Lexington - Tuesday Evening
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The gray horse beat the black horse to open up a night of 20 classes. This was the UPHA Park Pleasure Classic, where Clark Clouse took top honors with Amberwood’s Penelope for Tom and Anita Lewis. Also the winner of this class at River Ridge, Penelope is a gray mare by King Of Bling and out of Sweet Serendipity, a daughter of Winsdown Hi-Octane, hence the gray color. A Two-Year-Old Fine Harness Reserve World’s Champion last year, Ringo’s Ya Boy was reserve in this one as well with Bret Day up for Bill and Elizabeth Shatner. By Bill’s CH Call Me Ringo and out of Liz’s former CH Ya-Ya, this is a perfect marriage of the two! Darrell Case and Forever Heaven were third for McGlothlin Heir Service LLC and Willowbank Farm.
Jeffrey Schab returned from a few weeks out of the saddle and looked like he had never left. He and CH Sue-She picked right up where they left off, winning the Amateur Gentlemen Three-Gaited class with the unanimous acclaim of the judges. Jannie Giles joined the division’s World’s Champions in the winner’s circle. Dylan Hines was up for reserve with Odyssey Mann for Yvonn Hines and DeVore Stables. This was one of their best performances to date, as they show in just their second season together. They were Amateur Reserve Champions at Asheville in May.
The bright chestnut Heartland Good-Bye was the lone entry in the Hackney Horse division. Darrel Kolkman did the honors for Mr. and Mrs. Darrel Kolkman. By the British stallion Brookeborough Flash Jack, he is out of a horse of Canadian lineage, Halstead’s Miss Musk.
Matt Shiflet completed a sweep of the Junior Five-Gaited division, earning the mares blue with Jackalberry. Last night he was the stallion/gelding winner with Honey Badger. Tonight’s was a unanimous decision for this daughter of Dorian Warriors Song (SA). She is out of a full sister to Walterway’s Remember Me, from the golden cross of Star Material and Yorktown’s Forget-Me-Not. Ed Millet made strong passes off the rail with Empress Camilla to take second for Patricia and Trevor Williams. This one is by Everything Will and out of Kalarama’s War Bride, by War Image (SA).
While daughter Catherine and wife Ceil had all the fun last night, it was Kenny Wheeler igniting the crowd tonight with Caraway’s New York Minute. Winner of this class a year ago as well, he hit the ring in that big, crawling style and continued to get better as the class wore on. He had the crowd going as he made his way to the lineup on his way to a highlining victory. Smith Lilly directs the current World’s Champion of Champions. Another fine gentleman of the show ring, James Miller was reserve with Heir’s Treasure for Hillcroft Farm. Undefeated since winning the Amateur Championship here a year ago, this team had rattled off eight straight wins coming into tonight. They are also the reigning Amateur National Champions.
Two Hackney Pony Pairs showed up to compete for that blue ribbon, both directed by trainer Joel Brown. Joel drove the winning pair, Spiff & Polish and Park Lane for Judd and McFarren. Gifted Love and Ink Spot were reserve with Lanny Judd at the lines for Joel Brown.
Winner of this class a year ago with Sarah Byers aboard, it was Mr. Center Stage once again taking the Ladies Three-Gaited 15.2-and-Under blue. This year it was Mary Gaylord McClean up for Golden Creek Farms. The reigning Ladies World’s Champion of Champions was working high and tight in the bridle as always, marching down the Red Mile. It was a unanimous decision here on Tuesday night. Stacey Kipper had perhaps her best ride yet aboard Promised Love, taking the red prize for Sandra Kipper. The bay mare by Promise Keeper is a park trotting machine. Legacy’s Cinemac and Maria Gilman were third for Erin Eichenbaum, with Alex Wille-Irmiter and I Spy A Firefly in fourth for Candied Partners LLC.
Returning to the track that rocketed her to stardom, Giselle was the Harness Pony Open winner with Larry Ella at the lines for Bent Tree Farm. Easy-moving without much foot, she has an exquisite, rocked-back way of going that sets her apart. By Mark Of Excellence and out of a Vindicator mare, she stands as a symbol of the grand partnership between Karen Waldron and Larry Ella. Just a year ago, Heartland Pursuit debuted as a Harness Pony here, winning the Limit Harness Pony class. After a Harness Pony Stallion/Gelding Reserve World’s Championship a year ago, they were four for four on the season coming into tonight. Ronnie Graham did the driving once again for Helen Rosburg.
