Louisville - Wednesday Evening
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Marching through the chute to open Wednesday evening’s session were 10 elegant, over 15.2 three-gaited horses with their lady riders. CH Our Charming Lady has become the epitome of the ladies division. Once again Mary Marcum Orr had the bay beauty parading around the ring for the unanimous victory for owners Jack and Donna Finch. Capturing the reserve title was the 2007 winner of this class Madeira’s Love. Tonight Owen Weaver presented the Fox Grape Farms entry. Carrying out the yellow streamers was Ali DeGray with Wee Pee’s Storm.
The elegance continued as nine amateur ladies harness ponies made their way into Freedom Hall. Peter Fenton called it a truly beautiful class as he called Truly Naughty By Nature to the winner’s circle. Cheryl Innis looked magnificent behind the high stepping pony catch-driving the Rodney Hicks trained Hackney for Kathleen Comeau. Garnering the reserve title was world title holder Sweetheart Of Success and Karen Waldron under the direction of Larry Ella. Rounding out the top three was Lexington champion Regal’s Pride LF and Karen Frickey.
Four top performers were in next for the Stallion/Gelding Fine Harness Stake. Taking home the top honor unanimously was Joe Friday. Ruth Gimpel on the lines of the grand horse in a beautiful dress that had a coppery brown top and adorned with a shimmering gold skirt that played off Joe Friday’s sleek chestnut coat as he showed off his lofty harness park trot. This marked the second year in a row that a horse owned Helen Rosburg has earned the top honor, as The Tango Dancer was the 2007 winner. Crowned the Kentucky County Fair Fine Harness Champion on the first evening of competition, Cherished King captured the reserve ribbon and a nice round of applause with Mary Gaylord McClean impeccably dressed in a flowing earth toned dress.
The junior exhibitors hit the ring next vying for section one of the 14-17 Three-Gaited World’s Championship. Besting a field of 15 was the toppy CH Mahvalous Asset. Paige Pennington did a great job working the ring under the direction of Marjorie Judd. Emily Druckman marched CH Heathermoor’s Prince to the reserve title with My Elegance On Parade and Ellie Headlee carrying out the yellow streamers.
In the Hackney Pony Stallion/Gelding Stake Larry Bacon piloted the animated defending world’s grand champion Lord Ovation to the winner’s circle for Art and Gaye Bircher. Karen Waldron was back to the ring this time with the flashy On The Mark earning the reserve title with much approval from their fan club.
Always one of the deepest classes of the entire week, the Ladies Five-Gaited Gelding class was split this time around. Bursting through the gate next in section one were 11 hard riding teams working for the top honor. I’m Royalty Too has been at the top of his game all season either with Rob Byers or Heather DiGiannantonio. Tonight DiGiannantonio had the honor of presenting the grand horse. Putting a superb ride together the team captured the blue unanimously for Rosemarie and Louis Fernandez. Laurel Nelson kept Alfa Bravo in gear never putting an ear back earning the reserve title with crowd pleaser Grand Revival and Desiree DeVries rounding out the top three.
The schedule took a break as twice World’s Grand Champion Fancy Ribbons was honored in her retirement ceremony. The grand Hackney was paraded one last time on the green shavings by Marilyn Macfarlane with her owner Randi Wightman, previous owners, previous trainers and others that have been part of this pony’s spectacular career gathering in center ring. A video was shown overhead highlighting her career as blanket of roses were presented.
Work was called back to order as the Over 15.2 Three-Gaited Stake was called into Freedom Hall. Marching through the chute first was Harlem’s Showman. Robert Gardiner has been campaigning the Harlem Globetrotter son since he was three and claimed the UPHA Classics Championship. Tonight he had the stunning black horse in top order as he had him looking through the bridle and park trotting down the rail and to the winner’s circle for Beata Flatley-Lilja. Just last night Gardiner also won the under 15.2 Stake and one has to wonder when was the last time a trainer under 30 has won both three-gaited stakes in the same year? Reserve honors went to Romance In New York. Kenny Smith was aboard the I’m A New Yorker daughter for Marjorie Ferguson and Kristen Pettry. Smith first debuted with the mare winning the 2006 World’s Champion Three-Gaited Park Mare class after purchasing her through Gardiner just a few weeks earlier. Paul Boone was in the irons for Kathy Lyda Berger rounding out the top three with the incomparable CH Yes It’s True.
The Hackneys were back to the ring this time for the Hackney Pony Mare Stake. Capturing the title in unanimous fashion was Heartland Elise with Jeff McClean on the lines. Mike Barlow presented the fancy Heartland Moonglow garnering the reserve title for Kay Marschel.
The peacocks of the show ring returned to the green shavings with their lady riders for the under 15.2 stake. Tonight the spotlight belonged to former Junior Three-Gaited World’s Champion Of Champions Victoria Lynn. Helen Cherry presented the swanlike beauty as the classic ladies walk-trot park trotted to the winner’s circle. Deborah Visser was back with the young star Size Me Up garnering their second reserve world’s champion title this week. Rounding out the top three was CH Callaway’s Halley’s Comet and Christine Broder.
