Morgan Grand National is Underway!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
The 2007 Grand National and World Championship Morgan Horse Show opened on Saturday, October 6 to great fanfare. A whole new world greeted exhibitors, spectators and officials as they arrived at the Oklahoma Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City. The new “Super Barn” and other fairgrounds improvements added to the feeling of a great new beginning for the 35th annual show under the direction of first year manager Fred Nava and show chair C.A. “Tony” Lee, III.
The record entry of over 1250 horses featured several disciplines competing in the three different venues of the coliseum, show arena 6 and show arena 9 on Saturday. The first world grand champions of the week were crowned in the in hand division. The depth of the entries in most of the age groups was outstanding with the gelding, stallion and mare divisions featuring most of this season’s top champions from around the country.
The morning session saw Southern States Regional and New England Regional Grand Champion Gelding CBMF Ruling Class (GLB Bell Pepper x CEN Can’t Touch This) again stand at the head of the class as the World Grand Champion Gelding. Ken Swanson presented Holly Johnson’s charismatic entry to the roses in unanimous fashion.
The mares took their turn in the spotlight during the afternoon session with Far West Regional Grand Champion Mare Decadence (WWW Reality Check Dot Com x Wide Eyed Innocence) besting the field with the unanimous victory. Keith Nelsen guided Debra Woolley Lee’s statuesque five-year-old to the World Grand Champion Mare honors.
The first day of competition saw an historic achievement as LPS The Boogie Man (Man About Town LPS x Honeytree’s Simply Unique) became the first four-time World Grand Champion Stallion. David Rand directed Michael and Nancy Ramsey’s amazing seven-year-old to the ultimate honor as breeder Lynn Peeples was the first to offer his congratulations.
A marvelous opening day of competition also featured equitation classes for the saddle seat, hunt seat and western seat riders as well as a full day of dressage competition and a sampling of carriage, western and hunter pleasure classes.
Complete results from Saturday can be viewed, searched, and printed by clicking here.
Seen on the first day at Oklahoma City:
The center ring welcomed exhibitors and
spectators to the 35th annual Grand National
and World Championship Morgan Horse Show.
Owner Holly Johnson greeted CBMF Ruling Class
and Ken Swanson following their unanimous victory
in the World Grand Champion Gelding competition.
Decadence posed with her blanket of flowers as
World Grand Champion Mare for trainer
Keith Nelsen and owner Debra Woolley Lee.
Judges Harold Angell, Terry Jones Brennan
and Steve Davis studied the entries coming
into the ring as they officiated in all
of Saturday’s in hand classes.
Instructor Kristen Cater congratulated
Kasey Saccocia following her Grand National
Champion Walk-Trot Saddle Seat
Equitation 9 & Under performance.
LCS Ice Princess and Pat Gesler made the first
victory pass of the week in the carriage division
as they topped a 15-horse field in the turnout class.
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