Louisville - Tuesday Evening
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
by Leeann Mione
In a night with 16 action-packed classes on the schedule, six gorgeous three-year-olds were first to come down the ramp for their ASR National Three-Year-Old Three-Gaited Futurity. With more than $18,000 up for grabs, the babies had more at stake than just a Louisville title.
After attracting a lot of attention in their debut together at Indianapolis Charity, the high-headed and crowd pleasing HS Daydream’s Head’s Up and Tre Lee were named the world’s champions tonight to continue the success of Hagan Saddlebreds this week. One of three entries in the class sired by Undulata’s Nutcracker, Hagan’s unanimous winning entry was out of the Hall Of Fame broodmare A Daydream Believer and picked up more than $9100 for the win. Undulata’s Secret Rendezvous and Maria Gilman stepped up next for a red ribbon after a strong performance. The entry owned by Jennifer Katko and Siege LLC was sired by Nutcracker and out of Gotta Secret. The Design-sired Redwing Farm-owned and bred entry Say Yes To The Dress was third with Bob Brison showing. The Werner’s young mare is out of Glenview’s Successful.
Amateur gentlemen were next in the ring with their three-gaited horses. A field of seven put on a great show for the audience and when they lined up the crowd definitely had their favorites. In the end it was last year’s winner of the class, CH Sue-She, named as the winner with Jeffrey Schab showing from Black Horse Manor. The win gave them impressive back-to-back Amateur Gentlemen’s Three-Gaited World’s Championships. Dylan Hines rode out to lots of screams and cheers when Odyssey Man was named the reserve world’s titleholder.
The ASR Two-Year-Old Fine Harness Kentucky Futurity hosted a very nice group of nine and they battled for more than $16,000 in prize money. From the beginning We Must Be Nuts marched down the rail like he owned the ring, just as he did in his show ring debut in a torrential downpour at Mercer County Fair. The huge colt had an impressive “look at me” attitude as he paraded down Louisville’s victory lane. Now owned by Grace Arnold, We Must Be Nuts (Undulata’s Nutcracker x Evangelique) picked up more than $8000 for the unanimous win. Sir Surreal, sired by Sir William Robert and out of Harlem’s Irish Lass, was last year’s ASR Yearling Futurity of Kentucky World’s Champion. He debuted this season at Midwest for the win with Geof Dixon and they picked up a nice slice of the pie after being named the reserve champions tonight for Kathy Capsuto Walker and Paula Schmidt.
Shop Around exited with the yellow streamers after a great effort for owner and driver Bob Hughes. Sired by Undulata’s Heir Apparent and out of Sugar Pie Honey, Shop Around was also a popular choice with the crowd. Double Edge, sired by Bobese and out of Double Diva, was fourth with Kathy Capsuto Walker driving. Chuck Herbert drove MBA’s Nuttin’ But Blue to fifth for Margo Baird. The Nutcracker-sired entry is out of Crimson Blue. The Blythewood Farms entry Out Of Money (CF First Night Out x Callaway’s More Than Money) and Pedro Martinez claimed sixth. Freshly Dipped and George Schmid were seventh for owner Silver Brook Stables. The (SA) Dorian Warrior’s Song sired entry, out of Sterling Colors, wouldn’t be the last Debbie Foley trained entry getting the judges attention this night. McClean, sired by CH Top Spool and out of CF One Winter Night, claimed the final ribbon with Wendy Winstead showing for Julianne Wilson.
The amateur under-two horses were next on the schedule and they put on a heck of a show for the crowd and for the third year in a row, CH With Style And Grace and Tara Grom took the victory pass for Bob and Kim Grom. The DeLovely Farm-trained team earned a first place vote from all three judges. Swing An Singin has been popular with the Louisville crowd since winning with Mark Hulse in 2010 and Smith Lilly last year. Wheeler has been in the irons this year and rode out again to a huge ovation and the red ribbon after they were named the amateur reserve world’s champions. Owner Greg Outs and Fashion Blue stepped up after a strong effort to claim the yellow ribbon for third.
The second section for the 14-17 junior exhibitors riding their gaited horses hosted a very deep group of 11. They had a lot on the line, as only the ribbon winners return for the championship class Friday evening with the ribbon winners from section one. There were several teams that were in contention for the blue ribbon but it was McGee Bosworth and CH I’m Something Wicked named to take the victory pass. Mary and Evan Orr met them for their presentation. Camille Cowart and Lexington’s champion Callaway’s Born To Ride battled hard as they claimed the reserve finish under the West Wind Stables banner. Last year’s winner Thunderstorm Warning and Tyler DeVore were also right there with a strong team effort and they claimed the yellow ribbon.
