Monterey Springfest – A California Tradition
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
by Leeann Mione
MONTEREY, Calif. – The Monterey Springfest Horse Show for many years has served as one of California’s first stops on the show circuit for Saddlebreds, Hackneys, roadsters and Friesians. This year, longtime manager Rae Deane Stone was unable to attend due to illness so competition manager Harriet Landrum picked up the torch and, with the help of Leonora Bedolla, worked to make this year’s show a success.
Roxanne Hood served as competition secretary and kept the office running smoothly. Meredith Kistler was the USEF Steward and Anne Blecker was the paddock steward. Malcolm Rossell lent his inimitable voice again this year as the show announcer. Jim Trader was the organist. Terry Brennan, always a familiar sight in center ring, was the ring mistress and she was joined by official photographer Tass Jones. Jones made her first appearance at Monterey.
Jim Kurtze was the awards coordinator. Dave Fraser served as the official farrier and Take One Video handled videographer duties. Libby Sofer was the Emergency Medical Technician for the show and James Hay, DVM served as the show veterinarian. Rob Wilson made the trip from Kentucky to judge the various divisions and he kept things moving along quickly and efficiently.
This show is one of the few remaining that includes other breeds in the lineup and as in years past, the Icelandic horses, Missouri Fox Trotters and Tennessee Walking Horses shared the show ring with the Saddlebreds, Hackneys, roadsters and Friesians.
Woodhaven Farm has been hosting the exhibitors’ barbecue for years at the show and once again this year it was well attended. Another hospitality highlight was the champagne and sweets party. Hosted this year by Tara Weber on Friday evening, it drew a big crowd ready to devour the endless array of treats.
The heaters outside the ring helped to combat the evening chill for spectators and the competition inside the ring served to heat things up as the California show season gets underway.
Friday evening’s finale, the Five-Gaited Stake, featured four teams vying for the tricolor prize in front of Judge Rob Wilson. Celestial Wings and Sally Nottage represented Deardorff Stables. They were joined by Chuck Court and Megawatt, Panasche Of Silver Oaks with Brigitte Scholl, and open champion Trophy Hunter with Barbara Beamer.
The nice class closed out the evening in fine fashion and when the results were announced, it was Beamer and Seaview Farm’s Trophy Hunter named to take the victory pass. Scholl and Panasche took the reserve tricolor for owner Julie Strietfeld having previously won the Denver Junior/Limit Five-Gaited class.
Sabino Equestrian Center had a great show, and Kendall Weber was busy all weekend showing her various mounts including Jack-A-Lope. Weber and her very familiar teammate swept the amateur five-gaited division. Yahooligan was the reserve grand champion in the amateur stake with owner Linda Nicholas up. The six-entry amateur qualifier was the division’s largest class.
Katie Jarve also was quite busy all weekend showing her two horses under the direction of Jennifer Dixon and she kept Dixon busy in center ring as Jarve finished four for four during the week. CH Callaway’s Capitol Reporter was the Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited Grand Champion and champion for John and Jacque Jarve. Su Casa, directed by Brigitte Scholl and shown by Stephanie Duck claimed the reserve streamers in the junior exhibitor stake.
Periempress returned to the ring after the open class to claim the winning ribbon in the Three-Gaited Grand Championship for Bob Facciola. Wee Pee’s Storm made a single appearance in the division with Bill Tomin and they claimed the blue ribbon in the open class for DeVault Farms, LLC.
Sue Valley added two more wins to the Sabino Equestrian Center total when she showed CH Like Sunshine to first place in both the Amateur Three-Gaited Championship and amateur qualifier. Absolute Courage was the reserve grand champion with Julie Streitfeld up from Monarch Stables.
Ariana Corrigan stepped up to ride Red Sable for owner Seaview Farm in the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Stake and qualifier and brought back both winning ribbons to add to the Seaview total.
Both the Three-Gaited Park Championship and qualifier were well filled. In fact the open park class was one of the largest of the show. Paladin’s Presidio and Sarah Hausheer exited the ring as the park grand champions. They showed under the direction of Robb Wallen. Callaway’s Maureen and Sherry Morrow finished with the reserve streamers in the stake. Pernickety!, owned by Alison Benz, took the blue in the nine-entry open class with Jennifer Dixon in the irons.
