Vermont Spring Classic Kicks Off New England Morgan Circuit
Monday, June 7, 2010
The Vermont Spring Classic maintained its status as the first of the six shows on the New England Morgan Horse Association circuit. This venerable show celebrated its 41st year on May 19-22 at its present home for the past eight years, the Eastern States Exposition Center in W. Springfield, Massachusetts.
Serving as manager for more than half of the shows 41 years, Hayes Sogoloff has piloted the show through choppy waters and calm seas with a great group of dedicated volunteers who have been by his side.
"We had a great show this year with excellent weather and well attended parties. We gained back half the horses that the economy cost us last year even with two barns that were last minute cancellations. I'd like to again thank our generous sponsors who are so important to the success of the show".
The management has stayed consistent is its effort to make the Vermont Spring Classic a pleasant experience for exhibitors, trainers, vendors and officials. Like the family that they are, everyone at the Vermont Spring Classic enjoys gathering for some fun parties sponsored by many of the area barns with pizza, lasagna and ribs on the menu for the three gatherings. It’s a great way to bring long days of showing to a close.
The Vermont Spring Classic features an all-volunteer show committee, many of whom work at the show. In addition to Hayes Sogoloff the list includes; Steve and Josie Davis, Jennifer Russell, Sue Lowery, Debbie Blackett, Tom and Janet Yager, Anne Brown, Kevin Shortell, Bonnie Sogoloff, and Barbara Beauregard.
Officials of the Vermont Spring Classic included judges Lynn Harvey-McNamara, Daryl Hopson, Joy Congdon and John Greenall. The voice of the Vermont Spring Classic for many years, Bill Carrington was back in center ring as was photographer Casey McBride. The ringmaster duties were shared by Al Celecki and Grace Yaglou, while Tom Yager served as the paddock master. Pam Turner stayed busy as show secretary, while Andy Hengen served as USEF Steward. Official farrier Tim Keller and veterinarian Kris Koss rounded out the officials’ crew.
The park saddle division featured a trio of triumphant performers with AMHF Belle Pepper and Jessica Gray topping the amateur, Alissa Leonard and Cedar Creek Danseur capturing the ladies blue and flowers, and Watch Me Dance and Diane Garrow closing out the show with the Amateur Park Saddle Championship. Richard Boule introduced Playor’s Beyond The Stars to the tricolor stratosphere in the Park Harness Championship following a blue ribbon in the three-year-old class.
The English Pleasure division saw DM Bugatti Royale and Scott Travers top the open division, while Bling Bling and Alisia Ouellette continued their winning ways with the amateur tricolor and stallion/gelding blue. JoAnn Bush rode a pair of English pleasure winners in Tapestry Field Of Dreams and Farabee. Suzi Pellick matched up with Alexandra Frangiosa’s Think About MEM to best the Youth English Pleasure competition. Jackuelyn Chase and On A Mission MEM were on a winning mission in the 14-17 division. Chloe Deeb graduated from the walk/trot ranks in grand style as she teamed Pacific Rim Take Aim to the 13 and under blue and tricolor. Hollybrook Romeo and Spencer Shample as well as RDF French Twist with Katya Lammey each got a chance to visit the winner’s circle in the walk-trot division. Tess Kiritsy made a winning transition as she rode Jessebelle to the novice rider blue. Grand Cru Taittinger and Michael Murphy made the victory pass in the novice class for Brenda Varney. UVM Odyssey and Kelly Sogoloff matched up for the Junior English Pleasure Championship victory pass for proud new owner Tony Humphreys. GVB Cape Town collected the top honors in the four-year-old class with Jaisen von Ballmoos up for Chapel Hill Morgans.
The Pleasure Driving division featured a stellar group of Oklahoma winners battling for Vermont Spring Classic top honors. Can’t You See MEM and Melissa Morrell bested them all on Friday night for the open tricolor following the ladies blue. The stallion/gelding class saw MEM Just My Style and Percy McDaniel make the victory pass, while Just My Style’s stylish son Giorgio Armani topped the Junior Pleasure Driving Championship and four-year-old qualifier for Clint and Linda Barber. Another Just My Style son, Distinct By Design made the victory pass in the UPHA Classic with Jerome Parker on the lines for Holly Turner. Julie Rohrer and Tomeri Tango earned their second Amateur Pleasure Driving Championship in as many shows following a blue ribbon drive in the qualifier. SpringMill Souvenir and Amber Green earned dual victory passes in the junior exhibitor division. Jaisen von Ballmoos drove a pair of blue ribbon winners in CBMF Bond Girl for Copper Beech and Kinzu Gaelic Storm for Kathleen Pierce.
In hand competition featured Grand Champion Stallion UVM Jubilant with Steve Davis; Junior Champion Stallion Aljaks Brite Lights and Shawn Amazeen; Grand Champion Mare CBMF Bond Girl with Jaisen von Ballmoos; Junior Champion Mare LCK No Cover Charge and Judy Nason; and Grand Champion Gelding SpringMill Souvenir and Percy McDaniel.
