Louisville - Tuesday Night
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The evening began with eight high-stepping three-year-olds competing in their National Three-Gaited Futurity. With big money at stake trainers were riding hard and owners were watching to see whom the panel would name to pick up the first big check and world’s title of the night. The Revival-sired mare MBA’s Revival Of The Blues, with Tre´Lee on board, headed to the winner’s circle for new owners Ricky Cook and Bruce Williams. Revival Of The Blues represented her dam Crimson Blue on the way to picking up a check for $12,910. Steve Wheeler and Passionut (Undulata’s Nutcracker x CH Passion) were next on the cards as the reserve world’s champions and they earned $6,455 for Stockings N Stripes LLC.
Tom Scott exited with Undulata’s Crystal Clear, sired by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of CH Crystal Illusion, in third place and the yellow ribbon earned them $3,228 for Rum River Farm, Inc. Don Harris left the ring as only he can with his trademark style after Nut A Chance was named to fourth place for Don and Judy Harris. Nut A Chance picked up $1,936.
In a night that would have more unanimous decisions than not from the panel, the first 1-1-1 came after the Amateur Gentlemen’s Three-Gaited. As happens so often in Freedom Hall, the crowd got behind their favorites to cheer them on and when results were announced, the panel had gotten behind CH Sue-She. The bay mare and owner Jeff Schab were met by ecstatic trainer Jannie Giles for the presentation of the blue ribbons. Carson Kressley teamed Ro & Me’s Lady Godiva to the reserve title in the eight-entry class for Andrea Nicole Perry.
The first of two splits for the ASR Futurity Of Kentucky Two-Year-Old Fine Harness followed in the evening’s lineup. The entries chosen by the panel from each section will return to compete in Friday night’s final.
Fourteen amateur riders headed down the ramp into Freedom Hall with their 15.2 and under three-gaited horses. The very deep class had judges working hard to decide on their ribbon winners but when it was all over, they were in complete agreement that With Style And Grace would be the repeat winner with Tara Grom. Alexis Braswell and A Silver Charm were the reserve champions for Little Cahaba Properties and The Proof Is In Their Heir claimed the yellow streamers with Jan Small-Beth riding from Cascade Stables.
The first section of the Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited 14-17 class was held earlier Tuesday afternoon. Section two featured eight hard-riding junior riders competing for the ribbons and the chance to come back for their championship. Tammy DeVore has had a lot of success at Louisville but perhaps no victory was as sweet as tonight’s. She watched son Tyler and Thunderstorm Warning take their victory pass after a unanimous decision. Tyler was so excited he surprised his mom and rather than exiting, turned the corner and headed back down the rail for one more blue ribbon pass in front of the appreciative crowd. Drew Taylor Hewitt and Callaway’s Eight Below were the reserve world’s champions riding from Clouse Stables.
Seven open three-gaited horses trotted onto the green shavings for their 15.2 and under stake and they put on a very nice class, but ultimately it was Swing An Singin who emerged from the pack and brought down the house for the unanimous win with Smith Lilly. The elegant bay mare, last year’s Junior Three-Gaited 15.2 and Under World’s Champion with Mark Hulse, seemed to float in mid air as she park-trotted to thunderous applause from the crowd including that of owners Kenny and Ceil Wheeler.
Luman Wadhams may soon be heading to Oklahoma City for the Morgan Grand National but he made the trip to Louisville with Thunderboomer, owned by Elaine Gregory, and they were named the reserve world’s champions with a strong effort.
The Amateur Five-Gaited Stallion or Gelding class was full of talent with a group of 11 answering the gate call. The amateur riders rode full out in an effort to showcase their horses for the panel and there were numerous great passes down the rail that got the crowd going. In what would be yet another unanimous decision the powerful stallion Fort Chiswell’s Royal Kiss carried Elisabeth Goth to the winner’s circle to wait for Neil Visser to pin the winning ribbons. The win was their third of the season in three times out. David Rudder rode Mrs. Paul E. Rice’s stallion Harlem’s Go To Man to the red ribbon from Kalarama Farm. Last year’s winner of the class, CH Breaking News, claimed the yellow ribbon with Megan McClure in the irons showing from West Wind Stables.
Next the three-year-olds came to Freedom Hall for their ASR National Three-Year-Old Fine Harness Futurity. All six did a good job for the panel but when their cards were turned in it was the high-stepping black gelding son of Undulata’s Nutcracker and Tornaado’s Tidal Wave, Night Tide, named to head down victory lane with a check for nearly $13,000. Ruth Gimpel had the winning drive for Helen Rosburg. Pedro Martinez drove Crystal’s American Idol, sired by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of the mare CH Crystal Illusion, for Pidgeon Roost Farm and they took the reserve world’s title and $6,455. James Stachowski drove Born To Believe (He’s Born To Royalty x Callaway’s Believe It) to third and they picked up a check for $3,228 for owner Kim Jarvis.
Nine over 15.2 walk-trots carried their amateur riders to the green shavings and the multi-titled field did a great job of entertaining the crowd and getting their support as they put on a nice class for the world’s title. The panel chose Zagnut, with Mary Jane Kirkpatrick up for Glasscock Financial to take the winning victory pass under the direction of Steve and Tiffany Wheeler, earning two of the three first place votes. Barbara Goodman Manilow and CH Marching Orders won this class last year and now Marching Orders has moved to the junior exhibitor ranks with Maya Manilow. Goodman-Manilow’s amateur three-gaited horse Call Me Regal exited with the reserve title under the direction of Skyline Stables. Boston Legal and Elizabeth Shatner took the top three finish and CH Mega Star was fourth with a first place vote with owner Coe London on board.
