The curtains opened on the world’s greatest stage for American Saddlebreds, Hackney Ponies and roadsters as the 106th World’s Championship Horse Show got underway on a more than enjoyable August night in Louisville, Ky. By the time the nine scheduled classes were complete 110 horses and ponies had gone through the gates of Freedom Hall, so of them in the ASR Futurity of Kentucky Weanling and Yearling events. Melinda Moore and Marcy Lafferty King’s Poser Farm were the big winners of the night taking two of the County Fair titles in unanimous fashion and Moore was reserve with one of her in a third County Fair Championship.
Announcer Peter Fenton welcomed the 34 ASR Futurity of Kentucky Weanlings to the ring one by one in the first class of the evening. Nancy Becker, Armon Effinger and Ricky Harris had the judging duties in this one and by the time they had sorted through the ring full of babies a very familiar face was called to the winner’s circle. For many years now we’ve seen Joan Lurie show world’s champion after world’s champion in the in hand division including last year’s Weanling Futurity title with I’m In Heaven (by Undulata’s Nutcracker). This was another title for Lurie and Willowbank trainer Darrell Case as Safecracker, yes another Undulata’s Nutcracker offspring, was pinned the first world’s champion of 2009. Winner of $10,897, Safecracker was entered under the ownership of Hallston Manor LLC and Willowbank but it was announced that B & T Vonderschmitt LLC was the new owner of this extremely nice weanling out of the Supreme Heir daughter, Heir Spray.
The Sunday night audience also showed its appreciation for the reserve world’s champion, Special Dark, a big trotting black son of Gypsy Santana and Phancy Jamas shown by Max Ciampoli for Kaitlin Heisey. They earned a little more than $5,400 for their efforts. Smith Lilly and Rockband (The Wish Card x Callaway’s Campaign Party) went home with $2,700 taking the third place ribbon for Sharon Anderson.
Seven entries paraded across the green shavings for a shot at the Kentucky County Fair Fine Harness Championship. It was a class with horses that have won numerous titles throughout their careers and on this night it was Melinda Moore and Legend Of Troy heading to the winner’s circle for Poser Farm. Last year’s champion, Cherished King, was in reserve with an elegantly turned out Mary Gaylord McClean at the whip. Also a former Kentucky County Fair Champion, Harlem’s Santa Fe put on a great show for owner/driver Susan Bartlett to command the yellow streamers.
After having a record breaking year at the 2008 World’s Championship Horse Show, Rich and Maureen Campbell’s Majestic Oaks was off to another great start this year taking the three-entry Kentucky County Fair Harness Pony Championship. They put Juliet McDonald and The Remington on top as he pumped his flashy, white legs like pistons to earn a unanimous decision. Last year’s winner, Mastercraft’s Promoter LF was the reserve champion with Jeff McClean again in the viceroy for Golden Creek Farms.
Numbers were much better in the Kentucky County Fair Three-Gaited Championship as nine walk-trot horses came through the gate. Melinda Moore was definitely on the money as she piloted the white-faced Callaway’s Emancipation to the unanimous decision for Poser Farm, their second championship of the evening. Tammy DeVore was aboard Hansome Heir for reserve honors and they were followed by Silver Exchange and Brian Chappell in third with a good performance.
The largest pony class of the evening by far, the Kentucky County Fair Road Pony Championship featured 10 high caliber campaigners, including a few ponies that had that had previously won this class. Winner of this class a year ago with Toni Nastali showing from Majestic Oaks, Heartland Victory Maker was the repeat champion, this time with Mike Richardson showing for new owners, the Ververeli family. Richardson had the multi-titled champion in high gear to turn back challenges from several contenders, including reserve champions Jerry Cummins and Heartland Flurry. Patrice Watson O’Brien also had a good drive to take third place honors with Boogity Boogity.
Champions of tomorrow were again on display as 26 entries vied for the ASR Futurity of Kentucky Yearling title and the $10,897 first place check. Just like the Weanling Champion, the Yearling World’s Champion was entered in the program under one name, but new owners were announced. Jim and Shawn Stachowski were the proud new owners of World’s Champion I Am The Storm who was shown by former owner/breeder Kathy Capsuto Walker. I Am The Storm had the pedigree to be a world’s champion as he is sired by the popular fine harness world’s champion Sir William Robert and out of the also popular former fine harness champion CH Dancing Up A Storm LLC. She has proven to be as successful as a broodmare as she was in the ring. The crowd showed plenty of love to reserve world’s champion I’m Mighty Bewitching, a bold moving son of Charmed And Bewitched out of Care Package who was shown by Matt Shiflet and owner Leslie Tickle. Beating 23 other entries, A Higher Power (by Sir William Robert) was third for Joe and Naomi Lengacher.
It’s hard to beat Raymond Shively in a roadster class even when he’s not in it. Mike Felty drove the Raymond Shively owned Fed Ex to win the nine-horse Kentucky County Fair Roadster To Bike Championship. Fed Ex delivered on time to wear the roses ahead of a good group of challengers which included the Melinda Moore owned and driven Talladega Nights. What a night this was for Moore.
Just coming off the limit class blue at Lexington and Hackney Pony Championship and Amateur Hackney Pony Championship at the Ohio State Fair, Heartland Summer Storm topped the four-entry Kentucky County Fair Hackney Pony Championship. Geoff Dixon made the winning driver for longtime Hackney owner Betty Featherston. Golden Creek Farms took its third reserve championship of the night as Mary Gaylord McClean drove Heartland Elise to the red prize. Off to another great Louisville, the Kolkman’s Heartland Hackney Farm bred two of the three Kentucky County Fair Champions in the pony division and they were first and second in this one.
Day one of the 106th World’s Championship Horse Show came to a close with the eight-horse Kentucky County Fair Five-Gaited Championship. This proved to be a very competitive class with the top three really making strong shows, however, when the cards were turned in Ashlyn’s Voodoo Charm had all three first place votes. Rob Byers, who has now won this class three times, was aboard the cocky Santana’s Charm son for Ashlyn Farms LLC. Kristen Bagdasarian and Rebel Rooster were pushing hard to command reserve honors, just ahead of Mike Tunstall and Jaded.
With the first set of champions crowned, the Louisville audience would be back tomorrow morning at 9:00 with Division I of the Country Pleasure Driving class, the first of 43 scheduled classes.