The show started off on a high note with the Five-Gaited Ladies class. Ten strong entries showed up for the class, encouraging crowd participation from the get go. When all the gaits were through it was I’m Royalty Too who was crowned the winner. Heather DiGiannantonio piloted the nice Santana’s Charm horse under the Premier banner. Just last year Rob Byers piloted the expressive chestnut to the Lexington Five-Gaited Gelding blue. Reserve in the class went to The Echo Of Thunder and Traci Massaro. A.J. Bruwer trains the beautiful black horse.
In the next class, Photo Prince looked picture perfect to win the blue in the Show Pleasure Driving class with George Ann Nash at the whip for Happy Valley Stables. CH Rose To The Occasion and Kendall Fields picked up the red ribbon after a good drive, under the direction of Steve Crabtree.
If you saw Show Baby Show, you’d think there was never a more appropriately named horse. The Supreme Heir daughter goes around the ring with a collected yet speedy excitement around her, but it is really her jockey, Christina Collis, who makes the mare such a joy to watch. Both girls look so happy to be doing what they’re doing as Show Baby Show never drops an ear, and Christina is always smiling. The lovely DeLovely team won the Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited class tonight in high fashion. The red ribbon in the class went to another happy rider, Dakota Reiser. Dakota rode Sir Andrew and had a huge smile on his face when his name was called off.
The pleasure division is alive and well in Kentucky and tonight’s 17-entry Five-Gaited Show Pleasure class was plenty proof of that. Winning the large and quality-filled class were Champagne Treat and Jennie Turner Garlington. Neil Visser greeted the grand gelding by CH Heir to Champagne and out of a Sultan’s Great Day mare in the winner’s circle. Reserve in the class went to another grand gelding, CH Callaway’s Capitol Reporter, and Katie Jarve, while the always fun to watch Ali Judah and her horse, Divine Renaissance, rounded out the top three.
In the Country Pleasure Driving class, it was Supreme Platinum and Linda Fischer showing to the blue for Jane Mueller. Bret and Susi Day made the trip over from Versailles tonight to show the stretchy black gelding by Supreme Heir and out of a Harlem Globetrotter mare. Screen Idol and Corrine Stith put in a good show for the red ribbon, under the direction of Milo Jones.
Ceil and Kenny Wheeler are always known to have fine horses, and their Three-Year-Old Three-Gaited entry tonight was no exception. Clark Clouse showed Entourage to win the blue. The elegant and exciting chestnut mare is by CH Callaway’s Wish Me Will and out of a Stonewall’s Main Event mare. The red ribbon in the class went to A Storm Star and Darrell Case. The petite chestnut mare is a full sister to Nancy Leigh Fischer’s Heavenly Thunder.
Twenty outstanding Juvenile Show Pleasure mounts showed up for this evening’s performance, making each rider really have to jockey for position. Luckily CH A Magic Spell always stands out with her gorgeous blonde mane and tail. Katie had a good night tonight picking up the red ribbon in the other huge class of the night with CH Callaway’s Capitol Reporter, and then winning this class over 19 other entries! Jennifer Dixon trains both of Katie’s horses. Usually Sarah Lawson’s Pleasure Equitation mount, Winnepeg Parks proved that she is also a grand performance horse as well as she earned the red ribbon tonight behind A Magic Spell. Rounding out the top three was That’s Exactly Right with Trey Watson in their debut performance together.
Four nice entries completed the Junior Fine Harness class, but in the end Voulez Vous and Tiffany Wheeler continued their stellar year. The drop-dead gorgeous bay mare is owned by Jean and Chris Nalley and is by Periaptor and out of a CH Captive Spirit mare. Raven Light put in a supreme debut performance to earn reserve honors with Red Crabtree driving for Crabtree Farms, Inc.
Our Fallen Angel and Cheryl Friedman were bright and shining tonight in the Amateur Park class to earn the blue. The Reiser Stables-trained team was elated to win, as Cheryl had a huge smile on her face. Reserve honors went to Phillip Martinelli and Piper Bordegon. Shelley Fisher’s Sugar Knoll Farm trains Piper’s expressive bay gelding.
Showing off her beautiful park trot, CH Nurse Goodbody trotted to the winner’s circle with owner John Scheidt at the lines in the Amateur Fine Harness class. Nelson Green trains the dark bay beauty. Reserve in the nice class of Amateur Harness horses was Cherished King. The big, bold-moving gelding showed fresh off his Ladies Junior League win with Mary Gaylord McClean. The trimmed in chrome stud, Gothic Revival, and Joan Adler rounded out the top three under Clark Clouse’s direction.
Elegant and skilled rider Nancy Leigh Fischer looked to be having a lot of fun aboard her Heavenly Thunder to win the Three-Gaited Ladies class. The big-going chestnut mare is known as Megan around the barn at Willowbank. The red ribbon in the class went to the Kalarama-trained entry of Odyssey Man and Terri Dolan.
Juliet McDonald couldn’t have looked any happier when her number was called off to win the Open Harness Pony Class with her extremely talented pony, The Remington. The Majestic Oaks trained pony is by Twin Willow’s McMillan and out of a Vindicator mare. Reserve in the class went to Mastercraft’s Promoter LF and Jeff McClean.
Finishing out a successful night for the Clouse Stables crew were The Decisive Moment and Suzanna Crews. The slick-racking duo won the Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited class over eight other entries. Reserve in the class went to the memorable team of Memorize and Sarah Sessoms. The exciting team is trained by Nelson Green.