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Hats Off To The Morgan Classic Royale



Hats Off To The Morgan Classic Royale The Morgan Classic Royale is the type of show that trainers and exhibitors are eager to attend. The show committee has done a great job of listening to the ideas of the supporting trainers and exhibitors, and has made changes to continue to improve the show. This year's 30th edition of the Morgan Classic Royale featured a well-received change in the schedule. The show was condensed from four days to three on May 15-17, and from three sessions a day to two sessions per day. The daytime classes ran from 10am to about 2pm with classes reconvening at 7pm for an hour or two. The class schedule was heartily enjoyed by exhibitors and spectators with no classes during the chilly early morning and evening hours after sunset. It also left plenty of time for everyone to visit, work horses, take part in the show's ice cream social and wine tasting, and enjoy all of the splendor of the Monterey Bay area. The Monterey area is a world renown tourist destination and the beaches, shops, restaurants and attractions were not lost on the horse show exhibitors. This marked the third year that the Morgan Classic Royale has been held at the picturesque Monterey County Fairgrounds. The show committee headed by Mona Skager did a fabulous job continuing the show's proud tradition and making improvements along the way. Exhibitors from throughout California as well as Oregon, Arizona and Nevada came to vie for top honors. Due to the serious accident suffered by Rock Walker and health problems affecting a few other consistent supporters of the show, numbers did experience a drop at this year's show. Best wishes and healing thoughts were certainly on the mind of everyone on the grounds as an enormous get-well card for Rock Walker containing signatures from almost everyone on the grounds proved. The show officials of the 2003 Morgan Classic Royale were headed by manager Harriet Landrum, secretary Leonora Bedolla, USAE Steward Meredith Kistler, ringmaster Adele Maurer, announcer Matt Hinton, paddock master Ann Blecker, and photographer Rick Osteen. Jim Lowry judged all of the 120 classes in the show ring while Mary Baughman pinned the trail classes. The 2003 Morgan Classic Royale featured many memorable show ring performances highlighted below with full results in this issue as well as on our website at www.saddlehorsereport.com. Park Saddle The park saddle division featured some exciting new combinations taking their turn on victory lane. Following an accomplished junior exhibitor career Shannon Connor made headlines during 2002 by sweeping the west coast's open park saddle competition. This year she was matched with the big and impressive En Possession NKS to continue the winning streak. The lofty Nobility son earned the tricolor following the winning performance in the competitive Ladies Park Saddle under the colors of Arcuri Stables. The world championship team of Tug Hill Gunns And Roses and Catherine Hendrickson opened the season back on victory lane. They trotted away with the Junior Exhibitor Park Saddle blue and tricolor. In addition to their junior exhibitor and equitation wins, they ventured back into the ring to close the show with the Open Park Saddle Reserve Championship coached by Cathy Grimes. The Illahee banner was well represented in the winner's circle in the Amateur Park Saddle Championship where the animated AFF Sassafras was teamed up with Leslie Hurst for the tricolor victory for Robert and Deborah Stevenson. World Champion HVK Flash Back and Kathy Papola enjoyed a winning team debut for Baccarat Farms in Monterey. They topped the Amateur Park Saddle qualifier under the direction of Dan Ramsour and finished up with the reserve tricolor. The sporty chestnut Jarad Dawson carried home the Junior Park Saddle Championship to begin a tricolor Saturday. Belle Bradford was in the irons of the Kris Skaug entry for the championship win as well as the four-year-old blue. Stacy Hennessy had an exciting young entry in Agrandeyes, a full sister to Grandemeanor, for Clare Green. They earned the Three-Year-Old Park Saddle victory as well as the Junior Park Saddle Reserve Championship. Park Harness What the park harness division lacked in quantity, it made up for in quality with Oklahoma winners earning the crowd's applause. Meet The Press is a popular winner in his first season on the west coast in the Open Park Harness division. David Young presented the handsome Issues N' Answers son to the blue and tricolor for Laurette Walsh and Oak Forest Morgans. The Grand National Championship team of HVK Constantinoble and Stephanie Connor turned in a pair of brilliant performances to collect the Ladies Park Harness blue and tricolor under the Arcuri Stables banner. Tom Tornatore had a sharp youngster in Junior Park Harness Champion Unfaithful. The expressive DFM Keep The Faith daughter collected the tricolor for Dawn Diovera's Aviata Morgans. Cottonwillow Inc. has another promising offspring