Louisville - Saturday Morning
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Saturday Morning
Nine o’clock came early but a good crowd was on hand for the opening event of the last morning session of the 2005 World’s Championship Horse Show. With no chance to ease into the schedule, a group of 14 three-year-old harness mares was the first to hit the ring.
The feel-good story continued for Minnesota trainer/volunteer fireman/breeder Jay Wood. He made everyone take notice with a reserve in the two-year-old class at Kansas City last fall, but this time around his home-bred The Paper Princess JJW was decisively the winner. With two first place votes the Supreme Heir daughter paraded down victory lane. Having a three-year-old world’s champion last year, another talented young trainer, Mark Wilson was back for more taking reserve honors with Undulata’s Blue York Lady. Kim Cowart was also in the hunt driving the Kalarama Cabernet daughter, Kalarama's Gold Star, to a third place finish.
Andy and Lynda Freseth were on an unbelievable roll and the blankets of flowers just kept coming in. The morning started with Sherry Frankel-Deal realizing her dreams with a trip to the winner's circle aboard CH The Shadow Knows in the Adult Country Pleasure Championship. They cornered two of the first place votes along the way. Ruth Gimpel also had another stellar Louisville, especially with the Rosburg family's entries. Helen was in the saddle as Kalarama's High Roller was called out as the reserve world’s champion of champions.
The world’s and reserve world’s champions had to turn back a long list of champions starting with Midtown Man, CH Bi Mi Add Lib, Ooh La Latte, Callaway’s Scoop The News, The Petite Princess, and CF Star At First Sight.
Gearing up for the season-ending finals, the Junior Equitation World’s Championship was on the line for 14 riders. Judges Fran and Kim Crumpler and Melissa Moore selected six from the 14 to perform individual workouts. Following their analysis of the workouts, DeLovely Farm’s Brittany McGinnis was crowned the junior grand champion for the second consecutive year. This young lady’s outstanding horsemanship topped several proven champions including reserve world’s champion of champions Eleanor Watkins who is instructed at Zubrod Stables.
DeLovely also was home for third place finisher Ellen Medley Wright who was ahead of Fairfield South’s Ashley Stine, Hollow Haven’s Rachel Machamer, Cryst-A-Kell’s Callie Smith, DeLovely's Abigail Mutrux and Cornell Stables' Chelsea Jo Roby.
Twenty strong, the Open Three-Gaited Park Championship was a free-for-all and the judges’ cards certainly reflected it. In fact, none of the top three horses had a first place vote. It was just one of those classes that was hard to separate, but emerging from the pack to wear the championship blanket of flowers was Our Fallen Angel, the reserve mare winner ridden by Rob Byers for Cheryl Friedman-Allison. Reserve grand champion honors went the way of A Cloudburst, the Willowbank entry piloted by Ryan Stodd. Next was First Class Heir, the stallion/gelding champion ridden by Tom Bombolis. Pocketful Of Magic, Kalarama Shiraz, SJ Great Guts, Bagger Vance, and New York Style completed the list of ribbon winners.
Firmly establishing himself as the under saddle horse of the decade, All Glory captured the Amateur Roadster Under Saddle World’s Championship for the fourth consecutive year. Elizabeth Shatner was again the winning jockey for Belle Reve. The reserve competition among the 14 entries came from Stevie Bagdasarian and Lady Hawke, an entry owned by the Bagdasarian family.
You hope today’s junior exhibitors appreciate the extremely talented horses and ponies they have to show and was that ever true in the Junior Exhibitor Road Pony 14-17 World’s Championship. Freedom Hall was filled with 16 miniature speedsters and their puberty-charged drivers.
Anyone who witnessed the performances given by Seize The Moment and Ali DeGray at Lexington knew this was going to be special. And in Freedom Hall judges Hicks, Melinda Moore, and Kim Crumpler were all in agreement that they were the grand champions of the 14-17 age group. Chris Gantley sent Kilbro’s Wolfgang and Kayla Sapp to reserve world’s champion of champions honors for Stephen and Bill Kildow. Staying at the top of the competition, Jeb Boyd and Heartland Painted Creation landed the yellow championship streamers.
Albert Kaponey, Whims and Wishes, Thunderation, Dun-Haven Grandiose, and last year’s grand champion Tijuana Souvenir, represented the rest of the class of 2005. These eight distinguished themselves in a 16-pony championship.
Coming right back with 22 in the Adult Show Pleasure Championship it was another history making afternoon for Hollow Haven Farm. For the fourth time in four years with four different horses, the Freseths were the winning trainers. Joining the illustrious group was Ninety-Eight Degrees, expertly presented by Alice Unger. It was also a history-making event for Unger who now holds the distinction of winning the Adult Show Pleasure Driving and Adult Show Pleasure Championships in the same year.
The tears flowed for quite a while for Emily Lee who was aboard her reserve world’s champion of champions Hola Buenos Heires. Husband Tre Lee had been getting all the attention with his explosive young stock, so Emily jumped up and made some noise of her own. The all-star cast of ribbon winners that followed was nothing short of incredible: CH My Grande and Amanda Dellinger, Mary Jane Fredrickson and last year’s world’s champion of champions CH A Magic Spell, Lightnin' Lil and Nicolle Beltz Tolliver, CH Sweet Virginia and Barbara Woods, My Southern Charm and Brooke Jacobs, and CH In Neon ERB with Jamie Hitchin. Every one of those horses has won at least one class at Louisville, most of them several.
