Key Classic Kicks Off Pacific Northwest Show Season
Thursday, May 29, 2003
Key Classic Kicks Off Pacific Northwest Show Season
The Northwest show season kicked off with the Key Classic over Mother's Day weekend. Held in Monroe, Washington, the show attracted over 170
entries from Canada to Southern Oregon on May 8-11. Although entries were down from prior years, classes were generally well filled and competitive. Lynn Coe took over management and while the office had some new faces, the show proceeded smoothly as ever. Scott Gunberg and Cathy Grimes shared judging duties Friday through Sunday in the main ring while Michael Osinski scored dressage rides on Thursday.
The show benefited Equest Special Riders and the long term relationship between the Key Classic and this wonderful organization is appreciated by both parties. Even the weather cooperated and while it was cool, no rain fell on exhibitors
making that long trip from the barns to the ring.
In Hand
Key offers both regular in hand and sport horse suitability, running concurrently. In the main ring the division started with geldings and was judged by Scott Gunberg. Avichouser Stables and Fire Run Farm had multiple winners and their support of this division was appreciated by the spectators who arrived at 8am for the start of the show. Moon Master a fancy son of Serenity Masterpiece was named Show Champion Gelding. Bill Grundmeyer presented this dark bay for Fire Run Farm. Infinite Sinability stood up as Reserve Show Champion presented by owner Glenn
Chamberlain and Holly Gellner.
Avichouser Stables claimed both mare titles with the Chamberlain's black Carlyle Coalition daughter Affinity Crescent Moon finishing as Senior and Show Champion after winning the class for four-year-olds. Reserve Senior and Show Champion Mare honors went to Forbidden Love, a Nobility daughter owned by Toodie Connor.
Bill Grundmeyer returned for the stallion division and claimed the Show Champion title with Bev Olson's Pocketful of Gold. This sparkling chestnut Pot of Gold son was also Senior Champion and Four-Year-Old Stallion winner Reserve
Senior Champion was the sole entry in Five & Over Stallions, Natori S Blondel, an unusual Palomino owned and shown by Kena Bergquist. The Reserve Show Champion title went to the Junior Champion AHMF Command Performance, a son of Futurity French Command, presented by Carmen Hobson and owned by Mike & Debra Jondahl. Reserve Junior Champion honors went to Flintwood King of Hearts, a full brother to Infinite Sinability owned by Glenn Chamberlain with Jim Avichouser at the end of the lead.
In the other ring Cathy Grimes focused on Sport Horse Suitability (on the line). The winning mare was Figureon Independence owned by Sue Wagner and presented by Tracy Kamcheff. Reserve Champion Sport Horse Mare was ATMF Temptation owned and shown by Elaine Whitton. RBF Time To B is near unbeatable in these sport horse in hand classes and not surprisingly he was named Champion Sport Horse Stallion. Reserve Champion Stallion honors went to Tri Star's Triumph owned and shown by Jennifer Unick.
Park Saddle & Harness
Small but very competitive was characteristic of park classes. Show
Champion Gelding Moon Master was two for two in park harness winning both Open Park Harness and the Park Harness Championship. Kurt and Teri Rumens shared
driving duties in the two classes. French Intuition and Jennifer Hazen repeated their Oklahoma victory as they won the Youth Park Harness, and were reserve to Moon Master in the Championship.
The Park Saddle classes switched back and forth between two amateur ladies. Kristen Babuik and HBF Dynasty Flaire won the Open Park Saddle under the direction of Greg Ferguson. Tara O'Heren took the runner up spot in the Open Class but won the Park Saddle Championship with her mare Ensbrook Vision. Tara and Vision ride with Holly Gellner.
English Pleasure
Plum Haven Minuet had a great show with Tom Tornatore in the saddle. Minuet won the Novice English Pleasure, English Pleasure Mares and the English Pleasure
Championship for owners Neil and Sally Plumley.