of their top siring Grandiose in The Real Deal. Gerry Rushton was on the lines of the attention capturing youngster to win the Four-Year-Old Park Harness blue as well as the Junior Park Harness Reserve Championship. The Grandiose offspring continued to excel as World Champion Granprix put in a bold showing for the Three-Year-Old Park Harness blue for Debbie Uecker-Keough. English Pleasure The English Pleasure division featured outstanding quality as some top champions and exciting new teams visited the winner's circle. The tricolor competition concluded in the open division where MLF Storm Warning made a stunning entry into the saddle division. Gerry Rushton had the impressive Noble Flaire son in top order to command the tricolor following the novice blue for Bill and Connie Myers' DreamMaster Morgans. Tom Tornatore had a fixey mare in the reserve champion Ms. Dinah Might. Richard and Karen Rossini own this Tug Hill Whamunition daughter. Mantic Top Gun lit up the Monterey ring with his show ring presence as he won the Ladies English Pleasure blue and tricolor for the third year in a row. This year he was teamed with Shannon Connor for a pair of picture perfect performances. Arcuri Stables was also sent a lovely new pairing to the ring to sweep the amateur division. Lisa Howa was matched with the elegant Minion Mademoiselle for the amateur blue and tricolor. However, this was just a warm-up act as Mademoiselle will be matched with Zachary Howa for the junior exhibitor division this season. New teams were the rule as Connie Locher turned her bold performing Gable's High Water over to Sandy Chancellor to capture the Amateur English Pleasure Reserve Championship coached by David Young. The junior riders enjoyed some tough competition. It was one of the season's brightest new teams in Versace and Sarah Lee who topped the competition with brilliance and style. They earned the Junior Exhibitor English Pleasure Championship following the 13 and under blue for the Lee/Woolley Family prepared by Arcuri Stables. Tommy Brisco and his sporty Stoneledge Chancellor stepped it up in the championship to capture a strong reserve tricolor coached by Missy Hanover. The Grand National Championship team of Christopher Rushton and Marin Five-O-One repeated their Del Mar performance with the 14-17 win for Priscilla Moore. World Champion Haute Couture returned to the saddle division following a winning drive in Del Mar. Missy Hanover was back aboard the fancy High-Y Black Tie son for the Junior English Pleasure Championship following the four-year-old win for Priscilla Moore. David Torrey had Tamarisk On Target focused on the job at hand as they collected the Junior English Pleasure Reserve Championship for Tamarisk Morgans. DreamMaster Rare Affair brought her winning ways to the saddle division. Stacy Hennessy was in the irons of Bill and Connie Myers' promising youngster to collect the Three-Year-Old English Pleasure victory. Pleasure Driving The competition in the pleasure driving division featured a host of proven World Champions along with a dash of promising new competitors. The open division saw World Champion Key West continue his stunning return to the pleasure driving division. Trainer David Young handled the lines for the tricolor performance while owner Connie Locher presented the handsome Nobility son to the open qualifier blue. Gerry Rushton had a promising new entry in the reserve champion GC Flaire Celebration for owners Bill and Kathy Taylor. Trainer David Young and owner Connie Locher had another blue ribbon to add to their collection in the novice class with the extravagant-motioned JMF Shadow Catcher. The world championship combination of Stephanie Connor and Festival Calypso opened the season by earning the Ladies Pleasure Driving Championship with style and charisma for the third year in a row following the qualifier blue over a top field. World Champion DreamMaster J'st Sharper stepped up to the ladies division with elegance to command the reserve honors with Stacy Hennessy on the lines for Bill and Connie Myers. Aristocraticallee and Lisa Howa enjoyed their season opening performances in Monterey. They were back in winning order to top a fine group of competitors in the Amateur Pleasure Driving qualifier and championship. Neil Galatz and I'll Tell You What continued their bold performances for Vegas Valley Morgans as the reserve champions. Rachel Miller and DRF French Riviera made a winning return to Monterey to capture the Junior Exhibitor Pleasure Driving 13 and Under blue for the second year in a row in their only performance of the show directed by Gerry Rushton. The young horse competition could boast of the reigning world champions of the two and three-year-old divisions. VVM Wrapped In Roses showed off his style and personality as Harold Angell drove him to the Four-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Championship for Vegas Valley Morgans. Last year in Monterey, it was said that "GLB Bell Of The Ball made quite an impression in her show ring debut. The elegant daughter