Fifteen years young, CH Trapp Mountain climbed to the highest peak again, taking Angela Darrow to the Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 13 & Under World’s Champion of Champions title with two of the three top votes. There was cause for great celebration at the Knollwood Farm tack room with that announcement. The holder of Lexington and Louisville titles, Allison Rohloff presented May Issue to the reserve grand championship. This was yet another CH King Of Highpoint offspring to win a world title this year. Also coming away with ribbons among the fifteen competitors were Wind Cruzer, My Gabriella, Sports Night, So Audacious, Glendale’s Bonnie Lass, and Franklin M. Edwards Is Irish.
Back to the evaluation of riders, Olivia Weber triumphed as the Kentucky Riders 14-17 Grand Champion. It has been a good year for her in both equitation and performance classes. Also turning in a nice ride, Lindsay Haupt came away with the reserve championship.
When she’s right she’s right and CH Riva Diva was right on the money to score the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 14-17 Championship, although it took a six-horse workout to do so. Larry Hodge had them fine tuned to garner two first place votes. Not about to let the champions walk away with it, CH French Silk Stockings and Loni Fuller were pretty spectacular themselves to collect one top vote and the reserve world’s champion of champions title. This was another winning team prepared in California by Bill Tomin. The Bess Yet and Megan Kucera, My Good Bye and Tate Bennett, and HMS Royal Winds and Sarah Anderson completed the ribbon winners who made the workout.
Again, the water was extremely deep in this 14-17 championship as Catalyst Commander, Finally Yours, and Callaway’s Torch Bearer grabbed the remaining ribbons while several champions from large shows this year went back to the barns without prizes.
Over the past three years if you had to bet on the outcome of one class each year probably the safest bet of the entire horse show would be the Country Pleasure Driving Championship. CH Callaway’s Pretty Penny and Nancy Anderson leave no room for anyone else to jump up as their each and every performance is the epitome of a country pleasure driving horse. Their third consecutive championship was again unanimous. With some humorous cheering from her "friends" Vicki Gillenwater was thrilled with her catch driving reserve world’s champion of champions performance behind Callaway’s Show Me State. Lisa Heres-Rosenberger was the trainer. Of the 15 entries, In Due Time, Hit Man's Special Delivery, Theology, Sweet Intention, Heirithmatic, and What A Keepsake were also ribbon winners.
Attendance for the ASR Three-Year-Old Park Pleasure National Futurity was so strong that two sections had to be held early in the week to determine the number of entries who would actually compete for more than $13,000 first place money. Fourteen was the number decided upon and there wasn’t a weak link in the group.
Reunited again, Smith Lilly and the Revival daughter, Mother Mary marched their way to two first place votes and a second to win the large paycheck and world title for Platinum Stock Farm. Sandy Currier and the home-bred Bluebonnet’s Challenger (Shoobop Shoobop x Remind Me) secured the reserve prize money, while Joan Lurie and the Supreme Heir son Heir’s Encore earned a first place vote and a nice check for third.
Keeping it all in the family, Bob Anderson and Pacifico's Standing Ovation bounced back to reclaim the World’s Champion of Champions Hackney Pleasure Driving Pony title they held in 2003. This was also the second blanket of roses won by the Anderson family this morning, following wife Nancy's lead in the Country Pleasure Driving Championship. Making it ever sweeter, it was straight across the board.
Speaking of sweet, Cherry Royale was simply tasty with Judy Kjellander providing a grand drive for the reserve world’s champion of champions title. Kjellander has been a long time Morgan owner who got interested in the ponies as well. She was directed by noted Morgan trainer Kurt Hufferd who has also shown some world class Saddlebreds of late. Third place honors went to the many times champion Early Edition who was shown by owner Jane Mueller. Both Early Edition and Cherry Royale had won their qualifiers.
Once Upon A Time, Spirit Of Success, Cover Story, Dun-Haven Pure Elegance, and Match Maker also made the board in this 11-pony championship.
The Midwest barns always come to Louisville with strong contenders but this year it seemed like championship after championship returned to the Illinois/Wisconsin/Minnesota area. Adding to the long list was Martha Hoyt who directed Emily Doll and The Gun Moll to the Three-Gaited Country Pleasure 14-17 Championship. Right on their heels were Jessica Moctezuma and Some Kind Of Magic for reserve honors. Bitters was the next name called to the ribbon presenter. Caroline Amdall was riding. Another of those Jay Wood trained entries, Lady Poinsettia and Chrissy Radintz finished fourth just ahead of CH Highpoint's Abba Zabba, Will Rogers' Showgirl, The Bachelor Prince, and Surfin Safari.
Not only is Lionel Ferreira good with a gaited horse, he had a pretty good hand with Three-Year-Old Fine Harness Stallion/Gelding Div. I World’s Champion Gothic Revival. Owned by John Bulmer, Gothic Revival was colorful and athletic to give his sire, the many times world’s champion Revival, yet another world’s champion offspring. Pushing for the reserve title, Can You Hear Me Now had been the star of Midwest Charity back in June. He did take a first place vote for driver Raymond Shively and owner Mary Jane Fredrickson.
Bringing the Saturday morning session to a close, section two featured the black and white son of RA Hot Every Nite, Doctor Zhivago marching down victory lane with Rob Tanner at the whip for Michele Macfarlane. His athletic performance topped that of reserve champions George Knight and Surfer Boy (Family Jewels x CH Gracie Mansion).
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