Lexington - Wednesday Morning
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The USEF Adult Saddle Seat Medal Finals will be held on Friday morning, but a last chance qualifier is held here on Wednesday morning to allow riders to qualify and show in the Finals in the same week. All 12 competitors qualified for the Friday Finals, with eight being kept in the ring to perform the additional test. Katie Moeller rose to the top in this one, riding Virtual Volcano to a unanimous victory, directed by Mark Turner. In her first year as an adult rider, Katie was also twice a winner at Blowing Rock. She is three for three now in Adult Equitation. Kristin Smith and Who Needs Mama made their season debut in this division, finishing reserve under the direction of Zubrod Stables. Reserve here a year ago as well in Pleasure Equitation 14-17, Kristin was reserve in the Kentucky Riders Equitation class at Louisville. Taylor Deer was third aboard Tanbark Heiress, with Ashley Baird and CF Night At The Castle fourth.
It was another unanimous victory in the Saddle Seat Equitation 12-13 division, with Macey Joan Miles taking these honors with Final Act. Undefeated against Junior competition this season, Macey was the Junior Equitation Champion at Midwest just last month. She was the 11-and-Under World’s Champion and Junior Reserve World’s Champion of Champions last season. Fresh off her Syracuse Saddle Seat Equitation Championship, last year’s 12-Year-Old Reserve World’s Champion finished reserve here as well, as Ally McHugh took that prize aboard Memories’ Jazz Queen. She is a product of the Kierson Farm Riding Program. Bailie Deer followed up sister Taylor’s third place finish with one of her own, taking the yellow ribbon. She is also directed by Stephanie Lilly.
Hackney Pleasure Driving Champion in 2009 and 2010 here on the Red Mile, CH Mastercraft’s Namesake LF was the Hackney Pleasure Driving winner today with Stephany Monteleone driving to victory once again under the direction of Abel Vega. Namesake and Stephany have been stars of this division since 2007, when they won their first of seven World’s Championship titles together. Owned and bred by Carl and Kathryn Nichols, Crystal Creek’s Royal Prince was reserve. Carl Nichols did the honors today for trainer Eduardo Lope. Royal Prince is by Dun-Haven Celebrity and out of Twin Oak Rufiann. Pro-Am Champions earlier this year, they were Junior Hackney Pleasure Driving Reserve World’s Champions a year ago. Silver Oak’s Sirfistication and Keith Johnson finished third for June Villa, while Hawkeye’s Chatter Box and Allie Wellington were fourth.
Grace McDonell put on one of her best shows with CH Keeper Of The Stars to win the 13-and-Under Show Pleasure class with the support of all three judges. Trained by Judd Stables, their crew was cheering loud for young Grace in her Red Mile debut. She hasn’t even been out of walk-and-trot for a full year yet! The grand Keeper Of The Stars has been part of the Judd show string since 2005. Reserve Champion in a big 17-and-Under Championship at Shelby County Fair, Calibogue Charm was reserve in this group of 10 today, his second reserve win in this class in as many years. Delaney Webb rides this one for aunt and uncle Tami and Chad Reiser. Calibogue Charm is a full brother to Sir William Robert. The High Caliber team was in full voice for third-place winner Brookhill’s Kool As Ice, with Audrey Kim aboard. Layton Sydenstricker finished fourth with Wee Pee’s Meadows.
On a morning full of good sized classes, a group of 14 vied for the Park Pleasure title, the first Park Pleasure blue ever given at junior League. Sophie Simpson will carry that honor, doing it with the support of all three judges with Danette Musselman up for Dale Musselman. Joe Lavery headed up the round of honor, as Danette gave the Rifles And Roses daughter a big pat on the shoulder. This was Sophie’s first show of the year, having won a split of 14-17 Show Pleasure here a year ago. Jack Magill rode easy in the saddle in reserve, making it look easy as always. He showed his own Desert’s Supreme Dream to the red ribbon. Magill has had this horse since 2007, when he was the Novice Three-Gaited winner at Midwest Charity. Park Avenue Diva and Reese Richey made a strong show in third for Patricia Dozier, while Dreamview’s Tax Collector and Shawn Stachowski finished fourth.
Maisie Benfield and Hallie Ricci battled it out in the 11-and-Under Equitation class, both teamed with new horses here in 2012. Maisie and Highpoint’s Syncopated Rhythm emerged as the winners here, directed by Zubrod Stables. Winner of this class a year ago as well, Maisie was the 2010 Walk-and-Trot-Equitation 9-10 World’s Champion of Champions and the UPHA 10-and-Under Walk-and-Trot Challenge Cup National Champion. Hallie Ricci’s new teammate is CH-EQ Amandari, one of the grandest equitation mares of all time. They were reserve today for the Kierson team. Hallie was the Walk-and-Trot Challenge Cup Reserve National Champion just a year ago.
