UPHA/American Royal - Saturday Evening
Monday, November 26, 2012
Talk about a showdown brewing in 14-17 Three-Gaited next season if the two now National Champions show against each other! Aging out of the 13-and-under ranks with a 13-and-Under Three-Gaited National Championship, Catherine Wheeler put on a show with Swing An’ Singin tonight that kicked off the show but was a showstopper at the same time. These two girls were electrifying for Ceil and Kenny Wheeler and the Mercer Springs team. Sired by Designed and out of Reedann’s Supreme Glow, Swing An Singin has been a superstar and crowd favorite since she marched to her first Louisville blue in junior walk-trot in 2010 with Mark Hulse. The wildly gifted mare has since gone on to claim a 15.2-and-Under Three-Gaited World’s Championship, a Three-Gaited Reserve World’s Grand Championship, an Amateur Three-Gaited 15.2-and-Under Reserve World’s Championship and now this National Championship. Though she seems as though she has been with us for time immemorial, CH An Heir About Her is just 13 years old. One of the grandest walk-trot mares to cross any green shavings, she was the Reserve National Champion tonight for Harriet Townsend and Ever Glades Farm. Winner of this class a year ago with Alice Rowland, An Heir About Her was the winner of the qualifier earlier this week. She and Harriet were also Reserve World’s Champions this year in their split of the 13-and-Under qualifier. This duo is trained by Missy Hughes Smith. Watermark’s A Kiss For Luck and Caroline Rainbolt Forbes have been a strong team for DeLovely. They finished third for Rainbow Princess Farms.
The other part of this future/speculated showdown is the reigning World’s Grand Champion, Platinum Moon. Platinum must be Hunter Chancellor’s favorite precious metal, because she now has two National Champion’s whose names begin with “Platinum.” These two swept the 14-17 Three-Gaited division this week for Steven E. Chancellor and DeLovely Farm, marking the beginning of what looks to be a formidable partnership. Wearing the inky black formal coat specially designed for this dark bay stunner, Hunter continued her winning day with yet another unanimous National Championship. Two-time defending World’s Champion of Champions, The Mighty Mouse was the Reserve National Champion for Hannah Houske, her third reserve title on the day for Shelby Farm and Stables and trainers Milo Jones and Koren Mercer. Mighty Mouse made the top duo work hard for that tricolor, as he made some sensational passes of his own. CH HS Dignitary will also be in that mix once again next year. They finished third for Courtney McGinnis and Fish Creek Stables.
The Parade Horse division crowned its champion in Water Water Everywhere. Cheri Wise rode the big chestnut son of Adriatic to the tricolor for Chip and Cheri Wise, just as she did in the Parade Horse World Championship at the Ohio State Fair. This horse is out of the same dam as CH Boucheron, Whata Jewel Whata Jewel. Jim Miller piloted the Reserve Champion, It’s Miller Time In Harlem, by Harlem Globetrotter and out of Stonewall’s Ebony Angel.
Twice the World’s Grand Champion and now twice the National Champion, Wild Carrissima has been a superstar for the Grey Ridge team and Dr. Chip Pugh. Bret Day drove him to the Fine Harness National Championship for the second straight season. The phenomenal dark gelding lives up to his name, with a wild, open way of moving. My Bling and Chryse Veit earned the Reserve National Championship for Maple Hill Farms and trainer Cary Bartz. My Bling has made five victory passes on the season, showing out of a Minnesota home base. This team was also reserve in the ladies qualifier.
CH A Travelin’ Man maintained his top form once again, climbing to the top of the Ladies Three-Gaited National Championship for the second straight season with Ashley Wilson aboard. The DeLovely team has also won the Amateur Ladies World’s Championship twice in a row for Steven E. Chancellor. They were undefeated in eight classes together this season against the very best competition the division has to offer at Asheville, Midwest, Louisville, and the Royal. Lisa Strickland has worked her magic once again, putting Harlem’s Showman in tip-top form for Beata Flatley-Lilja. Beata and Showman earned the Reserve National Championship for EquiElegance Ltd. Showman is by Harlem Globetrotter and out of Likely As Not. The jet black gelding has a ton of quality to him, epitomizing a “Ladies” horse. He was the Ladies Over 2 winner earlier this week.
