Wednesday Evening at the Royal
Thursday, November 15, 2007

One of the highlights of the show was the UPHA Junior Challenge Cup National Championship. Twelve of the original seventeen riders were called back for their final round on Wednesday evening after the preliminary round earlier in the day. Giving one last performance on the rail, the talented young riders lined up for evaluation and then were asked to exit the ring. The top ten were called back into the ring in numerical order. Each rider posed with his or her instructor for a commemorative photo. Capping off a fantastic season, Nick Maupin was called out for the reserve honors. Instructed by Scott and Carol Matton, Maupin claimed the reserve ribbon for the second year in a row. Tapped for the national title and tricolor was Callie Smith. She captured DeLovely’s second consecutive Challenge Cup title with Ellen Medley Wright earning the honors last year.           

Nick Maupin and Callie Smith

congratulated each other.

The Open Park Pleasure class featured 14 entries. Marc Holm directed the bright-eyed Top Beat to the win for Meadowood Farm. Todd Miles commanded the ring in the Open Three-Gaited 15.2 and Under class. He guided Thunder Cloud Nine to the blue for Olen and Linda Wilford.

The fairly new team of Mia Blevins Morris and Heartland Sundust raced away with the Amateur Roadster Pony blue with Calvin Hobbs and Kevin Ingram coming in reserve.

Carol Hillenbrand had quite a night. She directed CH Just Special to the Adult 39 and Over Three-Gaited Show Pleasure blue and then returned five classes later to make the victory pass with CH Swish in the amateur stallion/gelding gaited class.

Carol Hillenbrand with CH Just Special

Judy McNeish and Invincible Summer had the ring to themselves but earned the Open Roadster to Wagon title for the fourth year in a row.

Stephany Monteleone won her second blue of the day when called out for the Amateur Harness Pony win with Delightful Time. Earlier in the day, she and Mastercraft’s Namesake LF topped a deep field of Hackney Pleasure Driving ponies.

Stephany Monteleone and Delightful Time

Rounding out the evening’s classes were the five-gaited geldings. Clark Clouse had the backing of the crowd and the judges as he guided Memories’ Paragon down victory lane for Kenneth and Ceil Wheeler. Courageous Lord and Mike Barlow put on an excellent performance to earn the reserve honors.