Oshkosh Charity
Monday, July 19, 2010
OSHKOSH, Wis. - Is there any better way to celebrate the fourth of July than with friends and family at a horse show? To the people attending the Oshkosh Charity Horse Show, their answer would most likely be a no. With entry numbers up from last year’s show, all divisions were well represented with minimal classes having only one entry.
Sunny View Expo Center played host again to this year’s show with Carl Irwin from Georgia as the performance judge and Donna Smith from Illinois as the academy judge. Both George Robertson and Julie Spanbauer took turns throughout the week handling the duties of ringmaster. Tuffy Owens returned as ring announcer with Peter Remender as barn announcer and George Utphall as organist. Photographer for the week was Courtney Church and Jeremiah Sprague was the onsite farrier. Don Matejowek was show manager and Vicky Holston handled entries as show secretary.
This year the show supported Beaming, Inc., a therapeutic riding program, by holding Dunk Your Trainer and Give a Buck To Puck as well as all proceeds from the food stand going to the organization. The Beaming group put on a demonstration Friday evening as the first class of the session to demonstrate how the program operates. A flag presentation on Saturday night with the Horses, Hearts & Heroes branch of Beaming showed the organizations work with veterans.
The Dunk Your Trainer event was held at Friday night’s Round Robin party with Lance Hayes and Jeremiah Sprague opting to put themselves in the tank. Many people stepped up and paid the fee to dunk both men multiple times throughout the night. The ice cream social of the show was held after Saturday morning’s academy session.
An always-exciting group to watch would be the five-gaited horses as they rock back and slow gait down the rail. Closing out the show was the Five-Gaited Open Stake with the tricolor going to the Five-Gaited Novice/Junior Horse winner Bell Views Safe Harbor. Julio Rodriguez rode this necky chestnut for Linden Isle Farm. Reserve in the open stake went to Mark Utoft and Walterway’s Believe In Me. Owners Fritz and Candace Meili were proud as this pair won the Five-Gaited Open class earlier in the week.
Kelly Williamson was in the irons for BRK Equestrian as CH Hank Heiron claimed the title of champion in the Amateur Five-Gaited Stake. Reserve in the class went to the team of Liz Schultz and Karaoke. Equitate trains this new pair for owner Pat Schultz.
Sgt. Roby racked away with the blue in ASPH Five-Gaited Pleasure Senior Exhibitor with owner Cindy Price. This fine team returned later in the week to claim the tricolor in the ASPH Pleasure Five-Gaited Stake with Terry Anne Ullman heading up the victory pass. Grace Gabower had a wonderful go as she rode away with reserve aboard The Evangelist for owner Liz Schultz. The blue in ASPH Five-Gaited Pleasure Junior Exhibitor class went to the well-matched pair of Emily Teehan and Carlucci with Tristen Bednarek and Nip See Russel coming in second.
The Five-Gaited Country Pleasure Stake had a repeat placing of the qualifier with Sandra Dyer aboard Mr. Smarty Pants claiming the tricolor and Alpha Priority with Barb Fahey in the irons to claim the reserve.
In her first year out of the Walk/Trot division, Brynn Lunaas made a clean sweep of the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited qualifier and the Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Stake aboard Moriahs Catnip. The blue in the Amateur Three-Gaited qualifier made its way home with CH Highland Cavalier and Piper Granger Bordegon riding for BRK Equestrian.
Phillip Martinelli made this a two-for-two show as he trotted down victory lane in the Park Horse Open Stake with Jason Gershman in the irons after winning the Park Horse Open with Tom Thorpe earlier in the show. Park Junior/Novice Horse winner, Merchant’s Legacy, was guided by Thea Trieber to reserve in the open stake.
The Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Park Stake top three placings were a carbon copy of the amateur qualifier. Lindsey Bade rode Linden Isle Farm’s entry, Callaway’s Place Your Bets, to the tricolor honor with Royal Bonus and Jordan Doemel taking reserve. Magilla Gorilla and Curran Sukowaty finished behind these two with a nice third. Grandiloquent gathered the blue in the junior exhibitor qualifier with owner Caitlin Carmody in the irons.
