UPHA/American Royal - Tuesday Evening
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Tuesday night began as it traditionally does, with the Missouri Breeders’ Weanling Challenge. In one of the deepest and most competitive Challenges in recent memory, it was Ridgewood’s Special Agent claiming the tricolor with Bob Brison on the lead for Bob and Tonya Brison. By the Sir William Robert son, Sir Of York, Special Agent is out of Heir’s Brown Sugar, by CH Heir To Champagne. The dark chestnut colt’s second dam is All Talk, a Reserve World’s Champion as a young horse with George Knight. The formidable futurity team of Mayo Moctezuma and Joe Russell were the Reserve Champions with Quite The Catch. They are quite formidable indeed in this event, as they are responsible for the winners from 2008 through 2011, all four sired by The Last Don. Quite The Catch is out of Becoming, making her a full sister to 2010 winner Caught Looking. The other three are out of Albelarm Impulse, the dam of Becoming.
Jessie Cole and Amanda Dellinger have now won three classes in a row here at the American Royal. Sweeping the division here a year ago, this Hollow Haven team started their week off with a unanimous win in the Adult Country Pleasure qualifier. The gray gelding has had a magnificent season, with blue ribbon after blue ribbon coming back for owner James Dellinger. Famously a full sibling to the great Callaway’s Sugarplum, Callaway’s Summer Solstice was reserve in this one with Carissa Marshall up for Tannehill Farms. Trained by Todd Graham, Summer Solstice was the World’s Champion of Champions this year in Freedom Hall, as these two top entries went head to head there as well. They were twice reserve here a year ago. Top This and Avery Bul earned third or Cascade Stables, while CH Fine By Me and Ron Price took the white ribbon back to Lance Hayes Stables for Alicia Sacotte.
The grand mare, CH Callaway’s Annabel Allison, was the winner of the Five-Gaited Mare Stake for the second time in her career. Debbie Foley was also aboard for the win here in 2010, going on to win the National Championship that time around. Three years in a row the Five-Gaited Mare World’s Champion, Annabel Allison is by CH Caramac and out of Callaway’s Love Lucy, by CH The Talk Of The Town. Incredibly Lucky made a great impression on the crowd in reserve with Jesse West. The Virgil Helm Stable-trained entry is owned by Alice Sias Pippin. Incredibly Lucky is by the harness stallion, I’m A Lucky Charm. She is out of Credible Lady, by Attache’s Born Believer. She will be one to watch for in the coming years, as she is just a six-year-old.
Another repeat winner scored all three first-place votes, as Talladega Red won the Mo/Kan Junior Exhibitor Show Pleasure class for the third year in a row. Sara Baker has been aboard for all three of those wins for Ronald and Lori Baker. They were Reserve Champions a year ago in the open to all ages Mo/Kan Show Pleasure Championship. Talladega Red is trained by Robert Stezovsky. Morgan Balentine showed Lenore’s Tornado for the first time just a few months ago. They have come together nicely for trainer Lynn McCallister, finishing reserve tonight.
Another repeat winner, another unanimous decision. That was the way it was in the Amateur Three-Gaited 15.2-and-Under Stake, as CH With Style And Grace and Tara Grom continued their phenomenal career together. This was their fourth straight win at the Royal, their second in a row in this class. The two-time defending National Champion took the top prize back to DeLovely. Dr. Merrell Magelli was pleased with her reserve prize aboard Heir To A Kiss. Trained by Monnington Farm, Heir To A Kiss was the Amateur Three-Gaited winner at the Alltech National Horse Show after finishing as the Reserve World’s Champion in the Three-Gaited Park Mares class with Lionel Ferreira. The recently engaged Stacey Kipper had one of her best rides aboard Ribbons And Reins to take third for Sondra Kipper.
Twin Willow’s McDreamy certainly loves Kemper Arena. He and Dr. Alan Raun have won a class here every year since 2009, the first time they showed at the Royal. Twice now the National Champion in this division, McDreamy was the Open Road Pony winner tonight for owner Deborah Jahn. Mike Herron was reserve with Romeo’s Commandant LF. An entry of Muffy Ernster, Commandant made a good show for the red prize in their debut performance. Commandant was previously trained by the now-retired Gib Marcucci.
Divine Asset was a dominant force in the Ladies Five-Gaited Mare class, as she and Jacqueline Beck rocked to a unanimous victory for the Williams Family Trust and Visser Stables. Organist Stacy Beam played “California Girls” for their victory pass, as the gray mare looked every bit the part of the reigning Amateur Ladies Five-Gaited Mare World’s Champion. Jonelle Chovanec matched her best finish ever with Hello Beautiful, earning the red ribbon for Dr. Mary Ling in this class of three.
Another Mo/Kan class came to the ring next, with the Adult Show Pleasure entries vying for a win in Kemper Arena. Brush Creek’s Eastwood was judged to be the best of this big group, with Valerie Boelsen riding under the direction of John Cragen. These two have been teamed together since 2010, making their American Royal debut tonight. They have been Amateur Park Pleasure Champions at St. Louis the past two years. Third in this one a year ago, Hillcroft Rare Heir was the reserve winner this time around. Lauren Fitzpatrick made the good show for Stephens College. Stephens and William Woods University often battle it out in these Mo/Kan classes, with Stephens getting the edge this time. Francesca Fields was third with My Paramour for William Woods.
