and judges’ cards from all of Monday night’s action. Stay tuned for more.
|