Louisville - Thursday Evening
Friday, August 26, 2016
Thursday night kicked off with the Equitation-palooza, as 18 riders cruised into the ring for the Senior Saddle Seat Equitation World’s Championship. With only six eliminated before the workout, the 12 to test were Alyssa Grace Ridings, Gabriella Snyder, Macey Miles, Malika Keglowitsch, Jacquelyn King, Victoria Walz, Hallie Ricci, Molly Codeanne, Faith Robbins, Ellie Grosspietsch, and Kaeley Arterburn. This event is always a test of endurance and mental toughness, as the class goes on for a solid hour. Not only that, the riders have been dressed in their full formalwear for at least a half hour ahead of time, so they have been wearing those uncomfortable tophats for an insane 90 minutes by the end! This year’s pattern included an extremely long trot without irons all the way around the far turn and down the entire next rail. Two riders stood out on this element, and they ended up as the top two in the class.
The crowd doesn’t cheer during elements of a pattern. It’s an unwritten rule that everyone just knows. But Molly Codeanne was so incredibly good without her stirrups, that the crowd erupted in applause before she was even halfway back down the rail! It was surreal. Her hours and hours of bareback riding at her family farm and the work put in at Cater Stables paid off tonight with a World’s Championship. While Faye and Jessie Wuesthofen pulled off the sister act earlier in this century, this was most likely the first ever mother-daughter tandem to both be crowned the Senior Equitation World’s Champion of Champions. Teamed with CH-EQ Chanti’s Prayer under the direction of David and Kristen Cater, Molly was a star on the green shavings to receive the myriad of trophies, including her family’s Cedarledge Farm Perpetual Trophy, given to the winning instructor, Kristen Cater.
Horsemanship was at a paramount to the panel tonight, with Faith Robbins serving as the reserve world’s champion of champions aboard Heir’s Encore. A reserve national champion twice last year in the pleasure equitation finals, Faith is always the one in the ring that makes you say, “Whoa, who is that?!” She is seamless on a horse under the direction of Kellie Budd Wendling. Faith was also the reserve national champion last year in the Purebred Arabian Equitation 14-18 division. Third in this great group went to Malika Keglowitsch with CH-EQ I’m McDreamy, followed by Macey Miles and CH-EQ Lemon Shake Up WRF in fourth and Victoria Walz in fifth with CH CH-EQ Reedann’s Heir To Glory. That makes all five of the top five part of that exceptional 16-year-old age group.
While there was a mother/daughter connection in the first class, the second class featured a sister/brother team atop the rankings. Kelly Lockhart made her shot at a big title count, winning the Junior Three-Gaited World’s Championship with Sir Graham Cracker. Owner Kathy Capsuto Walker came flying into the ring with trainer Jesse West. Kathy made it about halfway before deciding that she was shod incorrectly and kicked off her shoes to complete her run to the far end. This was Kathy’s sale baby, as she bought his dam, Crackers In Bed, in foal at the 2011 Robertson Equine Sales Fall Sale. The resulting baby by Sir William Robert is now the tricolor bearer for the junior walk-trots. Winner of the Junior Three-Gaited Over 15.2 World’s Championship on Monday, Sedgefield’s Mirror Image was the reserve world’s champion of champions tonight with Kelly’s brother Danny Lockhart aboard. The entry of Jennie Turner Garlington got a huge ovation from the crowd as they trotted around the judges’ stand and out of the ring. Mirror Image is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of CH Our Charming Lady. These two also squared off in this class at Shelbyville, with Danny taking that night’s event.
Retiring the CH Our Canary Diamond Challenge Trophy, CH Our Brilliant Belle was the unanimous winner of the Ladies Fine Harness World’s Championship. This trophy must be won three times by the same horse and driver combination. Lynda Freseth accomplished that tonight with a horse she will long be identified with. She and Andy simply love this mare, and owners Mary and Priscilla Gise feel the same. She has given them everything she has, every step of the way, and there is no sign of stopping. Every step is the same for the incredible daughter of Joe Fabulous and Finally In Tune. Elisabeth Goth got a great sendoff as the reserve world’s champion of champions. She and Here Comes The Boom have really come together as a team in this division for trainer Neil Visser. By Callaway’s Northern Kiss and out of Madame Cost A Lot, Here Comes The Boom is absolutely exceptional in the bridle. Few horses can put their head and neck where he can, and he is just a year into doing this job. CH Cherished King and Helen Rich were a good third in this nice group.
