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Louisville - Saturday Matinee



It is certainly not every 75 years that the horse version of Halley’s Comet streaks through Louisville’s victory lane. This is more like every four years, as the 2009 Show Pleasure Driving World’s Champion of Champions laid claim to the 2013 Country Pleasure Driving World’s Championship this morning with Christine Broder. Hoppy Bennett and Johanna Kapioltas put the finishing touches on this team once again, winning for the eighth time in eight tries this year. Halley’s Comet is by Callaway’s Blue Norther and out of Mahvalous Day. Priscilla Marconi and Double Or Nuttin’ moved up one spot from their qualifier finish, making an even better drive today for Lowry Stables and their Rowdy Lowrys. The Reserve World’s Champion of Champions is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of Beat The Odds, the second Reserve World’s Champion of Champions produced by this mare this week. The other is of course CH His Supreme Reflection. Dr. Steve Gilman and CH Carissimo finished off their good week with a top three for daughter Maria Gilman. Moe Anson delighted her cheering section in fourth with Photo Prince.

A brilliant career came to a close in the 14-17 Show Pleasure Championship, as CH Brookhill’s King Of Kool and Jessie Wuesthofen took their final Louisville victory pass together. Not only does this bring Jessie’s juvenile career on the green shavings to an end, it closes out her storied teaming with this brilliant chestnut son of CH Harlem Town and CH It’s A Beautiful Day. He has certainly had a lifetime worth of achievement for Glenmore Farm. Today marked his eighth World’s Championship to go with five Reserve World’s Championships in his remarkable career, with all eight of those wins coming with Jessie Wuesthofen aboard. All totaled, these two took 42 victory passes together over their six seasons. Kaitlyn Creekmore made it a great ride as the Reserve World’s Champion of Champions on CH Three Point Shooter. Another to move up one spot for the reserve prize, Three Point Shooter is in his first season with Kaitlyn up. Trained by Hollow Haven all his life, the big dark chestnut with lots of white is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of the great World’s Champion harness mare, Kalarama’s New Sensation. Juliette Dell had a great go on Reedann’s Rare Mystery in third for DeLovely, with Straight No Chaser and Drew Taylor Hewitt fourth for Harold Denton Jr.

Abel Vega’s great week continued with a Junior Harness Pony World’s Championship at the lines of Mr. Naples. Part of the Twin Willow’s Handsome Dan-sired duo of World’s Champions this week, Mr. Naples is out of a King’s Brass mare. The entry of Golden Creek Farms was also the Four-Year-Old World’s Champion on Tuesday. Another top, young star, The Perfectionist was reserve once again with Rodney Hicks driving for Marjorie Kenney. They were winners in the Open Harness Pony class earlier this month at Connecticut Summer Classic.

Maisie Benfield’s Louisville was eerily similar, practically identical, to last year’s. Teamed with Highpoint’s Syncopated Rhythm, she was once again the Kentucky Rider Equitation winner, her third straight year to win this class. But wait there’s more! Last year she was the winner of the 11-and-Under class; this year she won the new 12-and-Under age group. Last year she was top three in the Junior Equitation Championship; this year she won the exact same prize. Cheyenne Mabey has another year left in her junior exhibitor life. She earned her best Louisville prize in this division in reserve here. She was an equitation winner earlier this year at Harrodsburg and Asheville, along with J.D. Massey.

With a pretty quick turnaround for several riders, the 14-17 competitors were back at it, this time with the Country Pleasure horses. Just a five-year-old, the Lexington champion held his own once again today to take a second victory pass on the week. Leatherwood’s Zenergy is owned by Deborah Nathanson and expertly ridden by Abby Mutrux. Trained by the High Spirits team, it was Nick Kinsinger heading up her round of honor, as Robert Gardiner was showing in the next class. Winner of their qualifier split, CH Extremely Fortunut and Brittany Cloutier were the Reserve World’s Champion of Champions with another top ride for Roland and Laura Cloutier. This was the second straight year for the Cater Stables entry to claim this good prize. They have been outstanding all year, claiming tri-colors at Blue Ridge, Syracuse International, Devon, and Bonnie Blue. Drew Taylor Hewitt was another of the quick turnarounds. She finished third in this one with Royal Valentine. Maison Boyle and Certain Style were fourth here for Rufus and Phyllis Brown.

