Lexington Junior League - Wednesday Evening
Thursday, July 9, 2015
The USEF Adult Saddle Seat Medal Finals started out the night, and as the class started before 6 p.m., the riders showed for their national title in informal attire. This year’s field may have been the largest in the history of these finals, with 15 entries hitting the ring for the railwork and individual testing. In her first year out of junior exhibitor, Brett Lee Self was chosen for her first National Championship win. Top three last year in the 17-Year-Old Equitation World’s Championship, Brett is trained by Stephanie Lilly. The Fiesta Farmers cheered loud and proud for their champion, teamed tonight with Safe Harbor for the tricolor. With 11 victory passes already this year, Reagan Upton added a Reserve National Championship to her list aboard Callaway’s Letter To The Editor. Trained by Cascade Stables, Reagan is showing in just her first year of competition according to our records, but that is simply because the former Ms. Reagan Huguley is showing under a new married name this season! Also in the Top Ten were Ashley Brandies, Jennifer McGowan, Dr. Morgan Wolin, Taylor Deer, John Stutts, Kate Nichols Totterdale, Katy Flyn, and Danielle Dubay Navarro.
It was a unanimous winner in the 14-17 Three-Gaited Show Pleasure class, as Scotty Brooks Bruggeworth guided HS First Day to all three first place votes for Annika Bruggeworth and DeLovely Farm. Twice a winner with Scotty at Bridlespur Kick Off and twice a winner with Winter Bruggeworth at Asheville, HS First Day is by Callaway’s Northern Kiss and out of the great Broodmare Hall of Famer, A Daydream Believer. She did it again! First Day made a perfect Red Mile performance, with Scotty working the ring like a pro. The pretty black mare, Miss Can’t Be Wrong, earned the reserve prize with Nicole Percoco up for grandmother Jayne Romano. Directed by Lionel Ferreira, Miss Can’t Be Wrong was the Junior Three-Gaited 15.2-and-Under Reserve World’s Champion in 2013. This team swept the division at Shelby County Fair last month. Third in this good group went to Heir’s Wing Man and Audrey Crites, while Emma Wood and Undulata’s Just Plain Nuts finished fourth.
While two of his Golden Creek get scored good prizes last night, Twin Willow’s Handsome Dan took his turn tonight, winning the Amateur Harness Pony blue. Nine times a Louisville winner, Handsome Dan was the Harness Pony Stallion/Gelding World’s Champion and Harness Pony Reserve World’s Grand Champion last year. Jeff McClean drove once again tonight for the Golden Creek Farms.
While there was some difficulty in getting the head-to-tail lineup sorted out for the Parade Horse class, it was finally accomplished, giving the crowd a good look at all of the regalia. Jackson Park was the unanimous choice of the judges, with Jennifer Cunningham as the owner/trainer/rider. Also the champions at River Ridge, Jackson Park and Jennifer have wins at ASHAO, Red White and Blue Charity, Inter County Horsemen’s June, and IHSA June since then. The reigning Parade Horse Reserve World Champion, Midnight Arabesque was reserve here as well with Cheri Wise. The entry of Julia Maxton is trained by Brian Yount. They were Parade Champions at Brown County Charity earlier this year.
Andrew Slater has been on somewhat of a show ring hiatus for the past couple years. He showed once last year at Rock Creek, then once this year at Shelby County Fair, winning the Amateur Five-Gaited class there with A Lasting Legacy. He repeated that feat on a bigger stage tonight, scoring the Lexington blue in Amateur Five-Gaited Gentlemen. An entry of Pamela Slater, Lasting Legacy is by Caramac’s Legacy and out of a General Steel mare. Selected after Matt Shiflet’s win with the gelding at Asheville, Lasting Legacy made a great show tonight, with Andrew making a smart ride. Making his under saddle debut on the Red Mile, James Miller was up for reserve, completing the Kalarama exacta aboard CH Fox Grape’s Dauntless. Amateur champions at Devon this year, Dauntless and James also scored wins at Gasparilla and Asheville in their first season together for Hillcroft Farm.
Samuri Lady made an old school park trotting performance to win the Fine Harness Mare class. Peter Palmer made the drive for Carl T. Fischer Jr. By Samur and out of Constantina, Samuri Lady bounces off all four corners, never backing an ear, just prancing fancy down the rail. The 2013 Junior Fine Harness Mare World’s Champion, Tory Burch was reserve here with Bret Day at the lines for Elizabeth Ghareeb. Tory Burch is by Designed and out of the grand harness mare, CH Harlem’s Santa Fe.
A very popular vehicle in early England, the gig made an appearance on the Red Mile for the Open Gig Horse or Pony class. Winner of this class in 2008 and 2009 and once again tonight, Spiff And Polish took the blue with Joel Brown driving for Lanny Judd. Charles Poppe was the owner and whip of the reserve winner. This was his first time back at Lexington since 2010.
