UPHA/American Royal - Thursday Matinee
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Sallie Mason Wheeler opened the proceedings today with a unanimous win in the AHHS Road Pony Under Saddle Medallion. Formerly the home of the National Finals of this event, the Royal sported a field of five today. It was A Dazzling Diva getting the win for owner Maureen Campbell and Majestic Oaks. These two have been nigh on unstoppable this year, winning at every show they have been to, including a qualifier blue in Freedom Hall. Cheryl Manahan headed up the delighted reserve winner, as Kinslie Dougherty got that prize with Regal’s Double Trouble LF. Teamed up since 2011, this is their second year in a row to claim this ribbon here in Kansas City.
The outlook was sunny for CH Callaway’s Cumulus once again here at the American Royal. The grand chestnut entry of Susan Aschenbrenner took a fourth straight victory pass in the Country Pleasure Driving qualifier here. Also the three-time defending National Champion, this wonderful team has won seven straight classes in this ring. Amanda Simpson and Dave Hysaw headed up the victory pass. The current Reserve World’s Champion of Champions was reserve in this one as Double Or Nuttin’ scored that prize with Priscilla Marconi driving for Tri-Color Ventures. Jim Lowry directs this team. The big bay was the Country Pleasure Driving Champion at Lexington earlier this year. He is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of Beat The Odds.
Charlie Jones headed up the victory pass for his former horse, Beaucourt Boy. Lukens Stables assistant Alyssa Boushon made the ride to win the Roadster Under Saddle class for owner Jeff Lukens.
It was a first blue ribbon in a new division for the highly decorated CH I’m Something Wicked. McGee Bosworth rode to the Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited Pleasure blue this morning for Pair of Jacks Stables and trainers Mary and Evan Orr. Twice reserve in their debut show at the North Carolina State Championship, they were also Reserve World’s Champions this year in Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited. They are already halfway to qualified for Louisville next year, as McGee prepares with her new juvenile gaited teammate Moonlight Memories for next season. Reserve champions at Southern Saddlebred Fall Finale last month, Stonecroft Rumor Has It and Jessica Cloud racked on to the red ribbon again here on a bigger stage. Showing under the direction of Jack Magill, this is also a new team for the division. They have three of their six Louisville qualifying classes under their belt as well, as they excel in their new job. Faithfull One and Brianna Meyer were third for the Brown-Anderson Farms, followed by Start The Game and Abby Mutrux in fourth for Equilateral Enterprise and Lowry Stables.
Anyone who has ever been to the Morgan Grand National will well know Kelly Kraegel and her Cottonwood Creek Ranch. She introduced herself to the American Royal crowd today, heading up the winner in the Ladies Western Country Pleasure class. Reedann’s Phancy Phootwork is a pretty bay, working in the soft and supple style of Kelly’s western pleasure Morgans. Rider Karen Cooley also shows her own Western Morgan, Fastrak Thunderbird, claiming a Reserve Grand National Championship this year in Oklahoma. Phancy Phootwork is owned by Kiley Bush. CH Monsignor and Laine Peterson jogged to the red prize for trainers Jim and Fay Lowry. This was the second reserve win of the week for the longtime star of this division. Monsignor is a bright chestnut with plenty of white. He is by Revival and out of Demure, by CH Foxfire’s Prophet.
It was a hometown win for Callaway’s Winning Number and Wil Rowland, claiming the 13-and-Under Country Pleasure unanimous blue. It was the second year in a row for Wil and Winning Number to claim this prize for Ever Glades Farm and trainer Missy Hughes Smith. The reigning 13-and-Under Country Pleasure World’s Champion of Champions was in top form again today, making it through an odd occurrence in the class. After the class was lined up, the riders had to go back to the rail first direction, as they had not been asked to canter the first way of the ring! Majestic’s Trust Me was up for the second prize, with Hannah Herbst riding for John Herbst. The hinged up chestnut is by Trust Fund and out of Majestic Surprise. This team also earned a Reserve Championship at ASHAV this year.
Robert Gardiner continued his Mo/Kan dominance with a winning entry in the Mo/Kan Junior Exhibitor Show Pleasure Championship. Odeon and Abby Mutrux have been teamed up since 2012 for the High Spirits Farm. The extended catch ride has landed them in the winner’s circles at Lexington, Louisville, and now the American Royal as well. They swept the division here this week, winning today in unanimous style. Reserve championship honors went to Trust Company and Madison Pope. Another by Trust Fund, Trust Company is trained by her mom, Lisa Hillmer. They were reserve in the qualifier as well. Just a year ago, this Championship saw Trust Company and Madison taking the tri-color round of honor.
Winner of his split of the qualifier, Talladega Red came back against the full field for another round of honor as the Mo/Kan Adult Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Champion with Samantha Baker. Trained by Robert Stezovsky, Talladega Red will team up with little sister Sara Baker for the ASHAF Youth Pleasure Driving Challenge National Finals tomorrow. Reserve for the second time this week went to Figaro, with Dr. Carla Pearman riding for Carla Pearman and Tommy Fagan. Trained by High Spirits Farm, this four-year-old is by Sir William Robert and out of a Supremacy’s High Time mare.
Champions at Blue Ridge and ASHAV, Kharbon Steel and Alex Ververeli were the AHHS 14-17 Road Pony Medallion winners today for owner Toni Nastali and Majestic Oaks. This sporty dark pony is by Spirited Rhythm and out of Bit O’ Brass. Romeo’s Commandant LF and Hope Hatchitt picked up the reserve win for Robert, Melissa, and Hope Hatchitt. This team is trained by Mike Herron.