Seaview Farm was represented in the winner’s circle twice more when Keith Roberts headed down victory lane with CH The Savoy in both the Fine Harness Championship and open class.
No Jacket Required has been many times amateur harness champions at shows throughout the country and they won both the amateur stake and amateur qualifier under the direction of Sabino Equestrian Center.
Keith Roberts showed his own harness horse, Fusilier, to the blue in the Denver Junior/Novice Fine Harness class.
Main Man and Bob Facciola have racked up numerous wins in their career together for Woodhaven Farm and they were named the Roadster To Bike Grand Champions. Lil Town Flirt and Chuck Court won the qualifier and returned to claim second place in the stake for owner Harry Chapman.
Woodhaven continued their winning streak, but this time it was Marie Peyman who went to center ring for the presentation. She drove P.T. Cruiser to the Roadster Pony Championship title and also won the open class for Facciola. DF Tres Chic and Kendall Weber were the reserve grand champions.
Heartland Candidate and Sandra Surber are yet another well known and accomplished team from California and they were named the Hackney Pony Grand Champions after winning the open class. Running Tab and Ed Ross took second in the stake under the direction of Deardorff Stables.
It was yet another Heartland pony that kept Sandra Surber on the winning end of the awards list. Heartland Entitled swept the Hackney pony pleasure driving division to add two more wins to Surber’s total. Seamair’s Winterfest and Janet Overstreet came through the gate to compete also and exited with the reserve tricolor.
Doubletrees Caper Style and Karen Lachman had a good week and they topped four other teams to win the Five-Gaited Pleasure class before returning to take the title in the stake as well. Warwick Castle and Patrick Weber made their mark by being named the reserve grand champions.
The Louisville Slugger and April Kilbourne won the Park Pleasure Stake and were followed in the ribbons by The Magic Of Oz and Brigitte Scholl. Oz had previously own the open class for owner Lynn Silva.
The Friesians of Friesian Focus had numerous wins by the week’s end including Foppe’s wins in both the Open English Pleasure Stake and qualifier, both of which were open to any breed. Callaway’s Ike The Sixth and Julie Streitfeld added to their impressive resume with the reserve tricolor in the stake.
Both Julia and Janna Goldman showed Friesians to top honors at the show for their Black Sterling Friesians, but in the open English pleasure division, it was Julia who made two victory passes. She showed Ronald to both junior exhibitor wins. Gypsy’s Django and April Kilbourne were next on the card in the stake for Vicky and Jim Iacono.
Fidencio Maturino was yet the third exhibitor to head to the winner’s circle for Woodhaven Farm. He drove A Day On The Town BH to the Open Pleasure Driving Stake victory for Bob Facciola. Winze fan Wyns and Lance Bennett won the qualifier before returning in the stake to finish in second place for Friesian Focus LLC.
Callaway’s Liberty Valance and Breen Cullen, familiar and successful teammates under the direction of Jim Bennett, topped a nice Adult Three-Gaited Pleasure Stake to take the tricolor. They won the adult class earlier in the week. Imagine The Dream and Karen Lachman were right there for second in the stake from Deardorff Stables.
Katie Jarve earned wins number three and four when CH A Magic Spell was given the nod by Rob Wilson in both the junior exhibitor stake and qualifier. Altedena Starlight and Laura Denenholz finished as the reserve grand champions for Judy Denenholz.
Ethan Feiber, also from Dixon Stables like Jarve, won the 10 and Under Walk and Trot Pleasure class riding CH Java Sea.
The limit riders in the pleasure division had their work cut out for them as they faced 10 teams in the limit rider stake and qualifier. Osage Isabella and owner Linda Nicholas won the stake under the direction of trainer Liz Bolton. Spin The Top and Dean McCracken finished right behind in the stake and Doubletrees Royal Request won the qualifier with owner Leslie Pierce.
CH Doubletrees Doubletake and Cathy Saur swept the show pleasure driving division to add two more wins to the Deardorff Stables total. Dave Becker Jr. directed Phyllis Hawkins and Sacajawea Charbonneau to reserve in the stake.
The country pleasure riders were not split by age and seven teams came through the gate for their qualifier. The championship featured five teams returning. Ruler Of The Roost and Suzanne Federico topped the championship and were followed in the ribbons by CH Highpoint’s Abba Zabba and Kendall Weber. Ultrasuede and Loni Fuller made a single appearance at Monterey and came away with the blue in the open class from Rockridge Farm.