Now a World’s Champion mom as well, The DaVinci Code continued her storied career with her third Fine Harness Mare win here at the Royal, her second in a row. The reigning Fine Harness Mare World’s Champion is always a crowd favorite and has been since that smashing debut at Louisville just three short years ago. Joyce Cashman drove her La Renaissance to reserve under the direction of Danette Musselman. Danette was reserve with this daughter of Belle Reve’s Renaissance Man in the Ladies class here in 2010.
Katie Langdon has been teamed up with Size Me Up on this Missouri circuit all season long, getting great results under the direction of Tracy James Rossouw. An entry of James Orr, they were twice winners on these grounds in May at UPHA Chapter 5. Tonight they topped the Mo/Kan Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited class. Size Me Up is by Tornaado and out of the Orrs’ wonderful producer, Annie Up. Hot Couture was up for the red prize with Samantha Baker riding for Ronald and Lori Baker. This was the second year in a row for these two to earn the reserve win.
Thunderbolt and William Shatner continued their incredible campaign with a win in the Amateur Roadster to Bike class. Directed by Raymond Shively, they made a smashing show earlier this year to be crowned Amateur Roadster to Bike World’s Champion of Champions. The ever-popular Iamnotacow was reserve with Debra Clark at the lines, directed by Jon Walker. The reigning Amateur Ladies Reserve World’s Champion debuted at ASHAV under saddle, putting on a tremendous show in that division as well.
After Robert “Bud” Hertzog was honored as the UPHA/American Royal Horseperson of the Year, the best class of the night, Ladies Five-Gaited Geldings, came to the ring. What a show these lady riders put on, as they qualified for the final UPHA Pink Ribbon Class on Friday night. The Pink Ribbon program will be rolled into the UPHA Iron Will program, which will be launched at the National Convention in Las Vegas this coming January. Appropriately enough then, the top honors went back to the home of UPHA President Bret Day, as Belle Reve’s So Photogenic and Elizabeth Shatner were the victors for Liz and her mom, Dorothy Anderson. Liz made her first show with Photo at Lexington, earning the Ladies Five-Gaited Gelding reserve win. A month later, they were the Amateur Ladies Five-Gaited Gelding World’s Champions and tonight, they topped the Ladies Gelding qualifier in Kemper Arena. By Buck’s Co-Star, So Photogenic is out of CH Take My Picture, a World’s Champion gaited horse herself. The reserve winner got a nice salute from the crowd, as the great CH Walterway’s Remember Me continued his return to the show ring with the Wheeler family. Ceil Wheeler is once again teamed with the grand gelding, directed by Mercer Springs Farm. The last time they showed here together was 2007, when they won this very same class. New Yorker’s Special Gift and Mary Jane Glasscock Kirkpatrick were third, with CH Callaway’s Born To Win and Gayle Lampe in fourth.
Heartland Globe Trotter was the judges’ choice in the Open Hackney Pony class, with Maureen Lydon Campbell driving for Sandra Surber. Globe Trotter was in top form to win this cob-tail class. He is by Heartland Equality and out of a Dun-Haven Bandolier mare. Champions at the All American Horse Classic, Heartland Undeniable and Kate Frieberg were reserve tonight for Reedannland. Undeniable is by The Postmaster and out of New Song, dam of the phenomenal Heartland Rain Song.
It was a year ago here that Brittany McGinnis made her debut in the Park division with CH Stravinsky, sweeping the Amateur Park classes. Tonight, it was Todd Miles in the irons to take the Open Three-Gaited Park blue for Fish Creek Stables. Brittany has had a tremendous season with the talented chestnut gelding, including the Amateur Park Championships at Lexington and Midwest Charity as well as the Amateur Three-Gaited Park Stallion/Gelding World’s Championship. A horse that has been right in the mix of every class he has been in this year, Digger Dan was reserve with Bret Day up for Elizabeth Ghareeb. They have five wins and seven reserves on the season so far. Digger Dan is by Attache’s Royal Assets and out of Mayonnaise. The Toy Soldier got the biggest crowd response of the night, finishing third with Samantha Hegstrom for Jayne Romano. This resident of Lukens Stables is by Undulata’s Nutcracker and out of the Talent Town mare, Nativity Town, a half sister to World’s Champion That’s My Story.
The grand finale on Tuesday night pays homage to one of Missouri’s greatest, Will Shriver. Winning the Will Shriver Five-Gaited Stallion Stake for the fourth time in the last five years was It’s Double O’ Deuce. Melissa Moore made the winning ride, just as she did in 2010, for Sherry Frankel and SGF Winning Ways Farm. A horse very special to Sherry, Double O’ Deuce was her own selection when he was a two-year-old. Now 10 years later, he is having possibly the best show season of his life, winning seemingly everywhere he goes. In a rematch of the Lexington Five-Gaited Stallion Stake, It’s Paladin was the reserve winner with Dan Flowers. Also sired by It’s Hammertime, this jet black stallion is in just his first year in the show ring.
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