Platinum Moon and Danny Lockhart followed up their Lexington blue with the winning performance in the Three-Gaited 15.2 and Under Stake. The Periaptor sired dark bay gelding was followed in the ribbons by the popular Undulata’s Susan McGee and Matt Shiflet. They exited to a lot of applause for their reserve on behalf of owners Barbour Childress and Bambi Bollin. With a topnotch performance, VHF Belle Epoque and Robert Gardiner rounded out the top three for Chevelle Show Horses.
Things had been rolling along pretty smoothly this evening until the Amateur Five-Gaited Stallion/Gelding class which by the end of it was the worst great class of the night. Twenty-one teams came down the ramp and from the first horse in the ring, the crowd was loud with their enthusiasm. Not too long into it Elisabeth Goth and last year’s reigning world’s champion Fort Chiswell’s Royal Kiss took a time out. When they returned back on the rail it just seemed as if Freedom Hall didn’t have room enough for the explosive performances of this unbelievably hard working group. Another time out halted the action briefly and when everyone got going again they settled in but almost everyone had some sort of trouble. There was a lot of bumping and jostling and near misses before the huge group lined up. On the way to the line up Owen Weaver made and Courageous Lord made a yeah boy pass that got the crowd fired up.
While the judges sorted through the talented field trying to make up their minds, horses were asked to retire to the gate entrance end of the ring. Mary Gaylord McClean and Zombie Stomp had had a great trip so far but as they were waiting he seemed to respond to the electricity in the air and suddenly went up and over. Announcer Peter Fenton asked the group to proceed slowly to the other end and emergency technicians were summoned to the ring. McClean is as game as the horses and ponies she shows and she soon was up and walking on her own power. A very relieved crowd cheered her on and Peter Fenton asked her to stop at the out gate while he announced the class results.
After a stellar performance despite an equipment issue, Fort Chiswell’s Royal Kiss battled his way to the top in commanding fashion with Goth to take the win for the second year in a row. Dr. Owen Weaver laughed and cried as she came to the lineup with CH Courageous Lord, the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Five-Gaited World’s Grand Champion. Weaver had ridden hard and the crowd let her know they appreciated the effort. She claimed the reserve ribbon for Fox Grape Farms. Zombie Stomp and Mary McClean finished with the top three and the fact that McClean walked out of the ring under her own power made that ribbon more like solid gold. Former world’s grand champion and many times world’s champion CH Breaking News and Megan McClure were fourth and they were followed in fifth by New York’s Real Magic and Traci Massaro. The final three ribbons went to Mark Of Perfection with Jessica Curl, Don’t Ask Me with Kelsey Price and Limebank King Of Clubs with Janet Kellett.
The ASR National Three-Year-Old Fine Harness Futurity had two splits, neither of which was tied. Six leg-waving three-year-olds came in for section one to be evaluated by the panel to see which would qualify for their final.
The Amateur Three-Gaited Over 15.2 class was yet another this evening that hosted a big and very talented group. The panel was in complete agreement that Barbara Goodman Manilow and Call Me Regal were the number one team. Kenny Smith headed in to join them for the blue ribbon presentation. Kalarama’s Blue Mac and Jacqueline Beck turned in the reserve world’s championship performance for Williams Family Trust under the direction of Neil Visser. Ceil Wheeler and Work It were top three and CH New York’s Perfect Gift ERB was fourth with Betsy Thomas.
One of the truisms of the World’s Championship Horse Show is that it brings out the best of the best and that was definitely true in the Amateur Ladies Harness Pony class. With hackney and harness pony numbers getting smaller and smaller at shows around the country, it was fantastic to see 14 high stepping longtail ponies enter the ring. From that 14, all eight ribbon winners were current or former world’s champions and world’s grand champions.
Part of her motivation to get up and walk out after her amateur class was the fact that Mary Gaylord McClean still had a very nice pony to show. McClean had to be in top form because she faced not only one of the biggest groups so far this year. Coming off a win in the Kentucky County Fair Championship on Sunday night, Last Call and Mary McClean took the victory pass with an impressive effort amongst the deep talent. CH Crystal Creek’s Commander and Sandra Surber finished with the reserve from Majestic Oaks and Dun-Haven Phenomenal was third with Kathryn Nichols, also from Majestic Oaks. Heartland Expectation and Tamra Arndt were fourth and Sweetheart of Success was fifth. Karen Waldron and Sweetheart Of Success were the 2011 winners of the class. Major Impact and Karen Frickey, Impress My Daddy with Patrice Watson O’Brien and CH Regal’s Norma Jean with Stephany Monteleone claimed the remaining ribbons.
