New England Morgan Horse Show Update
Thursday, July 3, 2003
Things are heating up quickly for this year’s New England Morgan Horse Show, and that’s not just a reference to the typical high temperatures experienced in Northampton. Much of the Morgan world is already buzzing about the $10,000 winner take all Amateur English Pleasure Championship sponsored by the Remember
November Sale. However, the NEMHS Committee proudly reports that it has received numerous generous sponsorships for the Pinnacle Fund, which will provide significant prize money in the East Coast Invitational Championships.
The Pinnacle Fund was established last year with a portion of the proceeds from the NEMHS Benefit Auction. Robin Rednor Veghte joined the Show Committee and volunteered to aid with the show’s fundraising activities. As a result, many of the East Coast Championship classes will pay $2,000 - $3,000 to the winner. Following is a list of the classes and sponsors to date: Open Park Saddle: John Scheidt, Stonecroft Farm; Open Park Harness: Tom Caisse; Open English Pleasure: Mendonhall, Inc. and Phil and Peggy Alderman; Open Pleasure Driving: Rand; Classic Pleasure Saddle: Carol and Jack Gatewood and Amy and Kyle Buckle; Classic Pleasure Driving: Mary Gaziano; Grand Champion Stallion: Waterford Farm; Grand Champion Mare: Roxanne Sardelli.
The NEMHS Benefit Auction, which will be held Friday night, also promises to be an incredible event this year. In a very generous show of support, Mr. Herbert V. Kohler has donated a breeding to Noble Flaire to the auction. It has been several years since a breeding to Noble Flaire has been available in this fashion, and the Show Committee is very appreciative of Mr. Kohler’s grand gesture.
In addition, an impressive lineup of other stallion services and special items have been donated as follows: Two One-Week Caribbean Cruises – including coach airfare donated by Amy Wilson-Scott, Tall Tails Farm; 2003 NEMHS Program Cover Original Artwork of HVK Courageous Flaire by Jeanne Mellin; Pennsbury Aluminum Jog Cart donated by Rhode Island Tack; Custom-made Saddle Suit donated by Marsha De Arriaga; Ride or Drive a World Champion (horses to be announced); Gold Jewelry donated by Churchwell’s; 2004 New England Morgan Combined Prize List Cover; Breeding to Noble Flaire donated by Kohler Stables; Breeding to Liberation First Star donated by Mary Gaziano; Breeding to HVK Vibrance donated by Phil and Gloria Blevins; Breeding to Futurity French Command donated by George Schott. A few more select items will be added to this list. Check at Hospitality or the Show Office for an updated list during the show.
Phone bids will be accepted for any item in the auction. To bid by phone, you must pre-register by calling the Show Office at (413) 584-7517 on Thursday, July 24 between 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm EDT or Friday, July 25 between 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm EDT. At this time, you will be asked to provide a credit card number and expiration date, and a phone number where you can be reached during the auction. (It is anticipated that the auction will begin at approximately 9:30 – 10:00 pm EDT on Friday, July 25.) When the item or items on which you wish to bid come up during the live auction, you will be called so that you can participate directly in the bidding via phone. If you are the high bidder on the item, the purchase price will be charged to the credit card you provide when you register.
Kicking off the week in Northampton is the Select Summer Sale, which will be held Sunday, July 20. Managed by Harry Sebring, the sale features an impressive lineup of finished show horses, prospects and breeding stock, with proceeds benefiting NEMHS.
New England’s All American Futurity takes center stage on Thursday night, with in-hand classes for weanlings, yearlings, two-year-olds and three-year-olds offering substantial prize money. The evening is topped off with the crowning of the overall three-year-old winner, who earns several thousand dollars.
Friday night will feature a very special event – the retirement of HVK Courageous Flaire. Anyone who has ever witnessed this grand horse in the ring at Northampton will agree that there is no more appropriate location for this ceremony. With the Amateur English Pleasure Championship, the retirement and the NEMHS Benefit Auction all slated for Friday night, it promises to be an evening long remembered in Morgan circles.
Although the horses were still to be announced at press time, the NEMHS Benefit Auction will feature the chance to bid on riding or driving several world champion Morgans. Each winning bidder will be invited to ride or drive in the main ring at the end of the Saturday night session, providing a once in a lifetime
opportunity to ride a historic horse in an equally historic ring (depending on availability of the horse per its owner and trainer). With many of the East Coast Championships featuring Pinnacle Fund prize money slated for Saturday night, and this event to close out the session and the show, the evening promises to be a fitting finale to a great week.
The New England Morgan Horse Show will be held Monday, July 21 – Saturday, July 26 at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, MA. For more information, please contact Fred Nava, Show Manager, PO Box 188, Kingston, MA 02365, phone (781) 585-9006, e-mail nemorganhs@aol.com.
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