There was a good mix of talent in the Classic Pleasure sections with both the riding and driving classes being competitive. Rum Brook Immortal Waltz and Molly O’Brien earned the big prize in the open saddle championship following ladies blue. Hayley Porter and Versailles matched up to sweep top honors in the 14-17 division, while Successive Endeavors and Emma Kate Flanagan earned the 13 and under tricolor. HRS Mirror Image and Brooke Perlee carried the Walk-Trot blue and tricolor back to the Cedar Spring banner. Blue ribbon winners also included Lucky-U with Leah Hurley, Hillwood Irish Claddagh with Maura Sweeney-Reeve, Kiss This and Andrea Illes, and Hylee’s Dann Osgood with Lauren White.
Possibly the deepest and most competitive class of the week was the Classic Pleasure Driving Championship where Julie Rohrer and Sarde’s Manistique drove away with the tricolor to add to the stallion/gelding qualifier blue. The division also featured victory passes by Heyday Molly Stark and Barbara Young, Cardinal Brook Earth Angel with Jessica Gray, Cardinal Brook Always Byzy and Sadie Ray, and Miss Ava G with Terri Travers.
The Western Pleasure Championship featured a perfectly named winner as JW Sporting Victory jogged away with the tricolor streamers with Melissa Morrell up for Equus Novus LLC following the stallion/gelding blue ribbon ride. Judy Nason had a pair of qualifier winners in JW I’m Outrajus Too in the mares and FCF Montego Bay in the ladies. Christine Harb and Sunny Acres Kaleidoscope bested the field in the amateur championship as well as the amateur mares, while Burkland French Tradition and Carla Ferro jogged away with the amateur stallion/gelding win. WRS Status Quo and Ashley Carkin were the top team in the junior exhibitor championship, while Kane Creek Kryptonite and Emily Jones earned the qualifier blue. Dennis O‘Connell and SPR Don Juan teamed up for the victory pass in the novice rider class, while JMF Tijuana Cruise and Tammy Levesque topped the novice and junior horse classes.
The most consistently filled division of the week was by far the Hunters. Stephanie Marcelonis and CPM Five O’ Clock Somewhere toasted a tricolor victory in the open championship following a blue ribbon ride in the stallion/gelding class. Legacy Stables directed Pembroke Annabella to a pair of wins with Elizabeth Murphy in the ladies and Kathleen Vaughn in the amateur mares. Anna Weeks and MEM Virtual Reality captured the blue in the ladies class on the way to the amateur championship victory. JBK Buck Dakota and Samantha Chamberland paired up for the victory pass in the amateur stallion/gelding. Andrea’s Radiance and Jillian Mark captured the novice rider tricolor with a memorable ride, while the divided qualifier saw CBMF Black On Blue and Jenna Costanzo along with Cedar Creek Zanzibar and Coleen Franco earn the blues. Zanzibar and Franco also topped the novice class. CBMF Designer Touch and Sarah Gove had the winning touch in the junior division as they earned the blue and tricolor for Lisa Foley.
Hailey Perlee matched up with She’s My Calendar Girl to hit the jackpot in the competitive Youth Hunter Pleasure Championship, while Arboria Ben Hur and Katie Hodges along with No Kidding and Ellen Walsh made the victory passes in the divided qualifier. Ben Hur and Hodges came back to sweep top honors in the 16-17 division. Emily Tarr matched up perfectly with MEM Mr. Boston to capture the blue and tricolor in the 14-15 division for proud mom Julie Spaniel. Averi Bogar and CBMF Going Places carried home the 13 and under championship, while Renaissance Espionage and Mckenzie Snow bested the field in the qualifier and added a pair of victories in the equitation division. The hunter and western walk-trotters showed together with Mikaelas The Overcomer and Samantha Galletta teaming up to win the pleasure tricolor as well as both of the equitation classes under the Rolling Oak banner, while Bent Apple Liberty and Keeley Granther carried home the pleasure qualifier blue.
The crowd-pleasing team of Ben Kaufman and SpringMill Premonition once again entertained as they sped away with Roadster To Bike blue and tricolor.
Chloe Deeb had a show to remember in her first time out of the walk-trot division as she carried home a quartet of equitation victories. Matched with Hollybrook Van Gogh, she showed polish and precision to capture the Junior Saddle Seat Equitation Championship as well as the AMHA Medal, while Alex Frangiosa’s bold WSG Wham-O was Deeb’s partner for the UPHA Junior Challenge Cup and 13/under qualifier wins. Betsy Coco opened the season with dual victory passes in the 16-17 and UPHA Senior Challenge Cup classes. Kylie Alexander carried home the 14-15 blue. Spencer Shample and Hollybrook Romeo added the walk-trot blue and tricolor to the Taylor River banner to the delight of their fan club.
Hayley Porter added two more top wins to the Janbark banner with the Classic Saddle Seat Equitation Championship and the 14-17 blue, while Siara Clemmey earned the honors in the 13 and under division. Isabelle Scott showed off her talents as she rode to the winner’s circle in the Leadline class for the second year in a row under the direction of Jean DeGutis.
Emily Jones added the Western Seat Equitation Championship to the Rolling Oaks banner following dual blues in the AMHA Western Seat Medal and 13 & under qualifier. Ashley Carkin jogged away with the 14-17 victory.
Alexandria Warner posted a repeat victory in the Hunt Seat 14-17 Equitation Championship following the win in the 16-17. Kyle Sewing was the blue ribbon winner in the 14-15 as well as in the AMHA Hunt Seat Medal.
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