Beating 31 horses this week, Princess Warrior topped a field of 15 this time to win the Junior Park Pleasure World’s Championship. Winner of the big money on Sunday night in the ASR Four-Year-Old Park Pleasure Sweepstakes, Princess Warrior is by Dorian Warriors Song (SA) and out of Our Sunbeam. Rider and owner Dena Lopez will tell you that daughter is just like her dam in nearly every way. This beautiful chestnut mare is certainly paying her own way, having won over $14,000 in prize money last year and likely another $5,000 or so this week. In the matchup of last year’s Three-Year-Old Park Pleasure Futurity World’s Champion and the UPHA Park Pleasure Classic National Champion, Cheers To You wound up as the Reserve World’s Champion of Champions, his first time to be beaten in this division. Mike Tunstall has been the trainer and jockey for the Thundergun gelding from the very beginning. Cheers To You is out of Ventura’s Molly Brown, by Roseridge Heir. JB Magic’s All Or Nuttin’ finished up in third for Jim Stachowski and Joe Betten, followed by Hot Apple Cider and Robert Gardiner for Carla and Jayne Pearman.

Gretchen Bentz was always one of those kids that lived in the barn, always helping out, earning her way, taking every opportunity she could to get in the ring. She always had a horse to show and got the most out of every horse she had. Well this week, she got the opportunity of a lifetime and took full advantage. Owner Teresa Atkin and the LaFleur Stables team needed a rider for CH Teuschers this week, and Gretchen answered the call in a huge way. Winner of her split on Wednesday, she turned it up to a whole new level today, winning a unanimous championship with this grand veteran of the show ring. It was five years ago this week that Teuschers last won a blanket of flowers here. Back then it was as the Show Pleasure World’s Champion of Champions with Travis Van Zetten. Today, Gretchen was joined for the round of honor by her best friend Casey Pieper and trainer Neva LaFleur, as owner Teresa Atkin watched from the stands today, hugging her LaFleur friends. Schadenfreude is defined as “pleasure derived from the misfortune of others.” Dr. Owen Weaver was plenty pleased with her Reserve World’s Champion of Champions title with Schadenfreude, though everyone that knows Owen and her level of sportsmanship are well aware that that pleasure was because of a job well done, not the misfortune of her competitors! This was a second Reserve World’s Championship on the week for the dark four-year-old gelding. Steve and Tiffany Wheeler train this one for Fox Grape Farms. Jacqueline Beck and Rob New York finished third for Terri Dolan. High Point Memories and Kristin Stivers had all four shoes today in fourth for Willow Wind Saddlebreds.

It feels like a broken record, but it was a tremendously deep field that came to the ring for the next class. Another highly competitive class in a week filled with them, the 13-and-Under Show Pleasure World’s Championship heads back to Florida with Rondo and Emily Candelaria. Reserve in their qualifier, these two made their fourth ever show together today to wear the tri-color and the blanket of carnations for Barbara Woods. Judd Stables directs this team, just as they directed Emily to a 10-Year-Old Walk-and-Trot World’s Championship in 2012. Her first year of cantering has certainly been a good one. Callaway’s Nachelle and Macey Miles added a reserve tri-color to their qualifier blue for Elisabeth Goth. Visser Stables put this team together with great results. Nachelle is by Callaway’s Blue Norther and out of a Royal Return mare.

Lisa Strickland and a pretty harness mare seem to be a good combination. Just a few years ago it was Irresistible Design. Earlier this week it was Roselane’s Clemency winning the Fine Harness Mare World’s Championship. Today it was another World’s Championship with a bay mare, Leatherwood’s Aha Moment. To make it even sweeter, Junior Ray of Durant fame was helping Strickland this week and what a surprise she got when he was in the winner’s circle presenting the Tony Ray Memorial trophy to her. Another winner this week by Mountainview’s Heir To Fortune, Aha Moment is out of Hint Of Scandal, also the dam of Lulu Guinness. Husband Jacques Marais headed up the victory pass for TDV Inc. A World’s Champion as a two-year-old, Ethereal Love earned the reserve title in this Three-Year-Old Fine Harness Mare class. Amanda Simpson continues to bring out top quality young horses for John and Susan Aschenbrenner. Ethereal Love is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of World’s Champion Hallelujah Chorus. Cheeze N Crackers and Sandra Currier finished third for Ed and Ada Perwien, with Kalarama’s Sally Ride fourth, driven by Daniel Lockhart.

Twice a winner now this week, Boogity Boogity was the 14-17 Road Pony World’s Champion of Champions with Cheyenne Mabey. An entry of Ashlyn Farms, he is trained by Majestic Oaks. Boogity Boogity has been part of their string since 2008, when he was the Reserve World’s Champion of Champions in this class, having won his qualifier that year just as this year. Champion at Lexington this year, Mr. Lucky Man was the Reserve World’s Champion of Champions, now driven by Zoe Schaffel for MLS Equestrian LLC. Sired by Mr. Hawkeye, he is out of a mare by one of the great road ponies of history, CH Aisle Party. Sha-Boom and Caitlin Sloan were third today, while Danny Hicks capped off a great first Louisville with fourth at the lines of Jackie O.