The pony class was followed by the second section of the ASR National Three-Year-Old Fine Harness Futurity premlinimary. Six entries came through the gate to try to impress the panel for a chance to return.
After a huge pony class and so many big classes all evening, only two road horses came through the gate for the Amateur Roadster To Wagon class. Judy McNeish and Last Call were the unanimous winners followed by BJ’s Hail Storm and Kenny Wheeler. He drove to reserve for owner Milward Dedman. This was McNeish’s ninth consecutive year as the winning driver in this class.
The ASR National Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited Futurity offered over $18,000 in prize money and more than $9000 to the winner. Ten teams came down the ramp ready to do battle and win some money. Great pass after great pass by several in the big group combined with two time outs made it tough choice but the panel decided to award three number ones to The Tiger Lily and Steve Wheeler. Beautiful, animated, and expressive only begin to describe one of the evening’s sensational stars. Owned and bred by Fox Grape Farms, the (SA) Dorian Wild Temper and Callaway’s Carnation daughter debuted and won at Blue Ridge.
The second place finisher performed like a rock star and was named after one too. Beaucoup Of Blues was both an album and song by former Beatles member Ringo Starr. In this class, the CH Call Me Ringo sired son out of Make It Magic stepped up to claim the red ribbon with Robert Gardiner riding. Gardiner showed for owner/breeder/sister Katherine Hansil. Callaway’s Sweet Thing (Callaway’s Blue Norther x Sweet Sachet (BHF)) and Smith Lilly were third for Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Shires and Allison Combs. Virgil Helm rode Moonlight Memories for Roberta Rassieur to fourth. Rassieur also bred her Desert’s Supreme Memories and Tanbark’s Enchanted Evening daughter.
Koekie DeVillers has been to the World’s Championship Horse Show before but she made her debut on the green shavings with Bewitching Orchid for Paula Schmidt and Kathy Capsuto Walker. The Charmed and Bewitched daughter, out of Harlem’s Black Orchid, was fifth. Ed Hardy and Chuck Herbert were sixth for Redwing Farm and The Perfect Design was seventh for Silver Brook Stables. The final ribbon went to Cuttin Up and Jaisen Von Ballmoos for Pensco Trust Company Custodian.
The Amateur Five-Gaited Mare class was deep with 12 teams and they also had to contend with a time out for a thrown shoe. The amateur riders put their mounts back out on the rail and everybody rode hard but in the end it was Misdee Wrigley Miller named to head down victory lane with Cavalia showing from Kalarama Farm. Turning The Page and Amy Dix Rock were next in line as the reserve world’s champions under the direction of Rob and Sarah Byers. Danny Cummins and Mystery Talk exited to a loud ovation from the crowd and the third place ribbon.
The Amateur Ladies Hackney Pony class featured nine cobtails which although not as big as the harness pony class still showcased a highly decorated group of ponies, many of them world’s and reserve world’s champions.
When Heartland Fortune Maker and Faydelle Schott were called out as the winners, the audience responded with many standing and cheering. As Schott drove out of the ring followed by trainer Bob Phillips, her smile couldn’t have been any bigger, nor could Fortune Maker have been any more sensational. Last year’s class winner, On The Mark, was named the red ribbon winner with Karen Waldron showing under the direction of Larry Ella. Linda Fischer was called on to drive Heartland Globe-Trotter for owner Sandra Surber and they took third from Majestic Oaks.
The evening’s finale the Five-Gaited Mare Stake gave a fantastic end to an evening full of highlights and surprises. Thirteen powerful mares battled it out and it was a very hard fought battle between the top contenders. They traded great passes and the crowd responded. As the class progressed it was obvious that the enthusiasm of the audience made the mares respond and CH Callaway’s Annabel Allison just couldn’t get enough. She responded to the challenge and came out with the unanimous win with Debbie Foley. Their victory made it a three-peat as World’s Champion Five-Gaited Mare after previously having won the World’s Champion Of Champions Ladies Five-Gaited title. The crowd gave a huge ovation in recognition of the efforts of Voulez Vous and Brian Chappell. The Periaptor daughter gave it everything she had and earned the red ribbon for Nalley Champions LLC. Rhythm and Romance was knocking on the door and Gerhardt Roos claimed the yellow ribbon for Shields and Associates.
The night was full of hard fought battles and great numbers, with world’s title holders showing again and again. Many of those battles will be repeated later in the week and again thrill us as we cheer them on.
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