of HVK Bell Flaire and Fletcher Music Lee was all show horse as she trotted away with the Two-Year-Old Pleasure Driving blue and tricolor for Lorraine Bumb." Her 2002 season continued on the same note straight through to the world championship. She opened the 2003 season as an even more confident and impressive performer to win the Three-Year-Old Pleasure Driving blue and tricolor with Gerry Rushton again on the lines. The field of five also included the sporty, bay RJM Roulette who turned a successful spin into the reserve tricolor with Missy Hanover presenting for Robert and Jeanenne Morphis. The Silver Creek breeding program has another lovely young mare who enjoyed her winning debut in Monterey. This year it was Gerry Rushton winning the Two-Year-Old Pleasure Driving blue and tricolor with another Fletcher Music Lee daughter for Lorraine Bumb. This time GLB Perfect Harmony, a daughter of Futurity French Command, earned the wins. After an attention capturing debut in Del Mar, JRS Sheerox earned the reserve tricolor with another fancy performance with Cathy Grimes showing for Jeff Raby. Classic Pleasure Miss Voodoo returned to the site of her 2002 classic debut and scored a trio of victory passes with owner Mona Skager. They closed out the show in tricolor fashion with the Classic Pleasure Driving Championship after dual blues in the Open Classic Pleasure Driving and Novice Classic Pleasure Saddle prepared by David Torrey. The Grand National Championship pairing of Gordels Paramount Command and George Campbell followed up with the Classic Pleasure Driving Reserve Championship coached by Forest Nealon. The Illahee banner also sported a pair of matching blues earned by the refined chestnut RDF High Voltage. Leslie Hurst gave the Nobility daughter two polished presentations to earn the Junior and Novice Classic Pleasure Driving blues for Robert and Deborah Stevenson. Maximum Effort made a smooth return to the show ring from maternity leave. She made a pair of bright showings to earn the Classic Pleasure Saddle blue and tricolor with Terry Jones Brennan presenting for Summerhill Farm. The white trimmed Miss Sierra Dawson collected a pair of reserve tricolors with owner Wendy Kruljac in the open and ladies classic divisions. It was the typey Irish Triton Skyhawk who claimed top honors in the Ladies Classic Pleasure Championship. Amanda Vinson turned in the tricolor ride coached by Susan Parks. Timeless Beauty introduced another member of the Walsh family to the winner's circle. It was Laurette Walsh who followed her daughters' lead as she rode the effervescent mare to the Ladies Classic Pleasure Saddle blue. Fire Fox Baron In Command and Ashley Baskett were in command of the Junior Exhibitor Classic Pleasure Saddle division as they claimed the blue and tricolor coached by Glynis Snowden. Western Pleasure Grand National Champion Raintree Let's Dance enjoyed a trio of winning performances to add to her start in the open division in Del Mar. Garn Walker had the lovely Born To Boogie daughter in precise form to earn the Western Pleasure Championship as well as the open and gentlemens blues for Virginia Adams. The Nobility offspring enjoyed a great showing in all divisions with Hopefullee representing her sire in tricolor fashion in the western pleasure division. She duplicated her reserve championship title for Del Mar in only her second show in the division with owner Leslie Hurst. Ellen McCook was justifiably proud of her young mare La Criststall, who made two winning passes in her debut show. Garn Walker was aboard for the winning rides in the novice and first year green competitions. Virginia Adams and He's Simply Marvelous added a quartet of top honors to the Garn Walker Stable banner. They continued their winning streak with the blue and tricolor ribbons in both the ladies and amateur divisions. Debra Lee and her handsome KN French Commandante were hot on their heels as they followed up with the reserve honors in all four outings. Djamie Soejoto and EL General Command are the newest members of the winning Garn Walker Stable team, and they are holding up the winning tradition. They showed precision and style in jogging away with the Junior Exhibitor Western Pleasure blue and tricolor. The junior division saw Baccarat Farms bring out another promising youngster in Futurity Such A Twist. Dan Ramsour showed the dainty bay to the three-year-old blue along with the Junior Western Pleasure Championship. Virginia Adams and trainer Garn Walker have another star in the making in Star Of Midnight, the Junior Western Pleasure Reserve Champion. MCC Magic Irish Desire and Cathy Grimes continued their winning ways from Del Mar as they topped the four-year-old class for Lucinda Witt. Hunter Pleasure The hunter pleasure division featured some of the largest classes of the week with many new faces entering the winner's circle in Monterey. Magenta's Picture Perfect made a winning transition from the western division as Emily Kelley rode the Baccarat Farms entry to the Hunter Pleasure Championship. LPS Mr. Jalapeno