The Monnington team elected to skip the amateur class last night with Cloverleaf Freedom Writer, likely due to the rainy conditions. They put Alexandra Percoco in against the trainers tonight for owner Jayne Romano and came up with the blue ribbon. Georgia Ferreira headed up the victory pass for the son of The Mystery Writer and I Did I Did. This team took the Amateur Park Championship here last year on their way to the Amateur Park Stallion/Gelding World’s Championship. The Rhumba is doing well in the new role as a park horse, finishing reserve in this one with Melissa Moore riding for Bennett Farms. Twice a winner at Lawrenceburg at the end of last month, The Rhumba was also reserve in the Park Jackpot Stake at Rock Creek. Frankenberry and Jesse West were third here for Alliance Stud, with Callaway’s Aperitif and Derek Wooderson making a good show in fourth for SGF Winning Ways Farm.
The AHHS Roadster Pony Medallion featured five entries tonight, with Austin Grace Bentley and Little Big Town scoring their sixth win of the year. Trained by Janet Crampton, Little Big Town won his first four classes of the ring this year, as well as the reserve championship at Asheville. Milo Jones headed up reserve winners Boogity Boogity and Story Sinex. Winner at Rock Creek already this year, their second together, the entry of Krista Sinex is by Dun-Haven Center Of Attention and out of Kilbro’s Precious Moments.
The Amateur Three-Gaited Over 15.2 featured four entries, three of which had to go back to the rail after the cards fell in a three-way true tie! Susan Swope kept pouring it on as the workout wore on, coming out as the unanimous winner aboard Talk Is Money. The full sibling to Let’s Talk is by Sir William Robert and out of Soft Spoken. He never backed an ear, even after going two classes. It was two victory passes in three classes for Monnington Farm, as Lionel Ferreira joined for this victory pass. Showing for the first time on the Red Mile as a trimmed horse, CH Stravinsky was second with Brittany McGinnis up for Fish Creek Stables. The DeLovely crowd cheered her on as she kept riding hard all the way to the end. Kentucky Proud and Stacey Halloran rounded out the workout group in third for Gaited Inc. and Matt Shiflet Stables.
Rocky and Danette Musselman have enjoyed the loosening of the breed restrictions in the road horse division, taking the Roadster Under Saddle class tonight for Erin and John Luckey. They were also winners at Kentucky Spring Premier this year. The big black horse never backed an ear, and Danette rarely touched the saddle as she rode to the blue. Code Blue and Dr. Holly Ackerman have six wins together on the year. They came up as reserve winners tonight under the direction of Gina Lail.
The Hillcroft Farm entry was judged to be the best in the Carriage Evening Park class. The beauty of the formal attire was on full display for the drivers and footmen tonight. Misdee Wrigley Miller drove the pair of Dutch Harness Horses to a phaeton under the direction of Todd Draheim.Charles Poppe drove a single Hackney pony to reserve honors from his home base of Cincinatti, Ohio.
By The Mac Attack and out of Starheart’s Whisper, World Turning wore the tricolor in the Country Pleasure Driving Championship. Cheryl Rhoton is the owner and driver of the chestnut mare. Dena Lopez directed the round of honor. This team had earned three straight reserve titles coming into the week at Shelby County Fair and Rock Creek. The qualifier placing held true in reserve, as Surprise Kiss was the reserve champion with Elaine Earlywine at the lines. Jan Lukens trains the cross of Callaway’s Northern Kiss and Chocolate Cake, by Radiant Sultan. Mardi Gras Memories and Dr. Randy McBride finished third for Neartown Animal Clinic.
The recently graduated junior exhibitors dominated in the Adult Five-Gaited Show Pleasure class, scoring the top three spots. McGee Bosworth took the last pass tonight, winning in unanimous fashion aboard CH I’m Something Wicked. The entry of Pair of Jacks Stables is trained by Mary and Evan Orr. The Bosworth family certainly must be pleased with this horse, now in his fifth year with McGee. Three World’s Championships and two Reserve World’s Championships have certainly added to their enjoyment of the grand chestnut son of Santana’s Charm and Penny’s Free Spirit. Longtime competitors McGee Bosworth and Camille Cowart went stirrup to stirrup down the track to finish out racking the first direction. Camille would end up with the red ribbon in second with CH What’s The Whoopla. He and Camille swept this division last year and were the qualifier winners in junior exhibitor gaited pleasure the year before that.
Showing for the second night in a row, Heartland News Leader stepped up one spot tonight to win the Ladies Hackney Pony class with trainer Connie Smith at the lines. The entry of Beth Jones works high and tight in the bridle, with all of the action you would expect from a top cob-tail. The reserve prize went back to Glendale Stables with Follow Suit and Linda Quinn. The entry of Stacey Swalla and Gary Dickherber was the Amateur Hackney Pony Reserve Champion at Midwest last month.