The top amateur rider was Ariana Bendokas and her big gelding Drakken. This team won English Pleasure Stallions & Geldings, Amateur English Pleasure, Amateur English Pleasure Champion and Reserve English Pleasure Champion. Another well known amateur Tami Mucklestone has recently teamed with Mallory Square. They won their first outing Adult Amateur English Pleasure and finished as Reserve English Pleasure Champions riding with Northwood Farm.
Tara O'Heren borrowed Holly Gellner's Futurity Touch of Deb for a sweep of the junior exhibitor classes. After winning her age group for riders 14-17, Tara and Futurity Tough of Deb were named Junior Exhibitor English Pleasure Champions. Reserve Champion Junior Exhibitor English Pleasure went to Taylor Goheen and his gelding Park Place Aztoly. Taylor is a student of Sandi Nichols.
Other class winners include Goldencrest Alexis winner of Four-Year-Old English Pleasure with owner Inge Johnson riding under the direction of Bill Grundmeyer. Teresa Dobin won Ladies English Pleasure with her NDB Aristotle and Desiderata Tosca won Pro Am English Pleasure with Holly Gellner and Elizabeth Forster teaming up for the blue ribbon.
Pleasure Driving
It was a near clean sweep of the division by horses trained by Bill Grundmeyer.
Kurt Rumens has teamed up with Fleeting Heart for the amateur division and they had a very impressive beginning to what will surely be a successful pairing. Kurt and Fleeting Heart won Adult Amateur Pleasure Driving and the Amateur Pleasure Driving Championship. The stunning four-year-old stallion FRF Exodus collected the Pleasure Driving Stallions & Geldings win for Fire Run as well. Client horses also swept all their classes with Show Champion Stallion Pocketful of Gold winning Junior
Pleasure Driving Champion honors as well as the four-year-old class. Bonnie Trimble and Mantic Flaireboyant won the Ladies Pleasure Driving blue and the Open Pleasure Driving Championship with a pair of outstanding drives.
Illahee entries were also at the top of the driving division. Rendition Sterling Image won Three-Year-Old Pleasure Driving and was Reserve Junior Pleasure Driving Champion. Forest Nealon was at the lines for Sandy Garvin. PAF In Control enjoyed a winning move to the west coast with Lisa Nyberg as they were victorious in Amateur 18&Over Pleasure Driving and Reserve Amateur Pleasure Driving Champions.
Other winning entries include the impressive World Champion PT Stormin Norman, teamed with Whitney Hazen for the Junior Exhibitor Pleasure Driving win. Junior Champion Stallion AHMF Command Performance moved to the performance division with Carmen Hobson to the win in the Two-Year-Old Pleasure Driving class.
Classic Pleasure
Carol Fletcher and her pretty gelding Pacific Rim Take Aim were stars in
both driving and saddle classes. They started with a win in Ladies Classic Pleasure Saddle and this team was pinned Classic Pleasure Saddle Champions. Carol and Pacific Rim Take Aim also won Ladies Classic Pleasure Driving under the direction of Bill Grundmeyer.
Desiderata Tosca was another horse that won in both saddle and harness classes. With Kim Forster in the saddle Tosca won open Classic Pleasure. While older sister Elizabeth Forster presented Tosca to the Reserve Classic Pleasure Saddle Championship. Patty Forster got in on the act as Tosca finished as Classic Pleasure Driving Reserve Champion. Tosca and the Forster family show with Holly Gellner.
The Avichousers always bring nice driving horses to Northwest shows and their Key Classic star was Affinity Crescent Moon with owner Carolyn Chamberlain driving. This pair won Open Classic Driving, Novice/Junior Classic Driving, and finished as the Classic Pleasure Driving Champions. All this and Show Champion Mare as well!
Other winning teams included BJ Knock Out and Rachel Weaver won Junior Novice Classic Pleasure Saddle under the direction of Illahee. Ashley Bens driving her gelding RJ Wham Beau to a win in the Junior Exhibitor Classic Pleasure Driving with Patty Jean Labon coaching from the rail. Renee Atkinson's SHR Noble Lady won Classic Pleasure Saddle Mares with Krystal Edwards in the saddle.