Amy Vickers-Smith swept the country pleasure driving division with her CF Prowler’s Keepsake. Sultan’s Jackpot and Nan Chapman were the reserve grand champions.
CH Fiasco and Doug Glick were right on the money to take the title in the Western Country Pleasure Championship and they topped a strong field of seven including reserve grand champion I’m Lucky, shown by owner Gen Hess of Pleasants Valley Stables. Spurwing’s Superfine Lady and Kathie Dunn won the equally large seven-entry qualifier. Hess and I’m Lucky won the Saddle & Bridle Shatner Western Pleasure class to qualify for the finals.
Thank Heaven and Deborah Jones were the Hunter Country Pleasure Grand Champions and champions and they made it three for three by also winning the Saddle & Bridle Hunter Seat Classic.
Emily Chapman, with Pecan Prince, and Alyssa Blinkoff, with Selby Lane, finished one and two, respectively, in the Saddle Seat Equitation Championship and both represented Sabino Equestrian Center. Both young ladies qualified in the 13 and under class which was won by Chapman. Alexandra Johnson won the 14-17 class riding Mountrail’s Rhett Butler.
Ethan Feiber and CH Java Sea were the 10 and under walk and trot winners. They added yet another blue to their total from Dixon Stables by winning the 10 and Under Walk and Trot UPHA Challenge Cup. Laura Denenholz and Altadena Starlight headed down victory lane after Rob Wilson named them the winners of the 17 and under Challenge Cup.
Cathryn Hager and Otto won the Friesian Park Stake and qualifier for Friesian Focus to add to owner Joan Fernandez’s winning total for the week.
Wodan and Lance Bennett were next in line for the ribbon count and they too added winning ribbons to the Friesian Focus total. Wodan won the Friesian Saddle Seat Pleasure Stake and open qualifier.
Janna Goldman and Laurens were victorious in the amateur stake and qualifier for the Friesian pleasure horses. Ferdinand van Gowozate finished second in the Friesian Saddle Seat Pleasure Amateur Stake with owner Chaleen DeStephano.
Glor van de Bist and Brigitte Scholl won both the Friesian Saddle Seat Pleasure Junior Horse Stake and qualifier for owner Dana Leavitt.
Ivanhoe F. Q. won the Friesian Walk and Trot Pleasure Stake and qualifier with Betsy Wallen in the irons, then won both the crowd-pleasing Friesian Costume Stake and qualifier. Wallen showed for owner Janet Lundeen-Austin. Ivanhoe wasn’t done yet; he took the reserve tricolor in the Friesian Country Pleasure stake as well.
Feije and owner Bob Nugent represented Rancho Vista when they were named the reserve grand champions in the Friesian Walk and Trot Pleasure Stake. Trainer Lance Bennett met them at the out gate.
Cathryn Hager was up on Jackson Cripe’s Friesian, Doeke, to take the victory pass in the Friesian Country Pleasure Stake and they also won the qualifier earlier in the week.
Janna Goldman continued her busy week by going to the winner’s circle twice more. She rode Ate fan Bartlehiem to both wins in the Friesian hunter pleasure division for Black Sterling Friesians. Weird K and Haley Garcia were reserve in the hunter stake for owner Christine Keiser.
Gosse Kysom proved he was suitable as a dressage mount when Wilson named him the winner of the Friesian Dressage Suitability Stake and qualifier. Trainer Barend Schuursma, from Holland, showed Gosse to both wins for Janna and Ron Goldman. Weird K was the dressage reserve grand champion.
Junior horse Glor van de Bist and Brigitte Scholl switched gears and made it two for two in the Friesian In-Hand Stake and qualifier to close out a nice show for Monarch Stables. Limoges and Haley Garcia took the reserve streamers in the stake.
Monterey is a California tradition. Prone often to rain and cold temperatures, the show does a great job of coping with the weather. The ring almost always recovers well and with a little strategic placement of temporary fencing, it usually ends up just fine.
The picturesque city of Monterey proves time and time again that it’s a great place to start the California show season.
This concludes the highlights of Monterey Springfest. Complete results may be seen and searched by clicking here.
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