Matthew Shiflet pulled out a lightly shown bay gelding to come out on top in the Open Three-Gaited 15.2-and-Under. Selected from Fleur de Lis Farm at Pro-Am this year, Reedann’s Blackberry Treasure is by County Treasure and out of A Ravishing Find, by Phi Slama Jama. It doesn’t get much more Reedannland than that! Blackberry Treasure is owned by Dr. John Cummins. It was another top showing, from Chris Reiser and Don O’Neill, claiming the reserve prize for World Calm LLC. By Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of Broodmare Hall of Fame World’s Grand Champion Garland’s Dream, Don O’Neill possesses a ton of natural ability, never backing an ear as he goes to work. Another World’s Grand Champion, Sir Silver Knight was third with Kim Cowart up for Annika Bruggeworth.
Sitting with Bit Hutcheson during the Amateur Five-Gaited Mare class is useful for a writer. “This is my class!” the veteran of many a gaited mare battle said. Bit had the winner picked early on, as Alexis Braswell made a great show for the blue with Callaway’s Say Yes. The entry of Little Cahaba Properties is trained by Peter and Kim Cowart. The Junior Five-Gaited Mare World’s Champion a year ago with Peter Cowart, Say Yes is by Caramac and out of Local Motion. Alexis picked a great time to have her best show with the sporty young mare. Brittany McGinnis and Rhythm & Romance also had a good go in second for Fish Creek Stables. Trained by Gerhardt Roos, this is Brittany’s second horse show with the daughter of I’m A New Yorker and The Big Blonde, by Man On The Town. Rick Daigle and his new entry She’s Irresistible were also going hard in third.
It was another Golden Creek battle tonight, as Abel Vega topped the Open Road Pony class with Regal’s Night Shadow LF. Both ponies are by Dun-Haven Regal Attraction, with the winner being out of Romeo’s Sweet Sugar LF. This was the third year in a row for Night Shadow to win here, having won the limit class last year and the UPHA Road Pony Classic the year before that. A winner here the past three years, Regal’s Lightning Strike LF was the Open Champion here last year and the amateur champion in 2013. Mary Gaylord McClean was at the lines once again for Golden Creek Farms. Lightning Strike is out of A.W. Festive Rhythm.
“Best Class of the Night” honors could definitely be bestowed on the 14-17 Three-Gaited class. This one was deep with a capital “D,” even with one of the top contenders throwing a shoe and having to take the gate. Madeleine Wood has never been outside the top three anywhere she has shown Buckles Boots N Spurs but Lexington. They took two top four finishes here a year ago. However, she had also never taken a victory pass with the star son of Buck’s Co-Star and Mystic Promise. That changed tonight with an outstanding ride and a Lexington blue, Madeleine’s second of the day for the Lowry Stables team. In just her first year out of 13-and-under, Madeleine took it to a group of good ones to come away as the winner. A gorgeous black mare, She’s Born To Sparkle made one of her best shows to date with Alexandra Gendron. Matt Shiflet has this mare tuned just right, and she put on a horse show for the red prize tonight. Out of Callaway’s Sparkle, by Supreme Heir, here is another one showing this week that is by He’s Born To Royalty. Maybe it’s like when Born To Win was gelded and we just started taking closer note every time one of his get perform well. His name certainly keeps cropping up!
Lulu Guiness and Frankie Sue Snider finished third for Snider Farms, while Courtney McGinnis and CH Platinum Moon were fourth for Fish Creek Stables and DeLovely Farm. The undefeated team of Alex Rudder and Soquili’s Curious George had to withdraw with a cast shoe, but they do qualify to show back in the championship, which would add even another level to an already loaded roster! That one will be a reason to come out to the track for sure.
The Roadster to Bike Open class saw Martin Teater make a great show with Chanteur PV to take the last pass for Melody Adler. Martin is now four for four with Chanteur, who is working in top form. Chanteur was the 2013 Roadster to Bike Reserve World’s Grand Champion. Milo Jones and The Art Of War were a strong reserve for A. Victoria Saddlebreds LLC.
Royally bred and beautiful to boot, Top Of The Mark was the Five-Gaited Stallion Stake winner with Tre Lee. Owned and bred by Golden Creek Farms, Top Of The Mark is by CH Top Spool and out of Carol Lynn (BHF). Just a five-year-old, Top Of The Mark couldn’t be a more complete representative of Mary Gaylord McClean’s history with Saddlebreds unless he was out of Santana Lass! Melinda Moore had her own stud, Dylann’s Desert Admiral, up for reserve honors. Another by Desert’s Supreme Memories, Desert Admiral is out of a Longview’s Paladin mare. They were Limit Five-Gaited winners at Kentucky Spring Premier.
|