Heartland Globe Trotter was right on point, as he made a park trotting display to win the Hackney Pony National Championship with Maureen Lydon Campbell driving for Sandra Surber. A National Champion a year ago as well, he won the AHHS Hackney Pony Youth Medallion National Championship here last season with Kirstie Buerkley. Darrel Kolkman and Heartland Love Ya Later were Reserve National Champions for Mr. and Mrs. Darrel Kolkman. The Limit winner earlier in the week, Love Ya Later is by Heartland Head Of The Class and out of Heartland Marry Me, by Dun-Haven Bandolier. He has been shown just three times, winning twice.
It would be impossible to match the spectacle that was the Amateur Five-Gaited World’s Championship this year, but this big group of amateurs rode hard for their National Championship prize. A fine gentleman of the show ring, Glenn T. Werry was the tricolor recipient with Heir Comes The Man. Trained by Mark Turner and owned by Glenn A. Werry Jr. Heir Comes The Man has come a long way in building to this crowning moment. This is just his second season showing with Glenn T, and they don’t go to too many horse shows, showing at just four this year. They swept their division here, winning the amateur stallion/gelding class as well. Mark Of Perfection looks to be a solid contender for the coming season, as he and Jessica Curl got a nice ovation as they left the ring as Reserve National Champions. Bob Brison trains this one. They were amateur champions to open the season on these same grounds at UPHA Chapter 5 in May. Mystery Talk and Danny Cummins, amateur mare winners earlier in the show, finished third for new owner Deborah Jahn.
Our Brilliant Belle has had a brilliant first campaign with Hollow Haven. She has now won 13 times on the season, including this Amateur Fine Harness National Championship with Mary Gise. The spectacular flaxen five-year-old is by Joe Fabulous and out of Finally In Tune, by Finally Attached. Winner of the Ladies Fine Harness World’s Championship qualifier, she came back to be crowned Fine Harness Reserve World’s Grand Champion in that scintillating event. The Reserve National Champion is out of another mare with those blonde highlights, CH The Homecoming Queen. She has produced an outstanding harness mare in A Magical Melody, by Sir William Robert. Jan Beardsley Blanco is the owner and driver for Fairfield South. They were also Reserve Champions in this division at Lexington.
Long and fine, Heartland Accolade was the Hackney Pleasure Driving National Champion, taking his second victory pass of the week with Amanda Dellinger. A World’s Champion and Reserve World’s Champion of Champions this year for Hollow Haven, Accolade is by Heartland Code Of Honor and out of Heartland Extra Elegant, by Dun-Haven Bandolier. He has won a class at Louisville every time he has shown there. This team finished the season with their 13th victory pass of the campaign. Linda Fischer made the good catch drive to earn the Reserve National Championship at the lines of Catch Me If You Can for good friend Sandra Surber. Another Majestic Oaks team, Catch Me If You Can was reserve earlier in the week with Sandra at the lines. They were also Reserve World’s Champions in their Louisville qualifier. Catch Me If You Can is by Heartland Equality and out of Heartland Sing A Song, by Dun-Haven Awesome Creation. Romeo’s Expectation LF and Anna Marie Knipp finished third for High Spirits Farm, with Extremely Supreme and celebrity whip Faydelle Schott in fourth.
It was two years in a row for an amateur rider to win one of the major Open National Championships. A year ago, it was Elisabeth Goth doing so as the Five-Gaited National Champion with Fort Chiswell’s Royal Kiss. This year, Barbara Goodman Manilow pushed the chips all in with Call Me Regal, taking the Three-Gaited National Championship back to Skyline Stables. This has been a team that has really clicked this season, coming together at just the right time to take a wildly competitive Amateur Three-Gaited World’s Championship. Having won the Amateur Over 2 qualifier here, she and the son of CH Call Me Ringo and New York’s Crown Jewel made yet another sparkling show to claim this tricolor. Scott Matton and Hillcroft Rare Fortune were up for the Reserve National Championship for Connie MacQueen. They were also reserve in the Open Over 2. Connie and Scott have shared riding duties this year. Rare Fortune is by Lakeview’s Rare-A-Phi and out of Fortune, by Foxfire’s Prophet.