Changing things up a bit, the speed demons exploded down the chute for the Open Roadster Under Saddle. With her blue and red silks flying Suzanne Hubbard captured the top spot with Despite It All for Barbara Watts. Holli McDowell had Quill in high gear garnering the reserve title wearing the Majestic Oaks’ green, red and white colors.
Next in was the second section of the Ladies Five-Gaited Geldings. Unanimously besting the always-competitive class was CH Walterway’s Remember Me. Trainer John Conatser had the eye-catching gelding in top order for Ceil Wheeler. He hit the ring stronger than ever and effortlessly moved from gait to gait carrying Wheeler into the same winner’s circle they have visited now three times in the past four years. Reserve honors went to the sporty CH Callaway’s Born To Win. With straight second place votes Gayle Lampe presented the 2007 winner of this class under the direction of Mike Roberts. Last Serenade never put an ear back for Kris Knight as she expertly piloted the five-year-old Attache’s Thunderbolt son to a strong yellow ribbon with all three third place votes for Vicki and Sam Reed.
The exciting Fine Harness Mare Stake entered next with an eye-catching 10 entries. The tone had already been set earlier on the Red Mile in that mare class as Along Came A Spider and Mother Mary dueled and the crowd cheered on their favorite. They were back and once again battling for the title with the crowd applauding as each made their pass down the rail. Just as a month ago, George Knight drove Along Came A Spider to the victory for Georgia Baker. It was her fourth consecutive mare world’s title. Under the ownership of Anita and Richard Simpson, Sandy Lilly magnificently drove Mother Mary to the reserve title. John Champagne received the yellow streamers with Seaforth’s Bonnie Lass for Margot Harwood.
Eight top performers competed for the Ladies Five-Gaited Mare title. Deborah Visser masterfully put Callaway’s Born For This in just the right spots showcasing the grey mare’s talents for Stonecroft. When the work was done, Visser and Born For This were joined in the winner’s circle by trainer Nelson Green. Tracy James has an extraordinary bond with That’s My Story’s daughter, First Chapter, and tonight James pushed for everything the sporty bay mare had and she delivered garnering the red streamers for Silver Brook Stables. Carrying out the yellow ribbon was Callaway’s Unsolved Mystery with Tonya Brison in the irons for B&T Vonderschmitt LLC while Kris Knight was aboard Shez So Delightful for the top fourth spot for Vicki Reed.
It had been quite a day for the Majestic Oaks team already taking home six wins during the daytime session but the Harness Pony Stallion/Gelding Stake was probably the most anticipated class of them all for trainer Maureen Lydon. It was last year on the Red Mile that the crowd was in awe by the high-stepping animation of Dun-Haven Phenomenal and that carried through the season including the 2007 World’s Champion title from this very class. When the class was done and Peter Fenton called number 539 to the winner’s circle, Lydon couldn’t hold it back as she exclaimed, “yes” and with tears in her eyes, she drove Dun-Haven Phenomenal for Kathryn and Carl Nichols for the second year in a row. A true performer in this division again and again World’s Grand Champion Heartland Expectation and Karen Frickey had a magnificent drive for the reserve title with Larry Ella rounding out the top three with Par Excellence for Bent Tree Farm.
The second section of the 14-17 Three-Gaited was next to compete with 14 teams on the schedule. She’s My Desire BH and Sarah Werry have only had a few shows together this summer but tonight they made it appear they had been together all season as they effortlessly trotted to the winner’s circle. The 2007 winner, CH Keeper Of The Stars and Jackie De la Parte were picture perfect garnering the red streamers. Ostentatiously and Brittany McGinnis carried out the yellow streamers in the star studded class while CH He’s My Beau and Katie Moeller earned a strong fourth place finish.
The evening was brought to a close as 16 geldings exploded down the chute for the Five-Gaited Gelding Stake. It was a hard fought class not only because of the numbers but also because of the enormous quality. When the cards were turned in it was Bravo Blue that had bested the competitors to much approval from the crowd. Virgil Helm was aboard the Northern Blues son for Helm Stables/TNT Investment Enterprises. Lexington’s Five-Gaited Grand Champions CH Breaking News and Peter Cowart have been on a quest all season and tonight’s performance will lead them into the big dance as they earned the reserve title for Megan McClure and Beth Arndt. Thunder Crackin’ and Neil Visser were in top shape tonight for the yellow ribbon. The bright and bold Feel The Thunder was on top of his game for Kris Knight picking up the fourth spot for Vicki and Sam Reed. Shame On You, I’m A Skywatcher, Callaway’s Born To Ride and Courageous Lord carried out the remaining ribbons in the deep class.
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