Lexington Junior League - Wednesday Evening
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
The Horse Show Gods looked out for the ladies of the Junior League as the halfway mark of the show was forecast to be extremely wet. The rains stayed away and the Wednesday evening edition opened 15 minutes earlier than normal with the Stick Horse class.
Undefeated on the west coast this year, the multi-titled world’s champion CH A Magic Spell was the first Lexington champion crowned on Wednesday night as Katie Jarve rode her to defeat nine other teams for the unanimous 15-17 show pleasure title. The Jennifer Dixon trained team won Lexington’s 14 & under title last year. Representing Texas, S.G.F. Winning Ways Farm took home the reserve streamers with Lauren Greenwald riding Out Go The Lights under the direction of Steve and May Chadick. Third in the deep class belonged to Jessica MacLeod and CH New York Entertainer.
Winning her second class in as many nights, Karen Frickey returned to the tack room with the Amateur Harness Pony blue following Regal’s Pride’s top performance. Karen Waldron and Sweetheart Of Success were reserve among the five teams.
In stark contrast from the amateur gentlemen’s walk trot class, 10 entries vied for the Amateur Gentlemen’s Five-Gaited blue. Having just graduated from the junior exhibitor division, Justin Cowley made it known he was ready to compete in the amateur ranks with the always busy CH Colonel Hoss. The crowd showed its appreciation for the Clark Clouse trained combination that took two of the three first place votes. The remaining vote and second place ribbon went to former Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion and 2007 Amateur Gentlemen’s Reserve World’s Champion Five O’Clock with owner Chris Nalley in the irons.
This has certainly been the year of the fine harness horse. Nine entries found their way to the Red Mile for the Fine Harness Mare Stake and the audience enjoyed every minute of it. With world’s champion harness bloodlines on both sides (Sultan’s Great Day / Forty Second Street ERB), World’s Grand Champion Along Came A Spider won Lexington’s mare stake for the fourth consecutive year. George Knight was again at the controls for Georgia Herpin Baker. On this night the popular, black sensation was pushed by the crowd pleasing Mother Mary who did take one of the first place votes with Sandy Lilly driving for Platinum Stock Farm. The 2007 Reserve World’s Champion Fine Harness was also bred to wear the harness as she is by Amateur Fine Harness World’s Champion Of Champions Revival. Fresh from Midwest Charity’s Fine Harness Championship, A Cinderella Story was right there in the mix taking third for Bret Day and owner Hy Horse Farm.
Another Midwest Champion, the CH Harlem Town sired Major Buck topped the nine-horse Open Three-Gaited Park class giving Jim Lowry another Lexington blue for the week. Jim Dodson’s entry was the last to leave the ring. Since she was a junior gaited mare Ya-Ya has made top shows on the Red Mile. This year she was reserve in the Open Park class with Dena Lopez again riding for Elizabeth Shatner.
The blue prize from the well-filled AHHS Youth Medallion Road Pony class went to Majestic Oaks with Shannon Ella catch driving Heartland Wonderful Miss for Creekridge LLC. They had two of the three first place votes for Rich Campbell and Maureen Lydon. The remaining top vote went to another charging speedster, reserve champion Heartland Curtain Call with Lindsey Jones in the bike.
New to the amateur walk-trot division, Juliette’s Deja Blue gained many fans with her elegant park trot. A bay daughter of Deep Blue and a mare by (SA) War Image out of World’s Champion Of Champions CH Caravelle, Juliette’s Deja Blue was ridden to the winner’s circle by Andrea Athanasuleas with Matt Shiflet directing the show. Putting a big-time show together, Erin Obenauf and Callaway’s Blue Waltz represented Reiser Stables as the reserve winners in a good class of amateur contenders.
Making one of the best performances of the night, Quill made no mistake about it that he was the Roadster Under Saddle Champion with owner/rider Holli McDowell blazing the Red Mile. Winner of the amateur class on Monday night, Vivacious and Holly Ackerman commanded reserve honors.
Popular with the Lexington audience, the Open Phaeton was the next class to grace the ring. Thomas Burgess drove the team of Eekke and Doeke to win the title with Jelke and Jacob taking reserve for Marilyn Macfarlane.
The first Championship of Lexington ’08 went to Helen Rosburg and Harlem’s Worldly Lady. Their winning performance came in the Country Pleasure Driving Championship where qualifying winner Stonecroft Tangueray was the reserve grand champion with John Scheidt driving for Stonecroft Farm.
A large class of adult gaited pleasure horses was on hand to compete for their qualifying blue but in the end only one team could wear the blue. New mother Emily Lee rode Happy Again to the top, while the versatile Michelle Krentz gave Callaway’s Where There’s A Will a good go to take second place for Emily Scharpf. In her first Lexington ride ever, Jacque Nance was third in the large class with Under Oath.
Qualifying for Saturday night’s grand champions, A Silver Charm, the Three-Gaited Under 15.2 Champion with Valley View Supreme ears, was ridden by victory by Tre Lee for Phillipa Sledge. Riding for Jean McLean Davis, Walden Bullard took My Pleasant Dreams to the reserve placing, earning a first place vote along the way.
The ever-popular Santana’s Charm daughter CH Amusing captured the Amateur Five-Gaited Mare Stake for the fourth time in five years, all under the direction of Rob and Sarah Byers. Her bold passes earned a unanimous decision, as did the big-motored Have You Ever in reserve. Her longtime partner Barclay De Wet was in the irons.
Darrel and Sandy Kolkman had to be very happy watching the Ladies Hackney Pony class as it was mostly a collection of ponies they had bred and sold from their Heartland Hackney Farm. The Mike Barlow trained Heartland Moonglow made the victory pass, followed by Sandra Surber’s Heartland Candidate.
Last year’s Road Pony Grand Champion Beaulah Jean set sail on the Red Mile with an explosive performance to earn her second consecutive Open Road Pony title. Jeff McClean provided the winning drive for Golden Creek Farms. Ruth Gimpel was behind Seize The Moment for reserve honors in the six-pony class.
Premier Stables struck again with Ellie Headlee riding My Elegance On Parade as the Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited 15-17 Champion with two of the three first place votes. Suzanna Crews did a great job with Wild Wonderful to receive the reserve streamers.
Five entries showed up for the Open Roadster To Bike class and all five made passes worthy of a Lexington blue. However, as the class went on Deborah Koning and Scruff separated themselves from the pack with a powerful performance. Reserve honors went the way of Roar Of Thunder and Ronnie Graham, while Melinda Moore and P.T.O. were third. This was certainly a class of roadster enthusiasts.
The evening came to a close with the two-entry Five-Gaited Stallion Stake. This class gets harder and harder fill each year. Continuing her excellent week, Misdee Wrigley Miller rode her Lakeview’s Rare A Phi (Phi Slama Jama x Lakeview’s Rare Indeed by Rare Treasure) to the title with Bill Schoeman aboard Chief’s Top Commander in reserve.
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