Just a four-year-old, HS Baby Steps took on the aged horses to come away with a second straight victory with Misdee Wrigley Miller at the lines. Also the winner of a tremendous Amateur Fine Harness class at the Alltech National Horse Show, they took that same blue ribbon pass here today for Hillcroft Farm. Larry Hodge headed up the round of honor here, while it was Larry himself at the lines for the Junior Fine Harness World’s Championship win this year at Louisville. Lexington champions Magical Promises and Anna Marie Knipp were reserve in this one for High Spirits Farm. The big chestnut daughter of Mountain Promises and Harlem’s Rare Magic was the Reserve World’s Champion this year in Amateur Ladies Fine Harness.
When last we saw Nuttin’ But Style, she was taking a Louisville victory pass with Jacqueline Beck in the Ladies Three-Gaited 15.2-and-Under class. Three months later she has a new division to show in, getting her pony card and debuting in this new division for a unanimous Three-Gaited Pony win with Eleanor Rainbolt Forbes. The Rainbow Princess Farms entry is trained by DeLovely Farms. Nuttin’ But Style is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of CH Heir Style, a former walk-trot pony World’s Champion. CH Powerful Tango and Emilea Stinnett took the reserve honors for Woodlea Farm and trainer Smith Lilly. These two have been strong contenders all year long, earning reserve championships at Blue Ridge, Lexington, and Asheville.
Elaine Earlywine and Jan Lukens were excited winners of the first section of Show Pleasure Driving, as Surprise Kiss took the last pass. Winners at every show they have been to this year, Surprise Kiss and Elaine were most recently the top call at Octoberfest and Eastern States Exposition. Directed by May and Steve Chadick, Spend The Night earned the reserve win with Cindy Kolmeier driving for Destiny Farm. A Reserve World’s Champion as a yearling, Spend The Night is by CF First Night Out and out of Fancy Bloomer.
Cater Stables put another winner into the ring in the 14-17 Country Pleasure class. CH Extremely Fortunut was the judges’ choice in this one, with Brittany Cloutier riding for Roland and Laura Cloutier. World’s Champions in their qualifier this year, they finished the week of Louisville as the Reserve World’s Champion of Champions, their lone loss of the year. Drew Taylor Hewitt continued her final show as a juvenile with a reserve prize aboard Royal Valentine. An entry of DTH Saddlebreds, Royal Valentine is trained by Clouse Stables. This was the same order of finish as Section One of the Louisville qualifier, where Royal Valentine was the Reserve World’s Champion.
Winner of the UPHA Hackney Pleasure Driving Classic National Championship a year ago, Crystal Creek’s Foxnomenal scored another Thursday win at the Royal, this time in the AHHS Hackney Pleasure Driving Medallion. Cheyenne Mabey once again got the call to drive for owner Tom Fiedler and Majestic Oaks. She scored a World’s Championship and a Reserve World’s Champion of Champions title this year in Freedom Hall with the Dun-Haven Phenomenal product. One of the most highly decorated pleasure ponies of all time, Pacifico’s Standing Ovation won the red ribbon for second with Zach Meyer at the lines for Brown-Anderson Farms. Ovation has been part of the Hollow Haven family since 2002, winning the Hackney Pleasure Driving World’s Championship the very next year with Bob Anderson.
It was a Mo/Kan tri-color for Hot Apple Cider and Robert Gardiner in the Mo/Kan Three-Gaited Park Stake. Winners of the qualifier as well, these two showed in the Park Pleasure division all season long, winning the championship at Midwest and then taking their split of the Louisville Junior Park Pleasure qualifier. He is owned by Jayne and Carla Pearman. Good Fellows Park and Morgan Brison were up for the reserve championship. The entry of Bob and Tonya Brison was also reserve in the qualifier. This was an identical set of prizes from a year ago for the son of Callaway’s Guy Park.
CH Irresistible Design and Elizabeth James Lipscomb won their split of this Show Pleasure Driving qualifier for the second straight year. The entry of Susan and Elizabeth James LLC is trained by Hollow Haven Farm. The 2010 UPHA Fine Harness Classic National Champion has been a star in this division since entering it as a four-year-old. She has a win and three reserves on her Louisville record already in just four classes on those green shavings. Sarah Wise continued her dream season with Gypsy Gentleman, winning reserve here under the direction of Matt Schuckert. Winners of their last six classes, they also topped their Louisville qualifier this year. Eddie Norris and American Art finished third in this deep split, followed by Super Cooper and Tracy Garcia in fourth.
CH Billy Jewel’s incredible career continued with a unanimous Five-Gaited Pony win with Anne Pateman. From the Cascade Stables, Billy Jewel was the Reserve World’s Champion of Champions this year. The Five-Gaited Pony Champion here in 2009, Billy Jewel has wins at seemingly every major horse show in the country. Olivia Schumacher made a good ride for reserve with her new horse, The Rest Of The Story. Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited Champions at Twin State Octoberfest last month, this new team shows for Kierson Farm and owner/proud mom Lorraine Schumacher.
Sallie Mason Wheeler capped off her day the way she began it, with a blue ribbon round of honor for Majestic Oaks. Mastercraft’s Red Baron LF is an entry of Ceil and Kenny Wheeler. He and Salle Mason cruised to the AHHS 13-and-Under Road Pony Medallion win to finish off the matinee session. These two swept the division at Louisville, coming away as the 13-and-Under Road Pony World’s Champion of Champions. My Kryptonite and Kate Lewis were the reserve winners here for Triple Dream Farm. Trained by Lisa Hillmer, My Kryptonite was the AHHS Road Pony Under Saddle Medallion National Champion this year.
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