enjoyed a winning move to the west coast as Jill Yerger presented the Pacifica Partnership entry to the open blue on the way to the Hunter Pleasure Reserve Championship. World Champion GPM Genesis B and Melissa Walker were in top form as they repeated their victories of a year ago to carry home the Ladies Hunter Pleasure blue and tricolor to the Garn Walker Stable banner. Light Year and Melissa Hart started off the season by earning the Ladies Hunter Pleasure Reserve Championship under the Dragonfire banner. Karie Miller turned a last minute catch-ride into a tricolor victory as she was called on to ride the multi-titled Gala's La Ritz. The pair captured the Amateur Hunter Pleasure Championship for proud owner Debra Sedlacek and trainer Carolyn Dillon who made the trip to Monterey from Oregon. GPM Genesis B and Melissa Walker added the reserve tricolor to their cache of ribbons. Futurity's Jewel By Twist came to the forefront in Oklahoma last season, and began 2003 back in the winner's circle. Debi Michaels showed the five-year-old bay mare to the amateur qualifier win over a division largest 11 entries along with the ten entry novice victory. Garn Walker introduced Manhatten Royal to the winner's circle as they captured the nine entry Limit Hunter Pleasure for Shirley Rosenberg. Lorraine Bumb's Silver Creek Stable had another blue ribbon winner in Ranches A&F Chris, the winner of the First Year Green Hunter Pleasure with Cathy Grimes. Talamar Enstarment and Allison Smallridge proved to be an impressive new team as they rose to the top of the competition with their victorious rides in the Junior Exhibitor Hunter Pleasure Championship and the novice junior exhibitor qualifier directed by David Young. The world championship team of Futurity Roman Torch and Merin Maggi followed up with the reserve tricolor following the 13 and under blue. Ultimately Magic and Tiffany Decker came down from Oregon to show their winning new style in the 14-17 qualifier coached by Carolyn Dillon. Baccarat's Crystal Vision was one of the bright young stars in the division as Emily Kelley presented another Baccarat Farms entry to the tricolor. Four-Year-Old Hunter Pleasure winner Ranchboss Musicman and Cathy Grimes secured the reserve tricolor for Jennifer Mahoney. It was Wintergreen Don Diego who had the winning number in the Three-Year-Old Western Pleasure as Susan Garmier made the winning presentation for Ann Taylor. Equitation and Walk-Trot The equitation division was light due to school commitments, but it featured some outstanding young riders in all seats. The Saddle Seat Equitation Championship saw Catherine Hendrickson earn her first tricolor of the weekend aboard Tug Hill Gunns And Roses. This polished pairing also earned top honors in the 14-17 and the UPHA Challenge Cup coached by Cathy Grimes. Ashley Baskett and Fire Fox Baron In Command also earned honors in the equitation and performance divisions. Their equitation titles were the reserve championship and the 13 and under qualifier win instructed by Glynis Snowden. Merin Maggi showed some exceptional horsemanship in her victorious performance in the Hunt Seat Equitation Championship. She was also teamed with her feisty mount Futurity Roman Torch for the AMHA Hunt Seat Medal under the coaching of Cathy Grimes. Samantha Schuring and Precious M Fleet Command made a confident step up from the walk-trot division as they captured the Hunt Seat Equitation blue as well as the reserve tricolor coached by new mom Jennifer McFall. Following a memorable debut in Del Mar, Djamie Soejoto and EL General Command were center stage once again in Monterey. They showed amazing progress and show ring prowess as they jogged away with the Western Seat Equitation Championship as well as the 13 and under qualifier and the AMHA Medal under the Garn Walker Stable banner. Rachel Miller and her charismatic Airegantlee made a clean sweep of the Walk-Trot division. They opened the season by topping the qualifiers and championships in both the pleasure and equitation divisions directed by Gerry Rushton Stables. Pert Madeline Berry and her partner Park Place Bonaparte sported their western ensemble to earn the reserve tricolor in the pleasure competition. Katie Jarve was well matched with Pondview Promises Promises by instructor Jennifer Dixon for a sharp reserve tricolor performance in the equitation competition. Miscellaneous Richard and Sherrill Tompkins had a lock on the trail competition once again this year. Richard was aboard Chalk Mt Paradox to claim the Trail Championship for the second year in a row. Sherrill again followed up with the reserve champion Pollyanna's Round To-It who also triumphed in the senior and open trail classes. Wintergreen Marquis and Lisa Reif maneuvered their way to matching blues in the junior/novice and limit competitions. JPO Dynalite and Nancy Bonde had the winning moves in the amateur trail. Lisa Gershwin and High Tor Santina took a trip to the winner's circle in the Executive Pleasure.

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