Western Pleasure
There are a lot of classes offered in this section and a number of repeat winners. The Bronze Promise a dark buckskin made a fancy picture for the Western Pleasure Championship with Erin Silver riding for Kathy DeFazio. This team also won Western Pleasure Open. Erin also rode Lindsay Rank's Futurity's Truly Regal to win Western Pleasure Mares and Ladies Western Pleasure. The Western Pleasure Championship went to The Bronze Promise and Erin Silver with Teri Rumens and Futurity's On Your Mark coming up for the Reserve Western Pleasure Championship.
A big group of amateurs competed in their division as well. Heather Hale was on
Chris Laine's Dextrous Super Supreme to win Adult Amateur 18&Over and Ladies Amateur Western Pleasure under the direction of Lorinda Hayes. However, it was the team of Toodie Connor and Firecrest Wild Bill that finished the show as Amateur Western Pleasure Champions. Runner up went to Mirador Magellen and owner Mariann Brown riding under the direction of Sandra Nichols.
Mystik's Highlight Image was the clear star of the junior horse division. He and Michelle Osborne won Novice Western Pleasure, Four-Year-Old Western Pleasure and the Junior Western Pleasure Championship. Julie and Tracie Nygaard own this big pretty gelding. Reserve Junior Western Pleasure Champion honors went back to
Canada with Foxstar's Most Wanted with Donna Wnuk in the saddle for Rick and Aileen Fox.
Junior exhibitor classes were also well filled. MCG Rumor Has it and Alisha Fowler won the opening class for riders 13 & Under. They are under the direction of Carmen Hobson. Another Canadian horse had success in this division, BMF Prime Time was teamed up with Amanda Frisby and won the 14-17 age group. Lori Dunkley trains this pair. The Junior Exhibitor Western Pleasure Championship had these two age group winners in the top two spots. BMF Prime Time and Amanda Frisby were named Junior Exhibitor Western Pleasure Champions with MCG Rumor Has It and Alisha Fowler taking the reserve champion tricolor.
Other winning Western horses included Firecrest E Ticket ridden by owner
Melissa McDonald to the win in Western Pleasure Stallions & Geldings. Daryl Hopson took Nancy Jewell's RNP Baron Von Bronze to the win in Gentlemen's Western Pleasure. Rachel Kohler was apparently the only trainer confident enough to show a three year old and rode the Thomas's Quietude Mount Ranier to the win in Three-Year-Old Western Pleasure.
Hunter Pleasure
Boasting the largest classes of the show, Hunter Pleasure proved very popular with exhibitors in all divisions. In the open classes, the winning Hunter Mare and Ladies Amateur Hunter was Brookhaven Whaminatcha ridden by owner Judy Holden under the direction of Ginger Mullendore.
RBF Time To Be was focusing on dressage earlier in the show but also won Open Hunter Pleasure with Holly Gellner riding for Toodie Connor. Firecrest E. Ticket and Melissa McDonald showed in both Hunter and Western claiming the top prize in the Stallions & Geldings class. They also had a great go in the Hunter Pleasure Championship finishing Reserve Champions.
The Hunter Pleasure Championship went to a new entry in the division, French Touch owned by Lisa Nyberg. With Tom Tornatore riding, this handsome and smooth moving gelding debuted as the winning Novice Hunter Pleasure horse and finished the show as the Hunter Pleasure Champion.
Meagan Harn competed both in junior exhibitor and ladies' classes with her
Picabo Magic Marker. Their first win was in Ladies Hunter Pleasure. They claimed title to the blue in 13 & Under Hunter Pleasure and finished as Reserve Junior Exhibitor Champions. Other winning junior exhibitors included; Ellie Exum on Dextrous Super Supreme who had the win in the 14-17 age group. With a come from behind performance, Bethany Brill outdid the rest of the competition riding her big gelding Fortunaire to the Junior Exhibitor Hunter Pleasure Championship under the direction of Carmen Hobson.