Amateur Five-Gaited Champion here in 2009 and 2010 and the Open Champion in 2008, CH Breaking News was once again victorious on the Red Mile. Megan McClure, now based out of Lexington, teamed her longtime partner to yet another grand show. Most certainly the horse with the big heart, Breaking News took the blue ribbon back to the West Wind curtains. Carolyn Moore Miller has had a sensational first season with CH The Decisive Moment. Trained by Chuck Herbert, they were Amateur Champions at Indianapolis Charity and reserve champions at Midwest Charity after winning their qualifier. Lisa Duncan and CH What Was I Thinking, winners in this one a year ago, settled for third tonight for TNT Investment Enterprises and Virgil Helm Stables. Epic Hero and Martin Gueldner were fourth, directed by Redd Crabtree.
We would count how many times Mr’s Bones and Charlie Jones have won together, but we have to get this article posted by the morning. Suffice it to say, they have not been beaten in over a year. That encompasses 22 classes, two Lexington victory passes, two Louisville victory passes, and two victory passes at the Royal. Jan Lukens directed this team to a unanimous victory, with assistant Samantha Hegstrom trying valiantly to keep up with Bones and Jones as they headed out the gate. Thunderbolt and William Shatner made a season debut to finish reserve in this class for the second year in a row. More importantly for the Shatners, tonight their All Glory Project was on display, with a special message on the jumbotron and a booth passing out information on their wonderful program. The All Glory Project seeks to promote, foster and support programs that utilize animal-assisted therapies in aiding military veterans and their families. Bill and Elizabeth Shatner began this program in 2010.
A year ago, Sally Jackson was showing Hi On Heir in harness on this track. A year later, Matt Shiflet was making a winning show with the flashy chestnut for Don and Phyllis Brookshire. Snappy moving with motion to spare, Hi On Heir park trotted to the Open Three-Gaited Over 15.2 blue. After a blue ribbon in the Park division at Raleigh, the mane came off for another victory pass at Asheville and now this one on the Red Mile. Also a winner at Asheville, Castle Warrior was reserve here for Neil Visser and owner Elisabeth Goth. By Dorian Warriors Song, he is out of Ridgefield’s Verina, by Simbara’s Rising Son.
The pony classes have been strong on quality so far, and the Open Hackney Pony class was no different. Ruth Gimpel made the last pass in this one with Heartland High Tech for Helen Rosburg. High Tech has been beaten once on this track, and that was as a three-year-old showing in the Open Championship. Under the ownership of Helen Rosburg, he has gone five for five on this track, winning this very class a year ago and the Open Championship the past two years, avenging his lone loss on the Red Mile. Amateur Champions here last year, On The Mark and Karen Waldron were reserve here for Bent Tree Farm. They too have a long history with this ring, having won the 2008 and 2009 Open Hackney Pony Championships. The last five Lexington Hackney Pony Championship winners were all in the ring, as Regal’s Trademark LF and Mary Gaylord McClean were third for Golden Creek Farms.
CH Castledream is so locked in right now, Larry Hodge went half a rail second direction adjusting his hat. The first of two products of A Daydream Believer to win on the track tonight, Castledream was a sight. During a timeout just before the reverse, he displayed an absolutely textbook animated walk, way over level and making it look easy as could be. He was the unanimous victor tonight. Bret Day debuted with The Road Less Traveled at Lawrenceburg, winning there for Thomas R. Brock Jr. They were reserve in this one on their apparent road to the Kentucky County Fair Championship on Sunday night in Freedom Hall.
James Sigmon has had a smashing start to his season with Brookhill’s Periday. Under the guidance of Mike Barlow, Periday has started the season on a nine-class winning streak. Unbeaten on the season, he returned to one of his favorite places to put on yet another grand performance. Reserve twice here in 2010, Periday and Sigmon swept up all of the blue ribbons in 2011, emerging as winners in their qualifier and championship. They had to work even harder for this one, as the Amateur Park Champion from the UPHA/American Royal National Championship was hot on their heels. CH Stravinsky and Brittany McGinnis were in top form for Fish Creek Stables and DeLovely, coming in four for four at Asheville and Midwest. Bambi Childress Bollin was all smiles (but really when isn’t she?) as she picked up the yellow ribbon aboard Sudoku, taking it back to Matt Shiflet Stables. Just a three-year-old, Soquili’s Manolito earned fourth here with Emma Nichols showing for the Nichols Family Farm. The popular, flashy young horse was directed by a very animated Todd Graham.
Camille Cowart and CH Justa Rascal have bordered on untouchable in their career together. Winners of the first four Junior Exhibitor Park World’s Championship classes, they were twice reserve last season, their only two times finishing anywhere but first since their very first class of the 2011 season. This is their 18th win since that first class of 2011. And this horse just demands that kind of schedule. He wants to play horse show every time the horses start loading to go. He has been part of the West Wind string since 2005, when Megan McClure showed him to the Amateur Park Championship here, and he just keeps on going. The Junior Exhibitor Park Champions at both Pro-Am and Indianapolis Charity made a strong showing in second, as Tayler Walters took Cloverleaf Turner Jake to second for Debra Hurst-Walters. Guided by DeLovely, Tayler made a power-packed, high in the bridle show with the flashy chestnut. His signature dark golden mane and tail are reminiscent of his dam’s sire, the great Man On The Town. Hallie Sansbury had another strong ride on last year’s Junior Exhibitor Park Champion, Reedann’s Heir To Glory. Patricia Dozier has this horse in training with Cape Cod Farm. They finished third tonight. Winter Bruggeworth has really gotten into the family show ring fun this year. She took CH He’s A Royal Pepper to fourth for mom Annika Bruggeworth and Siren Song Stables.