Karen Waldron had a great night at the World’s Championship Horse Show as she won the first of two world’s titles in the Amateur Ladies Harness Pony class. Sweetheart Of Success topped a field of eight with two first place votes to win the blue ribbon with Waldron driving. Impress My Daddy was right there with an impressive effort for reserve with Georgia Blevins. The class was full of world titleholders including defending champion Crystal Creek’s Commander. Sandra Surber put it all together for the top three drive from Majestic Oaks. Regal’s Norma Jean LF and Stephany Monteleone just won at Illinois State Fair under the direction of Abel Vega and they earned a first place vote on their way to the fourth place ribbon.
If Raymond Shively is “The Master of Faster,” then Judy McNeish needs a moniker to denote her incredible success in the roadster to wagon division. Six wagon horses sped through the gate for their amateur class and they had plenty of room to spread out and “turn it on.” McNeish had already won this class seven times from 2004 through 2010 with her beloved Invincible Summer. Tonight she would make it win number eight as S Sparrow Express was called out as the world’s champion. When McNeish’s number was called she looked up at the heavens as if in silent thanks and then took the victory pass for owner Jason Schrock and trainer Steve Crabtree. Jon Dabareiner has battled it out in the roadster division on the green shavings a time or two and he is a veteran. Postmaster Mike and Dabareiner left the ring with the red ribbon for Fish N Fun Farms.
From the road horses the schedule shifted to the youngsters again and yet another beautiful group of three-year-olds headed down the ramp. The ASR National Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited Futurity hosted a great field of contenders. Interestingly enough all eight ribbon winners were sired by a different stallion. The panel named He’s In Style the winner with Tracy James Rossouw riding for DeLovely Farms. Sired by Deep Blue and out of She’s In Style, He’s In Style picked up the big check and the world’s title. Chris Brannan, from Merlin Farm, rode out on the Samur-sired Samur’s Lady In Blue for the reserve for owner Charles Barthomomaus. They earned a first place vote by he panel. CH Caramac sired Debbie Gabbert’s entry First Madam President with Debbie Foley riding hard for third. They picked up just over $3,000 for their efforts.
Emily Lee teamed Be Careful In Vegas to fourth for Golden Creek Farms. Sired by Northern Vegas and out of Careless Heiress, the fourth place finish earned just over $1,900. Wicked Or Not, sired by Santana’s Charm, was fifth with Wendy Bruwer showing for Wendy and A.J. Bruwer. Desert’s Supreme Memories sired Virgil Helm’s three-year-old, Two Punch, and they exited with the sixth place finish and a check for $516. Copper Coin’s Contender sired seventh place winner Kiss My Face. Todd Walker rode for Copper Coin Farm. Recently deceased sire CF First Night Out was represented in the ribbons with eighth place ribbon winner Bail Out. Pedro Martinez handled the ride for Blythewood Farms.
The amateur five-gaited mares were next and their class was one of the night’s best. Ten mares made the gate call and from the first step they battled hard. It soon came down to a contest for the top spot between two very different-going and accomplished mares. Ceil Wheeler’s fan club cheered CH Pucker Up’s every step. The big, rangy mare was powerful and Wheeler was masterful. Carol Hillenbrand teamed her much more compact but equally as powerful Ava Gardner to a very solid performance. Although neither mare had a perfect trip, they each made more than one great pass on the rail and got the crowd behind them. When the cards were turned in, it was two-time world’s champion Ava Gardner named as the winner to successfully defend her titles, this her first with Hillenbrand. Ava’s third win in a row meant that she retired the CH Rage Of The Stage Challenge Trophy.
CH Pucker Up also earned a first place vote on her way to the reserve world’s title with Wheeler. Many Pearls and Cindy Sherman Siders claimed the yellow streamers, a good share of the crowd’s support and the final first place vote for their strong performance for owner Carl Fischer, Jr. of Meadowlake Farm. Jo Ann Griffin rode Callaway’s Karla to fourth under the Silver Brook Stables banner.
The amateur ladies were dressed to the nines as they entered Freedom Hall with their cob-tail ponies. All six teams were in top form but the panel decided that On The Mark was indeed on the mark to win the class with Karen Waldron. They earned two first place votes for their victory under the direction of Larry Ella. Heartland Rough And Ready and Toni Nastali turned in a strong team effort garnering one of the first place votes to be named the reserve champions from Majestic Oaks.
The night’s final class, always reserved for the open gaited mares, ended the night on a high note. The Murray-Foley rivalry always gets the crowd going and adding more hardworking mares to that mix had the crowd in a fever pitch. There were plenty of opportunities for the panel to change their minds as mare after mare made good pass after good pass. When it was all over however, the panel named Debbie Foley and Callaway’s Annabel Allison, sired by CH Caramac, as the world’s champion to give her the repeat win for Silver Brook Stables. The hardworking bay mare continued her undefeated season after wins at Asheville and Midwest.
Merrill Murray rode out with a huge share of the crowd’s support with Larry Hartsock’s Star Material-sired beautiful Walterway’s What About Me to take the reserve title to go with their win in the mare class at Lexington and Kenny Smith piloted Our Sweet Addison, sired by Desert’s Supreme Admiral, with a crowd-pleasing performance to third for Barbara Goodman Manilow.
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