Heartland Equality Returns To Freedom Hall
Thursday, August 21, 2003
With the 100th edition of the World’s Championship
Horse Show now in full swing Wednesday morning
featured several classes for young riders and young
ponies, however, the highlight was the return of the
most unique pony to ever grace the show ring. The
absolutely stunning red pony, Heartland Equality came
out of retirement and was just as breathtaking as the
last time we saw him a few years ago.
The walk and trot division has been broken down to
every age group imaginable and one seven-year-old had
Freedom Hall to herself to open the morning’s
activities. Jessie Weusthofen was that lone rider
representing LaFleur Stables.
Three-year-old road ponies were up next and two
drivers that have battled many times before were again
working to take the top honors among the nine entries.
Golden Creek Farms’ new youngster, Dasani sailed down
the straightaways on the way to the winner’s circle
with Jeff McClean at the whip. Right there with a
strong presentation as well, Josh Greer and Heartland
Yankee Strutter claimed the reserve prize with Rich
Campbell coaching.
A former winner in the three-gaited division,
Callaway’s Blue Agate is now a standout in the country
pleasure division. Blue Agate and Carol Hillenbrand
were the first of three Biggins entries to place in
the 46 & over division. They were followed by
teammates Cecile with Edythe Dronshek and Turn Of The
Century with Charlene Edwards.
Six young riders made it to the ring for the
Eight-Year-Old Walk and Trot class and for the third
year in a row at Louisville Lindsey Landrum delivered
a unanimous ride under the DeLovely banner. Her
closest competition was Clover Leaf’s Jessica
Northcutt. Kate Lovejoy has been at the top all season
long and on this morning she left the ring with the
yellow streamers.
For those who missed the Sky Watch like performances
of Heartland Equality a few years back they were in
for a real treat on this morning. For those who had
been a part of his historic Hackney Pony World’s Grand
Championship as a three-year-old it was still just as
thrilling. Finely chiseled and gifted with motion out
of this world, the red stallion marched to another
world title with owner/breeder Darrel Kolkman driving
the Hackney Pony Stallion/Gelding World’s Champion. He
had a good group of challengers including one of the
grand campaigners of this era, Heartland Triumphant
King who collected the reserve title with Gib Marcucci
at the whip. Just coming on the scene, On The Mark
made his mark with a third place finish for Larry Ella
and Bent Tree Farm.
Coming off the Adult Country Pleasure Championship at
Lexington Junior League, Kendra Fisher and Bi Mi Add
Lib put a Louisville blue in their trophy case from
the 18-30 country pleasure division. Adam Clauson put
Kelly Mount and Prince Town BH in the reserve slot.
Returning to Louisville with another year’s worth of
experience, reserve world’s grand champion Callie
Smith put a blue prize on the Cryst-A-Kell tack room
with her ride in the 9-year-old walk and trot
competition. Among the seven riders Sarah Emily Flynn
captured the reserve world’s championship while riding
from the DelTorchio family’s High Tail Acres who were
making their first trip to Louisville.
Another young pony class, another Heartland Hackney
Farm world’s champion. Darrel Kolkman presented
Heartland Just A Beauty to the Three-Year-Old Hackney
Pony Stake where they were followed by Matt Schuckert
and Black Merlin.
A winner under saddle last year, New York Rebel came
back to win the Junior Exhibitor Show Pleasure Driving
class for owner/driver Rachel Shoemaker. The
Meadowlake team topped 10 other entries including
reserve world’s champions Lakeview’s Yes I Am and Hope
Johnson who were showing under the direction of Rick
Peel.
Gib Marcucci and Triumphant were at the top of the
cards in the Road Pony Stallion/Gelding Stake. This
little sports model was crowned the world’s champion
for Jane Mueller while Ronnie Graham drove Desert
Prince to the reserve title for Pixie Dust and Steel.
There were a good 10 riders in the ring for the
10-Year-Old Walk and Trot Equitation event. When this
class was all over it was Jo Cornell’s top young
rider, Chelsea Jo Roby smiling from ear to ear. Her
world’s champion performance was followed by Hayden
Hisey, a student of Randy Cates who was having a great
week from the Peggy Richardson Stables.
Supreme Heir sired the top two finishers from the
Country Pleasure 31-45 class with the world’s champion
being the unstoppable CH The Shadow Knows. Hollow
Haven Farm again sent the multi-titled champion to the
winner’s circle with Karen Smith in the irons. Beth
Bidon and Salt Heir stepped up to a reserve world’s
title.
One of the most competitive divisions of the entire
show, the amateur park division was split for the
stallion/gelding section. The Texas team of Phi’s
Phortune Teller and Karen Fricke Nalle topped 13
contenders for the world’s title in section one.