It’s nice to have a stud consistently throwing young gaited horses like Marc Of Charm has been. Another of his slick-racking offspring was the winner of the Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited Mare World’s Championship with Lionel Ferreira. An entry of Melrose LLC, Monnington Glam Girl is out of Sunrise’s Geisha, by Gothic Revival. Also a winner at Midwest Charity, Glam Girl can flat sit and get it. She took a great step down victory lane. Coming with an impressive resume in the Arabian world, Mike Aponte has had great success in his first year at Mike Roberts Stables. His first trip over the green shavings ended with a reserve world’s championship in this impressive group. He rode the entry of Gayle Lampe, Wildbriar’s Poetry In Motion, to claim that award. By Simbara’s Rio Bravo, she is out of Reality Check, by Yorktown Magic. The white-faced horse made a good trip tonight for Mike Aponte. Share The Moment and Debbie Foley were a quick-stepping third, with Summer Lullaby and Paul Boone in fourth.
Raymond Shively brought the curtain down on Emerson’s career in the Roadster to Wagon World’s Championship. True to his word a year ago, he retired the horse from the bike division, then gave him one more year as a wagon horse to collect one final blanket of flowers. He did just that tonight for Raymond, with Mark Turner heading him up one final time. Lillian Shively bawled her eyes out as she watched her man take that final turn of the track. One of the best ever and the only one to ever win the bike stake six years in a row, Emerson finishes his career with 67 wins and five reserves in 72 trips to the show ring. He never finished lower than second, and he won on this track an unbelievable 13 times. Reserve for the second time this week, Scatman Du was the reserve world’s champion of champions with Steve Crabtree. This was the fourth time for these two to claim this prize, having won this class the last three times they were in it.
Best of a great group in the Five-Gaited Show Pleasure World’s Championship was Jennie Turner Garlington with Pass With Care. These two were reserve world’s champion of champions in 2014 for the Kalarama team. Jennie has a longtime love for this division, having won this tricolor title in 2008 with her longtime great, Champagne Treat. Pass With Care has long been a star on the green shavings, winning here in 2011, 2012, 2014, and now 2016. The chestnut gelding is by Desert’s Supreme Memories and out of Kalarama’s My Heart. Ali DeGray was a reserve winner here with Billy Deluxe for the second time on the week. Reserve in their split as well, Ali and Billy are trained by Tammy Devore. This was the son of CH Superior’s Successor and Wind Drift’s Back Talk’s best Louisville show since winning it all in 2011 and 2012. Morgan Brison and Gentleman were a wildly lauded third for Fairview Farm, with CH I’m Something Wicked and McGee Bosworth a game fourth for High Caliber Stables.
With a spectacular performance, Paul Cates won the Three-Year-Old Three-Gaited World’s Championship with Madeira’s Blue Rose for Alta Dare Farm. By Madeira’s Wings Of Reality and out of My Regina Rose, Blue Rose strutted his stuff tonight on the green shavings. Paul was overwhelmed with happiness, making the decision to trim after his Three-Year-Old Three-Gaited Park win at Harrodsburg. Blue Rose works way up high in the forehand, park trotting to a unanimous win. Another by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of CH Our Charming Lady, Sedgefield’s Never A Doubt was the reserve world’s champion with Steve Wheeler. An entry of McDonald LLC, Never A Doubt is a special chestnut gelding with a similar offset stripe to barnmate Macadamia. A.J. Bruwer and Cherished Assets were a strong third for John T. and Karen Jones, while Nobody Knows and Neil Visser were fourth for Diane Sembler Kamins.