Another young rider qualified for the UPHA Senior Challenge Cup National Finals, as Lexie Friedrich captured the Challenge Cup blue here on Wednesday morning. She is teamed up with Autumn’s Rainmaker under the direction of Carol and Scott Matton. Lexie is another in a long line of Pleasure Equitation stars from Knollwood Farms. Gavin Gagnon’s first trip on this track was in 2005 as the UPHA 8-and-Under Walk-and-Trot Challenge Cup Reserve Champion. He finished reserve today with Kalarama’s Personality Plus, once again directed by Fairfield South. Caroline Brown and Cabernet’s Will Command finished up in third.
The UPHA Walk-and-Trot 9-10 Challenge Cup followed up the senior riders, with six youngsters firing on all cylinders. Two of the top three prizes in this one went to products of the Kierson Farm Riding Program, with Cara DeForge earning the blue ribbon with one of Jessie Richardson’s all-time favorite horses, Rosewood’s Potpourri. “Poppy” and Cara were stars on the Red Mile today to win for Kierson. This is Cara’s first year out of Academy. Sofia Rashid has also had a great first year out of Academy, winning at River Ridge and Bonnie Blue. She was reserve today with Callaway’s Kiss & Tell. Georgia Morrison headed up this Meadow Dreamer. Gillian Kramlick and CH-EQ Undulata’s Time To Shine were third, also from Kierson Farm.
Fifteen entries made the gate call for the Junior Exhibitor Country Pleasure class, as judge Josh Greer made the gait calls. In a colorful class, there were two black suits and 13 wildly varying daycoats. They ran the spectrum from sunshine yellow to hot pink with several in the turquoise family. It was a beautiful light pink coat that carried the day, as Brittany Cloutier rode to a Red Mile debut blue for Rolanda and Laura Cloutier. David and Kristen Cater headed up the round of honor. Brittany was also up for a Country Pleasure Championship at Devon in a class for all ages. Sired by Undulata’s Nutcracker, Extremely Fortunut’s former name will be one you will have to look up on your own. Again. Family publication. Hannah Houske of The Mighty Mouse fame was up for second with De La Hoya for Shelby Farm and Stable and trainer Milo Jones. They were Reserve Champions at Rock Creek last month and Champions at Lawrenceburg. CH Protector and Angela Calabria earned third for Dr. Mary Ling, while Brianna Fox and Madison Enderson were fourth for the Cape Cod team.
Announcer Peter Doubleday’s countdown reached three classes remaining, as the UPHA 8-and-Under Walk-and-Trot Challenge Cup riders made their way to the ring on this hottest day of the week. It will cool off for the rest of the show, but it will come at a price, as we will roll with a 50/50 chance of rain every day from here on in. Remi Adams battled through the heat to earn a unanimous victory with Miss Mheiry Mac. From DeLovely, Remi has yet to be beaten this year, winning all seven of her classes. A year ago, she romped to two blue ribbons in Freedom Hall as the 8-and-Under Walk-and-Trot World’s Champion of Champions. Also seven times a winner on the year, Emily Vicari was reserve here with Platinum Asset. From Kierson Farm, Emily is also a product of their huge Academy program. While in just her second year out of Academy, Emily has shown in 40 walk-and-trot classes already!
The Saddle & Bridle Shatner Western Pleasure riders looked right at home loping across the desert sand of this year’s show ring. Three riders vied for their belt buckle, with Malissa Welke and The Sugar Shaq taking another victory pass for owner Suzanne Bradshaw and trainer Randy Cates. Sugar Shaq was also the winner of the Western qualifier yesterday morning. The beautiful bay looks to be a rising star of this division. Amy Haller earned reserve honors with Night Spot for Dr. Joni Canby. In the first western season for Night Spot, he was the River Ridge Western Country Pleasure Champion, earning the red prize today.
One of the early stars of the Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited Pleasure division, CH Sunken Treasure is still going strong. McGee Bosworth rode him to his eighth win in this division on the Red Mile for Allen and McGee Bosworth and the High Caliber Stables team. Always one of the loudest cheering sections, they lent their full support to the game as all get-out gelding. A busted stirrup leather couldn’t slow Jake Butts down, as the Matt Shiflet pit crew slapped another stirrup onto the saddle of Harlem’s Class Act and sent him off pit row to garner reserve honors. While the Matt Shiflet team was delighted with the go, a passel of young lady riders also made their way to the outgate to congratulate the young gentleman. Jozee Johnson is becoming quite the rider She made a strong showing in third aboard Adrenaline Rush for Clouse Stables. Showing three times so far in the first four sessions of the show, Jozee has been reserve twice and third once.
|