Multi-titled world’s champion CH A Step Of Time and
Luanne Kilday emerged with the red streamers on this
morning just ahead of Cheryl Friedman and CH The Billy
Bob. Section two featured a host of champions from
across the country vying for the prestigious Freedom
Hall winner’s circle. When the dust had settled
world’s grand champion Ninety-Eight Degrees had put on
a unanimous performance for Chris Nalley and the
Nelson Green Stables. Lexington’s champion, Breathe
was crowned the reserve world’s champion for Alexa
Loudon. They were followed by stars such as Ramses,
Callaway’s Smart Angle, Cagin Martini, and Shady
Creek’s Genius.
The Junior Exhibitor Hackney Pleasure Driving
division just gets tougher and tougher each year.
Returning to defend their world titles from last year
Seamair Dear Sir and Max Kaplan were picture perfect
to start the week in the winner’s circle. Also no
strangers to top prizes, Alyssa Lopez and Goin’ My Way
were pressing the winners every step of the way and
they were followed by stars such as Cowboy Magic and
Rumor Has It.
Patty Milligan put Susan Olcott and CH She’s The Bess
on top in the Amateur Three-Gaited Park Mares
competition in which 13 entries competed. Their
competition came from reserve world’s champions Cindy
Sherman and Carrigan’s Magic as well as Vicki
Gillenwater and Manhattan Day.
Over the past few years there hasn’t been a juvenile
country pleasure horse with near as many titles as CH
Midtown Man has collected for a couple of different
riders. Kendyl Tracy and Midtown Man returned to
Freedom Hall and successfully defended their 2002
title with a victory pass in the 13 & under class. Ali
DeGray and I’m Good To Go were right there with a
reserve performance.
Taking the second of three possible three-year-old
titles this morning, Darrel Kolkman drove the stretchy
Heartland King Of Kings to the world’s championship in
the harness pony division while the leg waving BRS The
Phantom was the reserve world’s champion for Rodney
Hicks and V. Ann Hailey.
The best of the Ladies’ Amateur Road Horses were on
hand to spray the green shavings from Freedom Hall.
Liz Shatner and All Glory let it all out to win a
world’s title for the second consecutive year. Winner
of section A in 2002 Dirt Devil and Deborah Butler
commanded the reserve honors ahead of Carol Hall and
Krewzyn Over and six other entries.
Two of the remaining three classes had to be split
with Tom Sworm sending Shana Jo Brown and Cloverleaf’s
Pocketful Of Miracles to the winner’s circle in
division one. The proven team of Margaret Lawrence and
What’s My Line landed in reserve among the 17 entries.
Another 17 battled for section two which went to the
Lewis Meadow’s trained team of Kerri McDaniel and
Harlem’s Half Moon. Devon Garone provided the catch
ride for Callaway’s C.H. Hardin to take the reserve
title.
The Ruth Gimpel Stables continued its good week with
Ali DeGray and Free Willy turning back all challengers
in the Junior Exhibitor Road Pony 13 & Under division
for the second consecutive year. Winners of section
one this year, they were followed by the winning team
of Sweet Impression and Marli Dabareiner who were
prepared by Fish N Fun Farm’s Lisa Lucas.
Section two went to another top combination in Kari
Jackson and Coachlight’s Shock Wave. Although this was
a different division, Ali Wellington won her second
reserve world’s title in as many years. Boot Scootin
Boogie was her entry this year.
Eighteen babies filled the ring for the $10,000
Yearling Breeder’s Stake and defeating some of the top
handlers in the country, Gary Altizer presented Holly
Wood’s Virginia Gentleman (Harlem Globetrotter x
Sultan’s Gossip) to the top prize. Reserve money went
to the CF First Night Out son, Night Sight, presented
by Sam Stafford for Blythewood Farm.
Wednesday night’s session started out in classic
Louisville style with the Ladies Five-Gaited Gelding
Stake. Of the 11 entries a couple of veteran teams
matched up with a newcomer to make for a most exciting
class. Winner of the ladies gelding class for the past
two years, Title Bound and Elisabeth Goth made it
three in row with another ground covering performance.
The elegance of Swish and Melissa Moore was a
beautiful picture for reserve honors. New to the mix
Gayle Lampe and the former stallion Callaway’s Born To
Win caught everyone’s attention as the third place
finishers.
That class set the tone for a very competitive night
which included the Amateur Ladies’ Harness Pony Stake.
Of the eight stars in that class Mary Gaylord McClean
and Joan Jett were chosen to make the victory pass
over the heralded stallion Vindicator, driven by Karen
Waldron.
