Good Family Fun at Charlotte Charity
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
by Merritt Pryor
HUNTERSVILE, N.C. - The Charlotte Charity horse show was held June 26-28 at the beautiful Latta Plantation Equestrian Center. Although the rain didn’t hold off, it didn’t stop the great competition and fun that was had by all.
The show was put on by Cook’s Memorial Presbyterian Church of Charlotte and the American Saddlebred Association of the Carolinas. The money raised during the horse show benefits many as it is used to send missionaries to help rebuild homes in New Orleans. The money is also used on a local basis to help the homeless in Charlotte.
Although the Carolinas are in much need of rain, it seemed to downpour during each session. Friday evening’s session was cut short because of the weather which put some of the performance classes Saturday morning before academy. Although everyone got a little wet it helped keep the temperatures cool for the evening sessions.
The show concluded Saturday evening with the Five-Gaited Championship. Sweeping the division with a win in the championship was Betsy Boone aboard William Cannon Jr.’s mount, Startalyst. Quintus Vander Spuy finished in the reserve spot in both classes with Attaway’s Mystified.
Ali Deutsch made two winning victory passes in the amateur championship and ladies class aboard the Boone’s Farm trained, Leatherwood’s Hats Off. Another team that swept their division was Tori White and Mr. Fizz in the junior exhibitor division.
Wallace Williamson had The Generals Rose looking just right to garner the blue in the junior/novice class. Reserve went to Roho’s Summer and Steve Hanks.
Robert Jones had Jansal Saddlebreds’ rescue horse, Dash For Cash looking just right to take home the tricolor in the Three-Gaited Championship. CH She’s An Asset took home the blue in the open qualifier with Nick Inmonen in the irons.
The Lenux Stables trained team of Nancy Chauvin and Callaway’s Compatible dominated the amateur division taking, home top honors in the qualifier and championship. Tori White was back in the winner’s circle this time with Calm Surrender. The team received the nod from the judge in the championship and qualifier.
Cydney Cutchall had Cybertown looking great to take home the tricolor and blue in the open division. Charlotte Charity was filled with great teams that swept their divisions. Rebekah Cloninger was another that dominated her division. She rode My Mountain Heirs in the amateur/junior exhibitor division and took home the blue and tricolor.
Quintus Vander Spuy drove Jeoff Bodenhorst’s young horse, Walterway’s Your Kidding Me to the winner’s circle in the Open Fine Harness class. Due to the rain the team didn’t show back in the championship.
Bobby Jones had a comeback drive to take home the tricolor in the Road Pony Championship with The Gift. Quintus Vander Spuy had Ferocia looking great to garner the blue in the qualifier.
Shawn Carroll had Boxford On The Mark in top form to speed away with the tricolor and the blue in the amateur division. With only one entry in the Road Pony Under Saddle, Kaleb Kaiser looked fantastic driving Scatt Dragon to the winner’s circle.
The rain didn’t stop Rebekah Cloninger from driving Fitz’s Mademoiselle to the winner’s circle for Drowning Creek Farm in the Open Harness Pony class. Marilyn Swimmer had Heartland Twice As Nice looking just right to take home the blue in the Open Hackney Pony class. The pleasure division was dominated by Gina Brown and Hawkwatch as the team made two winning drives.
It was back-to-back wins for the Pine Haven crew in the five-gaited pleasure division. Emma Grubb topped the class with High In The Sky while Katie Boysen took home the blue in the qualifier with CH Executive Dunk.
Cydney Cutchall rode Bonnie Koch’s mare, Callaway’s Jumping Jill, to the win in the Park Pleasure Championship. Charlotte Charity was the horse’s first time in the show ring. Jenny Glennon bested the competition in the qualifier with Trixie Chick in their only performance.
Simone Lovell and Lauren Camp DeHaan took turns winning in the adult pleasure division. DeHaan rode Miraculous Odds to the winner’s circle in the qualifier while Lovell earned the tricolor in the championship with My Forgotten Favorite.
Tess Sullivan swept the junior exhibitor pleasure division with Mystic Affair. The novice rider class went to Bailey Bennett and Buckwiser.
The Walk/Trot Pleasure 12 & Under Championship went home to Erin Blankenbecklor with CH Man In My Life after earning the red streamer in the qualifier. Kaleb Kaiser took home the blue with CF One Rare Night in the qualifier. Lori Seagle rode A Girls Night Out to win the Walk/Trot Pleasure 40 & Over class.
Sara Roberson rode Stand And Watch to the winner’s circle in the Open Pleasure AOT class. Winning the qualifier and championship was Lissie Vining in the pleasure pony division with Scotty’s Lace.
After catch driving for Happy Valley Stables, George Anne Nash was at it again in the show pleasure division. She guided Photo Prince to the winner’s circle in the qualifier and championship.
It was a one-two finish in the adult country pleasure division for Boone’s Farm. Andrea Everett took home the championship ribbon after finishing in the reserve spot in the qualifier with My Tee Time. Kaite Matthews took home the win in the qualifier and finished in reserve in the championship.
The Junior Exhibitor Country Pleasure Championship was split into two classes. I’m Just Curious and Shelby Reimer earned the top spot in section A after earning the blue in the qualifier, while Tori White and LA Gulf Breeze finished on top in section B.
Betty Lou Herter drove My Treasure Tone to the winner’s circle in the qualifier and championship in the country pleasure driving division.
Luanne Kilday swept the western division with Harlem’s Knight At The Apollo. It was another sweep for Lindsey Newsom and A Piece Of The Roc in the hunter division.
Natalie Swimmer garnered the championship and the blue in the Saddle Seat Equitation division. Hailey Mercurio and Vanessa Patch took home top ribbons in the 10 and under division: Mercucio in the championship and Patch in the qualifier.
Patti Lovelace rode Attache’s Grand Finale to the winner’s circle in the OTAB English Pleasure class. Topping the championship was Phantom with Adriana Navarro in the irons.
Lisa Jordan Pearce garnered the blue in the OTAB Western Pleasure class with Mountainview’s Manhattan Viscount.
Although the temperatures were hot, Saturday morning and afternoon was dedicated to the academy riders. The following riders earned top honors in their class, Kim Stewart, Peyton Drahiem, Dana Matixs, Andrew James, Summer Blackwelder, Donna Wesslen, Jodee Greenway, Ashley Stewart, Lisa Swetnam, Kiersten Lockman, Allison Blanchard, Alex Cedrone, Haley Griffin, Holly Suban, Gracyn Mansfield, Whitney Winslow, Amy Cedrone and Isabelle Reidman.
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