A Jam Packed Weekend of Fun at Springfield Charity
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Judge: Chad Graham
Ringmaster: Walter “Skeeter Williams
Show Manager: Jack Hawkes
Secretary: Yvette Moody
UPHA Liaison: Mike Van Dyke
Organist: June Brune
Announcer: David Rice
Photographer: Linda Wollaber
Farrier: Brad Yount
Veterinarian: Gloria Harrison
by Claire Panke
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Offering a full schedule of classes for all levels of competition, the Springfield Charity Horse Show once again attracted truckloads of horses and ponies from Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. This popular fall fixture was held Sept. 21-23 at the Champions Center complex near Springfield, one of the most convenient and attractive facilities of its size in the Midwest.
Springfield offers a full roster of classes from academy to futurities, from AOTs to open stakes, from Saddlebreds and Hackneys to Morgans and open classes. One of the main draws for this show is the very successful Ohio Weanling Limited Breeders’ Futurity, which along with the Penn-Ohio Futurities, offers an excellent opportunity for breeders of young stock to add to their coffers. The Limited Breeders’ class, a relatively young event, has been ably shepherded by Wendy Lewis, Jeff Hildreth and Marcia Belcher, posting steady increases every year. In 2007 a $22,000 purse proved attractive to many exhibitors, enticing participation from some of the top names in the colt business from Kentucky and even Wisconsin. Top prize in the Limited Breeders’ amounted to almost $9,000 while the last position of sixth still paid a very healthy $891. Second received $5,568.75, third $3464, fourth $2.004.75 and fifth $1,336.50. A very nice group of youngsters, many home raised, made these futurity classes among the highlights of the show. The Penn-Ohio classes included yearling and two-year-olds as well.
The Limited Breeders group hosted a well-attended clinic in conjunction with their stallion auction this past February and plans to do the same for 2008. A colt and working young horse auction also may be in the works in 2008, to be held at this show. The Ohio breeders are dedicated and ambitious enough to make things happen.
Starting on Friday night and finishing up Sunday afternoon, the performance classes of the show saw full classes, with the Saddlebred junior exhibitor show pleasure classes so overflowing it was necessary to split the championship. Most divisions were well supported. Judge Chad Graham had to be on his toes to sort out entries and was impressed by the numbers. “I saw some really nice horses, and this was a good horse show. This facility is a very nice place.”
Hospitality was in the spotlight Saturday night when the show hosted its exhibitors’ party featuring fried chicken with all the trimmings. With the majority of stalls under the same roof as the arena, not even a few sprinkles or rain could dampen exhibitors’ enthusiasm. An especially thoughtful touch was the engraved lead shank awarded to the show’s stakes champions – a practical and handsome trophy appreciated by exhibitors.
With its broad base of classes, the futurities, attentive management and fine facilities, Springfield Charity will continue as one of the fall places to show. Complete results can be seen and searched by clicking here.
Seen at Springfield Charity:
Peyton Miller captured the Pleasure
Equitation 10 and Under class.
Kim Langdon and The Muffin Man
were outstanding to take the Adult
Three-Gaited Show Pleasure blue.
Linda Parker teamed the speedy Desert Fox
to the Roadster Pony Grand Championship.
Mike McIntosh had Doubletree’s Quite A
Treasure in fine form for the blue in the
Novice Park Championship.
Reese Richey and My Paramour
finished strong to capture the
Open Three-Gaited Park Grand Championship.
Vernon Wise and Jamie Lanier were all
smiles over Sarah Jane Smith’s victory
in the 14-17 equitation.
Frank James rooted for wife Iris as she
drove their Theology to the
Country Pleasure Driving tricolor.
Callaway’s Blue Waltz and Erin Obenauf
had it all together to claim the
Open Three-Gaited Grand Championship.
Maxed Out and Dana Cook Baer
were letter perfect to capture the
Amateur Three-Gaited Grand Championship.
Butch Riley & Bobby Murphy flank
Lynn Gutches Snowden and The Lady’s
Heir after their Amateur Park wins.
Sena and Wes Bowling’s Taylor Creek
had a great show at Springfield.
|