It was good to see eight entries in the Fine Harness
Stallion/Gelding class in which John T. Jones and
World’s Grand Champion Callaway’s Copyright again
ruled for Fox Grape Farms. Stepping up with a big-time
performance Michael Hylton and Romanov drove off with
the reserve world’s championship.
Tate Bennett enjoyed a winning catch ride in the
Junior Exhibitor 14-15 Stake taking Sally Wood’s
Longshadow Two To Tango to the title for DeLovely
Farm. Caitlyn Spring and CH Sergeant Royalty were
reserve among the 18 entries, while Maguire Hall and
Chaka Zulu went home with the yellow streamers.
Melissa Moore did what few other trainers have done
in the history of the World’s Championship Horse Show.
After her winning ride with Royal Messenger in the
11-entry Three-Gaited Over 15.2 Stake she now had blue
ribbons from both open qualifiers hanging on her
Sunrise Stables tack room. Neil. Visser and Callaway’s
Merry-Go-Round received a good round of applause for
their reserve world’s champion performance which was
followed by world title holders Callaway’s Sugar Plum
and Debbie Foley as well as the crowd pleasing
newcomers Gary Garone and I’m Sky High.
Marilyn Macfarlane and Braveheart keep adding the
world’s championships to their storied career. With
tonight’s victory pass they won the Ladies Roadster To
Bike class for the third time. Melinda Moore and
Rompaway sped to the reserve title for Lanny Judd in
memory of the recently deceased Lawrence Carss.
What a treat it was for Mrs. Alan R. Robson to listen
on the phone as her home-bred Albelarm Radiant Lady
captured the 15-horse Three-Year-Old Three-Gaited
Stake. Jenny Taylor provided the winning ride and
long-time friend Carol Hillenbrand provided the play
by play over the phone. It was a strong class with
last year’s two-year-old harness world’s champion I’m
A Hot Ticket taking reserve with Jackie Tanner aboard
for Joan Macfarlane. Larry Hodge was also in the hunt
riding Misdee Wrigley’s Callaway’s Halley’s Comet.
Glenn T. Werry and Hazard County continue to make a
case for the one the greatest juvenile road pony teams
of all times. They added yet another world title with
the win in the 14-17 class placing ahead of 11 other
teams including reserve world’s champions Abby Jones
and Heartland's Wonderful Miss.
Dena Lopez and Sass With Class won their second title
of the week for New Millennium Equine Endeavor, this
time it was the Fine Harness Mare Stake. Also making a
beautiful show was reserve world’s champion Dances On
Air, driven by Danette Musselman for Misty Hills
Farm.
Earlier in the evening Elisabeth Goth won the ladies
gelding stake and now she had both qualifiers. Goth
rode the blonde mane and tail My New Year’s Eve to the
Ladies Five-Gaited Mare Stake. Reserve among the 12
entries went to Deborah Visser and Pocketful Of Magic.
There were also strong shows from Ceil Wheeler and
Summer Sweet as well as Linda Fischer and Spode.
It was three in a row for Fancy Ribbons except this
year it was with a new driver. Kenny Wheeler drove the
World’s Champion Hackney Pony Mare under the direction
of John Shea. Karen Waldron and world’s champion
Heartland Ooh! La La had to settle for the reserve
placing this time out.
Former world’s champion CH The Showstopper returned
to the top with 13 teams competing for the Junior
Exhibitor Three-Gaited 16-17 class. Liz Holmes jumped
from her seat as daughter Jessica was called out the
winner in the big class. Paul Boone put the winning
combination together. Holmes and The Showstopper had
defeated last year’s world’s champions Kerry Honkamp
and Made Ya Look as well as a host of top champions
including New York Cheesecake, Wrapped In Roses, Pagan
Prince, American Wine, A Taste Of Champagne, and Viola
Madden.
The evening closed with 14 entries in the Five-Gaited
Gelding Stake. It was a mix of many different types of
horses and riders, but none had the power and presence
of Callaway’s Forecaster and Nancy Leigh Fisher. The
amateur rider was cool and collected as she put her
powerful entry in the right spots time and time again.
The crowd was more than delighted when their number
was called to the winner’s circle where Andy and Lynda
Freseth greeted them. Pushing every step of the way
Debbie Foley and Harrodsburg’s champion It’s More Than
Likely were the reserve world’s champions placing
ahead of the popular Jewel’s Teton, ridden by Tammy
DeVore.
This closed out another night of championship
performances and in every year past this was the time
all trainers, exhibitors and officials were looking
forward to as there were no day classes on Thursday.
This too has changed as a handful of classes were on
tap for the following morning.
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