Katie Newbury is often at the head of the class and with her gelding BMF Take Down the Flag, and won the Adult Amateur 18 & Over Hunter Pleasure blue. The Amateur Hunter Pleasure Championship went to Sherri Spoeltmann and Roseridge Barrister under the direction of Sandi Nichols. Moonrun Metropolitan and Kim McCaleb sailed in for the Reserve Amateur Hunter Pleasure Championship. Metro is under the direction of Trafalgar and is owned by Cybersisters Unlimited.
There were some cross entries among junior horses with winning western horse Mystik's Highlight Image and Michelle Osborne winning the class for four-year-olds and ending up as Reserve Junior Hunter Pleasure Champion. Although they took second in the qualifying round, Kevin Christiansen and Tahoma's Rambler prevailed as Junior Hunter Pleasure Champions. The other winning junior horse Foxstar's So Fine won the Three-Year-Old Hunter Pleasure class with Donna Wnuk riding for Rick and Aileen Fox.
Equitation
All three seats were offered and with a variety of age group classes, championships and medals there was a lot to choose form. Some riders opted to go for both hunter and western seat classes and were successful in both. One of these versatile young riders is Tracie Nygaard, and with her gelding Carpe Diem were Hunt Seat Equitation Champions, AMHA Hunt Seat Medal winners, Western Seat Equitation Champion and Reserve AMHA Western Seat Medal Champions.
Lorinda Hayes also had several top young riders showing. Kristiana Wright and BMF Majestic Maestro won Hunt Seat Equitation 14-17 and Western Seat Equitation 14-17 and finished the show as Reserve Western Seat Equitation Champions. Carmen Hobson's riders always come out on top. Bethany Brill was Reserve Champion in the AMHA Hunt Seat Medal on Fortunaire. Lindsay Rank and Futurity's Truly Regal won the AMHA Western Seat Medal under the direction of Erin Silver.
Nancy Eidam and Holly Gellner had the winning Saddle Seat riders. Cara Lovik aboard Sutton Dark Twist won the AMHA Saddle Seat Medal and Classic Pleasure Saddle Seat Equitation. Ashley Hogan and HPF For U to NV were Reserve Saddle Seat Equitation Champions under the direction of Nancy Eidam. Tara O'Heren riding with Holly Gellner won Saddle Seat Equitation and the Saddle Seat Equitation Championship aboard Ensbrook Vision.
Walk Trot
The classes were split by riding style and were very popular with young riders. Cheyenne Rumens looked poised and confident with BMW Top Gun as they won Walk Trot Saddle Seat Equitation, Walk Trot English Pleasure and were named Walk Trot
Equitation Champions. Bill Grundmeyer coaches this pretty pair. Suzanne Cairns had a great show with Kahala Cassini under the direction of Sammi Hazen. She won Walk Jog Western Pleasure, Walk Jog Equitation and were Reserve Walk Jog Equitation Champions and Reserve Walk Trot/Jog Pleasure Champions as well. Elyse Brill was a star of the hunt seat classes. She and Rum Brook Ciudado won Walk Trot Hunt Seat Equitation and Walk Trot Hunter Pleasure under the direction of Carmen Hobson. Kelly Armijo had settled for second in the qualifying round but really went to work in the Walk Trot/Jog Pleasure Championship and emerged as the Champion coached by Sandi Nichols.
Miscellaneous
There were a good numbers for the Trail Open and Trail Championship classes. Tracie Nygaard and Carpe Diem won both with Kevin Christenson and Okan Storm King taking the runner up spot in both classes. Storm King was also the winning Reiner and is owned by Bill and Joyce Thomas. Pat Hitt and ATMF Flashdance were victorious in Bridle Path Hack while Emily Lane and Intimidator won the Road Hack class.
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