WNY Morgan Show Celebrates 30th Anniversary
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
HORSEHEADS, N.Y. - Warm, clear weather welcomed all to the 30th anniversary edition of the WNY Morgan Horse Show in Horseheads, N.Y., over the Memorial Day weekend. In celebration of the anniversary, the show committee aligned itself with other agricultural interests to add special events and products at the show. One of New York’s dairymen with a Morgan connection, Doug and Kelly Dickson, sponsored both the welcome party with hot dogs and hamburgers and an ice cream social the following day. Friday night featured a wine and cheese party with specially labeled wines sponsored by Creekside Morgans (Joe and Marion Gaigal), Mainstream Farm (Kathy Nagy and clients) and Yancey’s Fancy Cheese of Corfu, N.Y. Saturday night featured the annual pig roast exhibitors’ party with the band Kate Lee and No Strings Attached. The band was sponsored by Silver Maple Stables (Kathy Allingham) and the party was supported by many local barns including Cornerstone Training Stable, Gullwing, Black Creek, Scottfield Stables, Valiant Farm & Kennel, Sharidan Stable, Kingfisher Creek, Chandelle Farm and friends of WNY. With all of that everyone found time to have a horse show and what a show it was. Many classes had double digit entries, with the hunter, western and classic saddle classes being the largest. Ladies western saw 16 answer the call with the ladies hunter and ladies classic having 18 and 10 respectively. As part of the 30th anniversary, the lady winners received pearl necklaces.
Handling the judging assignments were David Young in the main ring and Linda Beaulieu for the carriage division. In the main ring, judge Young had some tough decisions to make, and in fact commented on how deep and well-ridden many of the classes were. It was encouraging to see the number of junior exhibitors here, 18 kids did showmanship, seven western showed back in the championship, with 16 in the hunter championship, six in classic saddle and four in junior exhibitor English pleasure. The equitation championships had similar numbers. Perhaps best of all was the saddle seat walk-trot, with eight in the equitation and seven that showed back come championship time. The special awards for the equitation and showmanship classes were donated by Stagecoach West of Irving, N.Y. The AOTS class winners received hand-painted photo albums from Carol Shuster Swartz, and the program artwork was donated by Deb Richter.
This show has a very competitive in-hand division with 48 entries across the division. In the open and amateur classes the numbers were very impressive as well, with most of the classes being very well filled – stallions and geldings western with 10, amateur western 12, amateur hunter under 15 and 15 and over with nine and 12, classic saddle championship nine and 11 showed back for the amateur hunter championship. This show’s quality is fairly deep having several Grand National and world titled horses being shown along with many barns testing the water with their new combinations in the fun and friendly atmosphere.
The rest of the horse show officials included: secretary Marilyn Ackerman, ringmaster Bob Kleinfelter, announcer Marty Kleiner, farrier Dan Rossiter, USEF steward Andy Shupe, show manager Mike Kropp and photographer Tami Johnson. Plans for next year include using two main ring judges, Missy Hanover for park and pleasure, and Daryl Hopson for the hunter and western. A 50/50 benefit drawing raised the funds for a $2,500 two and under in hand class (WNY Classic) to be held in 2008. Look for further announcements on this exciting new class, and the rest of the fun at this show next year.
Complete results can be seen and searched by clicking here.
Seen at Western New York Morgan Horse Show:
Western Pleasure Champion
Trebles Double Exposure and Mike Kropp
Grand Champion Stallion
Master Suite
Junior English Pleasure Champion
Tim Murray and Aquarian New Moon
Carriage Obstacles winners
Jo Ann Squier and Chandelle High Tigerhawk
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