Tempt Me and Susan Bartlett’s undefeated campaign continued in an 11-entry Amateur Fine Harness World’s Championship. Ladies world’s champion here in 2014, Tempt Me has fully come into her own now for trainer Chuck Herbert. By Dorian Wild Temper and out of a Belle Reve’s Renaissance Man mare, Tempt Me is incredibly fine and incredibly free-moving. Her motion seemed effortless as she trotted down to the winner’s circle, with Chuck giving a fist pump to his crowd. Janet Sterba was beside herself with a reserve win in this super-deep event. She drove the heck out of CH Caraway’s New York Minute tonight for trainer Smith Lilly. Her beautiful red dress with perfectly matched red gloves looked great under the big lights. She has now developed her signature celebration of pointing to the Mercer Springs crowd as they blow up Freedom Hall with their supportive cheers. By I’m A New Yorker and out of Caraway, New York Minute was also the reserve world’s champion of champions last year. Costa Nostra and Phyllis Brookshire made their final drive together in third for new owner Helen Rich. Kalarama’s New York Lady and David Rudder finished fourth for Sam and Vicki Reed.
Bred by Dr. Louis and Germaine Johnson, Texas Pete is by Master Class and out of their daughter Ivy’s world’s champion gaited pony, Miss Outta My Way. Now owned by Don and Phyllis Brookshire, Texas Pete was ridden to a blue ribbon in the 18-strong Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited Stallion/Gelding World’s Championship by Matt Shiflet. Making their first show together, Texas Pete and Matt lit the ring on fire with a huge shout coming from multiple locations, fitting of the myriad connections of this special youngster. My Royale Charm got a shot to cross with the great A Daydream Believer (BHF). The product is now a reserve world’s champion, HS Daydream’s Perfect Gentleman. Tracy James Rossouw rode this one to the red ribbon for Hagan Saddlebreds. Debbie Foley rode this one to a win at Blue Ridge last month for Scott Hagan. Phor The Love Of Pete and Mike Tunstall finished third, with Monnington Remarcable and Lionel Ferreira fourth for Riverdreams LLC.
It was a unanimous win for Andre van Schalkwyk and Diamond District in the Junior Fine Harness World’s Championship. The entry of Susan Olcott is now three for three on the green shavings, winning his qualifier this week and the Three-Year-Old Fine Harness Stallion/Gelding World’s Championship in 2015. By Simbara’s Living Legend and out of the top producer Callaway’s Finders Keepers, Diamond District really got cranked up when Andre highlined him down the rail. Bret Day had the mare winner Amelie up for the reserve world’s champion of champions title. Owned by Ghareeb Equine Investments, Amelie is a beautiful dark bay mare with a white stripe. She hasn’t been beaten by a mare in the last two years, capturing back to back qualifier wins here in Freedom Hall. By Gypsy Santana, she is out of Phancy Jamas. Enough Fluff and A.J. Bruwer were third here for Ashlyn Farms.
Though he almost ran over his header on the victory pass, Steve Crabtree was the big winner in the $15,000 USTA Roadster to Bike Classic. He drove Finnmaster to the tricolor tonight. Steve always seems to have one in this class, with this being his first win of the top prize. A longtime road horse aficionado, Steve has found a really good one in Finnmaster, winner three times in his four trips to the ring. Mike Tunstall and Pick Your Poison finished second with one of their best drives. Lisa McMackin owns this one, an under saddle horse before this year. This was Pick Your Poison’s second ever show in harness! Holy Cannoli and Jon Walker finished third for the Schaffel family. This one looks a whole lot like the great IAmNotACow.
Still undefeated in her incredible young career, Vegas Moon was the spectacular and unanimous winner of the Junior Five-Gaited World’s Championship with Tre Lee. Sweepstakes winner back on Sunday, Vegas Moon is owned by Golden Creek Farms. Tre is the only person to ever show this mare, winner here as a two-year-old, three-year-old, and twice now as a four-year-old. His masterful performance tonight included a last pass that was set up by a halt at the in gate to freshen the bay mare’s mouth, then a rocket shot down the center of the ring. A former resident of Prospect Lane, We Must Be Really Nuts put on a great show as well to be named reserve world’s champion of champions with Kenny Smith. Reserve for the second time this week for Barbara Goodman Manilow, We Must Be Really Nuts is out of that special cross of Undulata’s Nutcracker and Evangelique. Barbara made this selection after Emily Lee’s winning ride with the gelding at Kentucky Spring Premier this year. Kenny has the game and gifted gelding working in high order. Top three in this class for the second year in a row, Bret Day rode to that prize with HS I’m A Dreamer for Chestnut Dream LLC. The Brightest Blue and Daniel Lockhart were fourth for Hillcroft Farm.
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