Friday night kicked off with a Majestic Oaks one-two punch in the Hackney Pony Pleasure Driving class with Heartland Entitled and Sandra Surber and Heartland Direct Hit and Kathryn Nichols picking up the top two spots. Nichols was on the lines for Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Kolkman.
If you looked quick as the next class came in, you might have thought Todd Miles was going in the ring, but in fact it was Todd’s son Tyler and his fancy pony, Moon Charmer. Riding in his dad’s same style, Tyler racked away with the blue. Our Sonflower and Caroline Walker were second in the class for Hickory Hill Farm under the direction of Tammy DeVore.
Five exceptional junior walk-trots showed tonight, each one with a special quality. Topping the outstanding field was Kalarama’s Carrousel, a striking dark bay gelding, shown to the blue by Chantell Coetzee. The fixy four-year-old is by Harlem Superior and out of a CH Caramac mare. Reserve in the class went to Tandy Patrick’s entry of Enchanting Hour. Merrill Murray expertly guided the expressive mare to the red ribbon.
A nice, big class of Amateur Road Ponies showed up next. Winning the class again, for the sixth time in seven years at Shelbyville were Heartland Production and Mary Gaylord McClean. The superstar pony looked just as good as ever tonight to win the blue. Turbo Blue and Lori Boyd Van Gordon picked up the red ribbon under Jimmy Robertson’s direction, while Mr. Lucky Man and Patrice Watson-O’Brien put in a great debut drive for a nice third place finish.
Simply Striking and Lindsay Hensler fit "Henry’s" show name to a "t" this evening as they put in a striking and flawless ride for the win in a large field of 11. The Reiser Stables trained entry was thrilled with her first place finish after picking up the red in the Junior Exhibitor Country Pleasure qualifier. Reserve in the class went to the qualifier winners, Moonstruck in Kentucky and Olivia Strano.
HS Marakesh’s Prodigy wowed the crowd in Indy this spring, and he did it again tonight to win the Three-Year-Old Fine Harness class with George Knight at the lines. The bold and handsome dark chestnut stud is owned by Hagan Saddlebreds. Undulata’s Lady Noel is proving that young stud Undulata’s Nutcracker produces good stock, as the nice chestnut mare picked up the red ribbon tonight with Peter Palmer for Missy Mosely Bennett.
Mom and dad Renee and John Biggins couldn’t have been happier with their daughter Ashley tonight as she rode her pony, Lost Token, to the winner’s circle in the Three-Gaited Pony class. Ashley was all smiles aboard her very exciting pony. Mitchell Tunstall, Mike’s son, also piloted his pony, I See Daylight, well tonight to earn the red ribbon for owner Barbara Von Borries.
A fantastic class of 16 Junior Park Pleasure horses made it to the show tonight. Topping the large field was Sole Heir. The fancy bay with four white socks is by Supreme Heir and out of Ring Girl, making him a full sibling to Unlisted and Stonecroft Ring Leader. Heather DiGiannantonio piloted the four-year-old for owner Ashlyn Farms LLC. The animated Spooling Up and Clark Clouse earned the red ribbon for Barbara Gaynor, while Mandy Martin caught rode DeLovely Farm’s entry of Thunder Gone Wild for the yellow ribbon.
In the next class, Jimmy Robertson’s daughter, Jennifer, sped away with the Amateur Roadster to Bike blue with Rum’s Last Shot. Her proud dad met her in the winner’s circle to put the ribbon on. Reserve went to Little Richard and Shane Sallee, who showed the nice speedster for Kim Crabtree.
Kristin Keating couldn’t have been happier to hear her name called off as the winner of the Adult Country Pleasure class. Riding her beautiful black horse, Arrowhead’s Captain Morgan, the pair topped a large field of 10 outstanding entries. Reserve in the large class went to qualifier winners CH Callaway’s Rockaway and Chris Nalley.
In the final class, it was Heir’s Holly Berry to win the blue with Chantell Coetzee, making Chantell two for two for the night. Joan Hamilton owns the mare by Harlem Globetrotter and out of a CH Heir to Champagne mare. The red ribbon in the excellent class went to Mary Gaylord McClean’s Lynn Williams, who is trained under the Premier banner.