Tuesday Highlights from The American Royal
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday was proclaimed “Donna Moore Day” in Kansas City, as the Queen of the Saddlebred world was honored as the American Royal Horseperson of the Year. Her family and friends gathered to honor this grand lady in a ceremony during the Tuesday evening performance and a reception after the show.
Tuesday is traditionally Mo-Kan day at the Royal, and the Missouri and Kansas entries turned out in full force as they always do on this day. Interspersed throughout the Mo-Kan classes were the Hackney and Harness Pony qualifiers, as well as the Western Pleasure and Over 2 walk-trot classes.
Majestic Oaks swept the pony classes, as Maureen Lydon drove Kilbro’s Code Red to the blue in the Hackney Pony qualifier for Toni Nastali, and Juliet McDonald drove The Remington to the Harness Pony blue. Lydon came back at night to win the Road Pony qualifier with Free Willy for new owner Jayne Romano.
Toreador and Dr. Catherine Gallo continued their fantastic season with another top placing in the Western Pleasure division. This World’s Champion continues to impress. Grande Gil and Misdee Wrigley Miller brought the afternoon to a close with the Three-Gaited Over 15.2 victory pass. Robert Gardiner and Harlem’s Showman, World’s Champions in this division, were reserve. Miller was back again during the evening session with the homebred Hillcroft Claret to win the Amateur Three-Gaited Under 15.2 class.
The evening kicked off with a 23 entry Missouri Breeders Challenge Weanling Stake. With the big money on the line, the team of Mayo Moctezuma and owner Joe Russell once again proved to be the top pick. Winning her second big purse of the season, Bella La Donna was the winner here, just as she was in the Wisconsin Limited Breeders Weanling Stake. Bella La Donna is by Russell’s stallion, The Last Don, and out of his good mare Albelarm Impulse, by Catalyst. James Vantrease always makes a great show for his mother, Louise Gilliland. He did it once again with Winsdown Kathryn Kennedy, taking reserve. Kathryn Kennedy is by the young stallion Winsdown Westinghouse.
Lisa Strickland and Celtic Lass topped a big field of Ladies Five-Gaited Mares, with Have You Ever and Barclay de Wet in reserve. The gelding side of the field went to Missouri’s own CH Callaway’s Born To Win, with Gayle Lampe. CH Carolina Cat and Mandy Dellinger were reserve.
Jay Wood made new owner Barbara McCune happy with a win aboard The Paper Princess JJW in the Open Park qualifier. Another showdown of two of the top country pleasure horses of all time, League Of Nations and CH The Shadow Knows, saw League Of Nations emerge victorious this time with Carol Hillenbrand. Shadow Knows and Linda Meyer were World’s Champions in the division at Louisville.
Also of note, two thirds of the field for the $50,000 Five-Gaited National Championship are set, as Steve Chadick and It’s Double O’ Deuce topped the stallion qualifier for SGF Winning Ways Farm, while Callaway’s Karla and Debbie Foley came out of the mare division for Jo Ann Griffin.
|