Year In Review Dedications Announced
Friday, January 7, 2005
Christy Parsons and Bob Funkhouser have announced the dedications for the 2004 Year In Review book. Honored as the Horse Of The Year is the Trip Crown winner CH Boucheron. Ridden by Rob Byers for Mrs. T.T. Groub, Boucheron put an incredible season together winning the Five-Gaited Grand Championships at Lexington Junior League, Louisville, and The UPHA/American Royal. He was the feel good story of the season and added to what had been a great career as a young horse.
This year’s Owner Of The Year was Betty Weldon of Callaway Hills. Mrs. Weldon’s dedication to breeding outstanding American Saddlebreds for the past several decades is second to none. Her vision continues through the sons of her beloved CH Will Shriver. Callaway’s Blue Norther was the Number One World’s Champion Sire for 2004 and CH Caramac was number five. Her breeding program has given the show horse industry so many thrilling world’s champion performers.
“The Silver Fox,” “the Master Showman,” whatever you want to call him Don Harris has been the consummate professional throughout his long career. He has ridden the waves of success with industry icons like Imperator, Giddy-Up-Go, Magic Marvel, You Are Love, Starina, and Gift Of Love and he has experienced the lean years both personally and professionally. He has handled both with grace.
This past year Harris came back stronger than ever giving riding lessons in some of the toughest gaited classes of the year. At Louisville he won the Junior Five-Gaited World’s Grand Championship with the Nalley family’s It’s All About Me; the Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited National Futurity World’s Championship with Sandra Corney’s Heirrison Ford; and the Kentucky County Fair Five-Gaited World’s Championship with Karla Kucera’s Lucrative.
In recognition of his outstanding career and season, Don Harris is our Trainer Of The Year.
Bob Funkhouser has begun work on the 2004 Year In Review and will be contacting owners and trainers for their involvement in the annual history book. For more information Funkhouser will be available at the UPHA National Convention or contact him at 508-528-1124 or email b.funkhouser@mindspring.com.
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