Although a smaller group at this show, the Park Pleasure division had a great showing of quality horses from many different barns. Ray Krussell rode to the rescue aboard Mighty Mouse to win the Open Park Pleasure Stake. This attractive pair also claimed the blue for owner Mimi Bahcall in Junior/Novice Park Pleasure class. Julie Spanbauer and The Bachelor Party finished in reserve behind Mighty Mouse and Krussell. Julie and The Bachelor Party garnered more wins as they took home the tricolor in the Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Park Pleasure Stake above Hawaiian Punch and Lindsay Kellner.
Lesa Merlo rode the square trotting King Of Pop to top honors in the Open Park Pleasure qualifier with Supreme Attachment and Helene Zasadny taking home the second.
Winner of the $250 and the blue ribbon in the UPHA Park Pleasure Classic was Sucre with Terri Anne Ullman in the irons for owner Charles Goodman. Pat Wessel rode Royal Crest’s A Stone In Her Bonnet to the red ribbon for Royal Crest Farms LLC.
Pat McConnell shot and scored with Hoops to earn the tricolor in the Fine Harness Stake after grabbing the blue in the Open Fine Harness qualifier. Reserve in the stake went to Oban with owner/driver Philipp Meyer. Third in the class went to BJ Rademann and Royal Crest Bravo For Stone who won the Amateur Fine Harness qualifier earlier in the week.
Emily Doll drove Palos Hills Riding Stable’s Without Compromise to a win in Junior/Novice Fine Harness class above Ryan Rongers at the lines of Shot An A Beer. The Two-Year-Old Fine Harness blue went home to Trussel Stables with Dave Trussel driving the elegant Lipstick Letter.
The biggest division at the show would have to be Three-Gaited Show Pleasure, in which many champions made their way through the gate to display their ability. Rising above the rest of the field to claim the tricolor in Adult Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Stake was Wisconsin-owned winner Royal Crest Rising Above The Rock and Stacy Wessel. The reserve ribbon made its way out of the ring with Katie Pellino and The Time Is Right.
Katherine Meints claimed the blue in Adult Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 39 & Over aboard CH Sapphire On Ice with Final Deklaration and Kerry Honkamp trotting away with the blue in Adult Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 18-38.
The 14-17 age group topped the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Stake with the qualifier winner Man At The Helm and Marqaux Walker riding to the winner’s circle to claim the tricolor. CH Fine By Me and Alicia Sacotte trotted back the barn with reserve ribbon in hand. Always poised Zac Cutting and his mount Prime Time Player rode away with the blue in the 13 and under qualifier.
Paige Schanke and Champagne Reve earned the blue in Novice Three-Gaited Show Pleasure under the direction of Lance Hayes. Riley Sockett and his new mount Double Secret Probation TS earned a well-deserved second in the class. Kaelynn Lesniak was aboard La Zingara as she made her way to the winner’s circle in Novice Rider Three-Gaited Show Pleasure above Grave Allen and Son Of A Preacher Man.
Laura Miller moved her way up from her placing in the qualifier to claim the Junior Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Stake tricolor aboard Accepted Offer. John Grant and his gorgeous mount, One Hot Debutante, took home the reserve honors.
Coco Loco and Corbin Smith were the perfect pair as they made their way down victory lane in the Show Pleasure Driving qualifier and stake. Reserve honors in the stake went to Cornelia Hempe driving Royal Crests Stone Quest.
Mike Blestsoe had a beautiful drive with Bust Your Buttons for owner Susan Worzalla to win Junior/Novice Show Pleasure Driving. Although the only junior exhibitor pair, Alicia Sacotte and CH Fine By Me had an eye-catching go to win Junior Exhibitor Show Pleasure Driving.
Country Pleasure was another well-stocked group as CH Bella Marietta and owner Claudia Sipp garnered wins in both Adult Country Pleasure 39 & Over and Adult Country Pleasure Stake. Second to this pair in both classes was Nancy Rothe aboard Wind Up Toy. Emily McGurn and Why Not Wyatt gathered the blue in the 18-38 age group.