Todd Miles hoisted Hunter Chancellor off a horse for the final time in her junior exhibitor career here at the Kentucky State Fair. She had just taken CH I’m McDreamy to his first ever blanket of flowers in the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Park Championship. What better way to end her last juvenile Louisville than with a unanimous victory aboard one of the horses she has been most identified with over her career. The other two of course are “Tonto,” CH Platinum’s New Look, a winner in her split of 14-17 Five-Gaited, and the late CH The Attache Orchid, who was memorialized with a trophy in the Three-Gaited Pony World’s Championship. McDreamy and Hunter have been together since 2009, encompassing her final year of 13-and-Under and her entire 14-17 career. They finished this campaign undefeated for Steven E. Chancellor and DeLovely. Hannah Houske left it all on the green shavings this week, riding her tail off in every class she entered. She earned a second Reserve World’s Champion of Champions title in as many days for Shelby Farm and Stable and trainer Milo Jones. She rode Cloverleaf’s Master And Commander to the absolute limit here to claim the reserve title, their best Louisville finish together. Winner of his split, Get Crackin’ was up for third today with Alexandra Gendron. Tart’s High Heels made a Signature ride in fourth with Anna Rogers Daub.

Talk about a comeback performance, Big N Rich was the Roadster Under Saddle World’s Champion of Champions. It’s not usually a comeback when it is three years in a row to win a class, but Scott Hagan’s qualifier did not go as it had the last two years. Going at speed, Scott’s martingale rein came out of his hands, leaving him with a bare minimum of control. What could have been an absolute disaster was corralled by quick thinking officials and even moreso an unbelievable cowboy job by Scott Hagan. Sticking in the middle of what was basically a runaway train at that point, he ground the big bay to a stop at the far end of the ring and got all squared away. Today, everything went the way they planned it out, and Scott and Big N Rich took a fifth Louisville victory pass together! One of the prettiest Standardbreds you will find, Iamnotacow earned a second Reserve World’s Championship in this division on the week. Reserve in the qualifier as well with Rebekah Cloninger, Iamnotacow would claim the Ladies Roadster to Bike World’s Championship on Thursday for Jon Walker Stables. This is their first full show year under saddle, having debuted at ASHAV last year.

Master Class had a second World’s Champion on the week in this next class after his offspring went one-two the other night in Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited Mares. Master Blue was actually his first World’s Champion just a year ago, double delightful for the Diamond View crew, as Shane Mullins made the winning drive that time. This year it was the Three-Year-Old Fine Harness Stallion/Gelding World’s Championship that went to the brilliant chestnut gelding. Smith Lilly now does the driving for Anita Simpson. Anita was beside herself with joy after this one, as she did a happy dance before running out to meet her World’s Champion. It wasn’t quite as easy as that though, since we had our second workout of the week, another three-horse affair, but this one was accidental! The dreaded three-way true tie reared its ugly head, and Master Blue, Dark Side Of The Moon and Crystal’s Caravaggio AMF went back to the rail for additional work. Darrell Case drove Dark Side Of The Moon to the Reserve World’s Champion title for the Fernandez Family Trust. He was also a Reserve World’s Champion a year ago, though not in the same split as Master Blue. This one is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of Ursa Major, the dam of Heavenly Thunder. Crystal’s Caravaggio AMF is an Alde-Mar Farm entry shown by Johanna Kapioltas. This is another from the good cross of Nutcracker and CH Crystal Illusion. These two have made great progress all summer long, as Caravaggio looks to be growing into his job more and more as he goes.

Ronnie Graham and Georgia Blevins were the supporters in the Road Pony to Wagon class. Ronnie Graham drove Bud Light to this title for the fourth time, finishing reserve the two years in between their double dose of double wins for Helen Rosburg. Blue Ridge winner Regal’s Star Attraction LF was the Reserve World’s Champion with Georgia Blevins.

The usual Saturday afternoon showstopper, the Open Three-Gaited Park Championship, was a strong group of horses from what were great qualifiers. Dena Lopez was on the money all day, collecting another tri-color prize, this one with CH Doctor Zhivago. The entry of Maguire Hall LLC was a World’s Champion in his split earlier this week. The grand black and white spotted gelding is a true champion of this show ring. He won this class for the second time, having won it previously in 2010. Maguire Hall rode him to the amateur title the following year. This horse will always be special to Dena, as her dad, Rob Tanner, drove him to a Three-Year-Old Fine Harness Stallion/Gelding World’s Championship in 2005 for Michele Macfarlane. Smith Lilly gave a tip of the hat to the salute from the crowd as Caraway’s New York Minute came up for the reserve honors. The entry of Ceil and Kenny Wheeler was also reserve in his qualifier. Also twice reserve at Lexington, this exciting chestnut gelding is by I’m A New Yorker and out of Caraway. Clark Clouse earned third with Fort Chiswell’s Prince Charming for Miriam Hirshon. Callaway’s Ladies Choice and Maria Gilman were fourth for Marla Thompson.  

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