Another amateur lady took an open championship in the very next class, as Brittany McGinnis took on the trainers to win the Park Championship with CH Stravinsky. Debuting together in the park ranks a year ago as the amateur champions here, Stravinsky and Brittany had to show in this championship, as Todd Miles qualified the brilliant chestnut gelding to the open blue. This team earned the amateur tricolor at Lexington and the Amateur Park Stallion/Gelding World’s Championship. With an extreme headset and front end, The Toy Soldier simply marches down the rail for Samantha Hegstrom and owner Jayne Romano. From the Lukens Stables string, Reserve National Champion The Toy Soldier is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of Nativity Town. He and Samantha were top three in the Open Park Stallion/Gelding World’s Championship. They have taken six victory passes together in this, Toy Soldier’s first season showing.
Alcazar and Royal Count had to go two rounds earlier in the week in their qualifier, with a three-way tie situation. With just two in the championship, that wasn’t going to be possible! The reigning Reserve World’s Grand Champion was the top choice tonight, as Alcazar and Colby Herron reigned supreme atop the Roadster to Bike National Championship for Mike Herron. Royal Count and Rebekah Cloninger were Reserve National Champions for the second year in a row. They first teamed up six years ago and haven’t looked back since.
Hunter Chancellor’s long, long day began with a 5 a.m. wakeup call. The show ring portion ended at 10 p.m. with her third unanimous victory pass of the day, this one with CH Platinum’s New Look in the 14-17 Five-Gaited National Championship. Tonto has seemed to be even better than ever this season, with a lighter campaign featuring just seven classes. Those seven classes all ended with Hunter in the winner’s circle for Steven Chancellor and DeLovely Farm. Maya Manilow rode hard in reserve with Out With The Ladies for Barbara Goodman Manilow. A full brother to Barbara’s Five-Gaited Pleasure National Champion, Most Outrageous, Out With The Ladies has that hard-charging style that Maya seems to work so well with. Champions at St. Louis, they are trained by Skyline Stables. They were Reserve National Champions in this one a year ago as well.
Make it three years in a row for Twin Willow’s McDreamy and Dr. Alan R. Raun to be crowned Road Pony National Champions. This ring just seems to fit the son of Twin Willow’s McMillan and Twin Willow’s Katrina. He is hard to beat here in Kansas City. His Hall of Fame partner might have something to do with it, as he won for the second time this week for owner Deborah Jahn. Just one class removed from Alcazar’s big win with Colby Herron, it was Mike Herron at the lines to take this Reserve National Championship drive with Romeo’s Commandant LF. Owned by Muffy Ernster, Commandant is by Romeo LF and out of Ain’t Misbehavin’, by Rhythm’s Spirit.
It’s hard to beat Debbie Foley with the big money on the line. She proved that once again tonight, as she made a go-for-broke show aboard Callaway’s Annabel Allison, grabbing $15,000 in earnings for a job well done. The Five-Gaited National Championship went back to Silver Brook Stables, just as it did with this team in 2010, the last time they showed here. That was also the year of their first of two Five-Gaited Reserve World’s Grand Championships. Three years running the Five-Gaited Mare World’s Champion, Annabel Allison is by the great CH Caramac and out of Callaway’s Love Lucy, by CH The Talk Of The Town. Melissa Moore rode the hair off It’s Double O Deuce to earn the Reserve National Championship, Deuce’s best finish in this class. The Lexington Champion is owned by SGF Winning Ways Farm and loved to pieces by Sherry Frankel. The brilliant chestnut son of It’s Hammertime and a Man Of York mare completed the best campaign of his career with this reserve tricolor closing out another UPHA/American Royal National Championship Horse Show.
|