Mercantile Exchange had a winning week, grabbing the tricolor in Junior Exhibitor Country Pleasure Stake with Kennedy Biederman and the blues in Novice Rider Country Pleasure and Wisconsin Owned & Shown Country Pleasure with Gabriella Greco.
Caitlin Donohue gained reserve in the junior exhibitor stake aboard Lady Suzanne for Charles Goodman. Narin Avci rode her go-forward mount Matisse to the winner’s circle in Junior Exhibitor Country Pleasure class with Katie Fleming and Ballerette gaining the second.
Curt Kligora was in the irons for Scenic Heights Farm LLC as he directed Callaway’s Candy Apple to the win in Junior/Novice Country Pleasure class.
Mike Bletsoe continued to showcase his driving skills as he directed CH Hard Days Night TS to the winner’s circle in the Country Pleasure Driving Stake after taking a second in the qualifier. Corbin Smith drove CH Last Cat Standing to the stake’s reserve honors. This elegant horse won the qualifier earlier in the week with Candace Meili at the lines.
The Saddlebred Western Pleasure division is continuously growing in quality and quantity and was evident over the weekend as a multiple quality entries came through the gate. Barbara Southgate and Stonecroft Cosmopolitan had quite the show as they took home the tricolor in Country Western Pleasure Stake and blues in Shatner Western Pleasure and Junior/ Novice Country Western Pleasure. Amy Bergner and High Times Proven Choice jogged away with reserve in the stake.
Claudia Sipp and Independent Asset jogged their way to the winner’s circle in Country Western Pleasure class. Second in the class went to the well-dressed pair of Tracey Mitchell and Clover Hills Cohiba. After rail work and a pattern in Working Western Pleasure, it was CH In The Zone and Susan Honkamp who rode their way down victory lane.
A very small group turned out for hunter pleasure, but it was Lashanna and Lori Graves who earned the tricolor in the Country Hunter Pleasure Stake and the blue from Hunter Seat Classic. Second to Graves in both classes were Ledgewinds Sassy Sal and Jamie Jutrzonka.
Only three ponies were on the fairgrounds this week with one being a roadster. Daddys Little Girl made quite a show to sweep the Open Road Pony Stake and qualifier and Road Pony Under Saddle.
The only two ponies left made quite a show in the Hackney/Harness Pleasure Driving Pony Stake where Wonmore Diamond Legacy and Marilou Wilschke repeated their qualifier win to take home the tricolor. I’m A Looker and Deanna Johnson earned second behind Wilschke in both classes.
The equitation division showed a display of top contenders with Mallory Hartigan continuing her winning ways to claim the Pleasure Equitation Championship after six were asked to perform a pocket pattern workout, which ended with Killian Sukowaty riding away with reserve. Hartigan also won the 17 and under pleasure qualifier above Sydney Budzinski.
Caitlin Donohue had an excellent show as she earned top honors in the Pleasure Equitation Medallion and the UPHA Pleasure Challenge Cup under the direction of Donna Smith. Allison Schuh claimed the blue in the UPHA Challenge Cup 17 & Under with Kaelynn Lesniak coming in second.
The Walk/Trot Saddle Seat Equitation 10 & Under and the UPHA Walk/Trot Challenge Cup 10 & Under were placed in the same order with both blues going home with Samantha Schaefer. Second place in both of these classes went to Sarah Maurki.
Shannon Koffler continued her winning season by riding down victory lane in Adult Saddle Seat Equitation with the red ribbon in the class going to Sophia Barbosa.
Winners in a well-filled Saturday morning academy division consisted of Joscelyn Weyer, Alex Totoritis, Liz Kovel, Catherine Bernthal, Katherine Kunz, Laura Sokolowski, Ellie Metz, Lauren Treiber, Cathleen Podell, Olivia Mcnulty, Thea Merlo and Ellie Grosspietsch.
|