Heartland Heartbreaker seems like the only thing that could stop him is if he finally kicks himself in the nose with his front knee. And by no means does that mean he is low in the bridle. The opposite is true in fact. He just has such wild athletic ability, that it is in the realm of possibility! Check out his pictures from last night on Howie’s website or look at them from Midwest on Doug’s. It’s sometimes tough to grasp where he actually puts his knee when it’s in motion. He was the unanimous winner for Darrel Kolkman and the Heartland Hackney Farm. Heartland Marching Orders was reserve with Chris Gantley at the lines for Steve and Le Ann Golden. Also by Heartland Victory, this Limit Harness Pony class was his first drive of the year and just the second in the Harness Pony division. Out of Heartland Marcy, by Dun-Haven Truly Awesome, he earned the red ribbon.
Emily Lee’s mount for the year In the Ladies Five-Gaited division is actually owned by Tim Arcuri of Arcuri Stables in Springfield, Oregon. This is Eyee Gads, by The Spanish Tango and out of a Periaptor mare, Eyee Gadzooks. Emily made a wide open, high in the bridle show with him to take the Ladies Five-Gaited Gelding blue back to Prospect Lane. This was a big class of 13, featuring a ton of talent. Belle Reve’s So Photogenic was up for reserve with another talented lady rider, Elizabeth Shatner. Liz was making her debut performance with So Photogenic and did so with great success! Directed by Grey Ridge, this one is owned by Liz Shatner and Dorothy Anderson. He is by Buck’s Co-Star and out of CH Take My Picture. Champions at J.D. Massey, Montano and Phyllis Brookshire finished in third for Don and Phyllis Brookshire and the “sMs” team of Matt Shiflet Stables. Kalarama’s Delightful and Kim Cowart were fourth for Karen McClure.
Sir William Robert had a good class in Junior Three-Gaited Over 15.2. He sired the top two in this one, as HS Decorum and Cara Carolina took the top prizes. HS Decorum was the second of A Daydream Believer’s winners on the night, part of that assembly line of perfect headsets that has been the hallmark of this incomparable producer. Lionel Ferreira captained Decorum to a unanimous win for Judy Oetinger. Decorum has Daydream Believer stamped all over him. Cara Carolina has the grand mare Cara Clara as her dam. Owned and bred by the Rowlands’ EverGlades Farm, she is trained and shown by Clark Clouse. The dark mare was reserve in this one. Bright and happy, I’m Worth It All was third for Clarke Vesty and owner Susan Swope.
Amateur Road Pony was another deep and competitive event with a unanimous victor emerging. It was the reigning Open World’s Grand Champion headlining this event, as Regal’s Lightning Strike LF and Mary Gaylord McClean took top honors back to Golden Creek Farms. This star has speed to burn, and he put it on display to win for the third time in three outings this season. He swept this division at Midwest just last month. Twice winners here a year ago, Heartland Dressed To Impress and Misdee Wrigley Miller were reserve for Hillcroft Farm and the Kalarama team. By Heartland Code Of Honor and out of Heartland Morning Star, Dressed To Impress is always in the hunt, oozing quality.
The Tuesday nightcap is the Five-Gaited Mare Stake, with seven entries answering Steve Buttleman’s call. Beginning her star turn as a three-year-old in 2010 as the Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited Mare Reserve World’s Champion, Eastside has fully come into her own. Mike Tunstall made a great ride aboard the bay mare to capture this final blue ribbon of Tuesday night for B & T Vonderschmitt LLC. Theresa Vonderschmitt added this to her Five-Gaited Gelding Stake win from last night with Bravo Blue. Eastside is by A Superb Manhattan and out of Bonne Nuit, making her a full sister to Midwest Charity’s Junior Exhibitor Pleasure Champion, Odeon. Another example of the partnership between Arcuri Stables and Prospect Lane, The Next Big Star was reserve here for Tre Lee and owner Carousel Farms, a client of the Arcuris. Next Big Star is by CF First Night Out and out of the wildly popular CH Glider’s Star. Alex Wille-Irmiter and Party Nut were third for the Texas K Club and the Pleasantview banner. This was a nice “call up” of sorts, as it was the longtime Pleasantview assistant’s first chance to show in an Open Five-Gaited class.
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