HHPCS Finals

Submitted by Levi Myers, HHPCS Secretary

The Haflinger and Hitch Pony Championship Series (HHPCS) wrapped up another successful year at the Keystone International Livestock Exposition! Congratulations to Shanahan Haflingers, 2017 Six Horse Hitch Champion, and Katye Day, 2017 Ladies’ Cart Champion.

Since 2014, HHPCS has grown to include over 50 members and nearly 25 sanctioned shows each year. The mission of the Series is to promote the Draft Haflinger and other Draft Pony breeds that compete in both the six horse hitch and ladies’ cart classes. To qualify for the finals, each year member hitches and drivers compete to earn points at sanctioned shows that run year long and cross the country. This year, the finals were held at the Keystone International Livestock Exposition in Harrisburg, PA. The HHPCS Board of Directors would like to thank the K.I.L.E. staff for their hospitality and willingness to hold the finals.

Amanda Hefner in Ladies Cart

Among the competing members, only six hitches and six ladies’ cart drivers qualify for the finals each year. In the six horse hitch competition attending members were; Brugger’s Other Farm, Crowl-Mathias Draft Ponies, Hefner Haflingers, Shanahan Haflingers, Stream-N-Acres, and Triple F Farm. The five ladies’ cart drivers that attended the Finals were; Amanda Hefner, Colleen Crawford, Katye Day, Lisa Vanderwall, and Penny Mathias. Each exhibitor traveled to and from multiple shows over the past year in search of points to qualify.

While at the finals, each competitor is given the opportunity to present their hitch or cart horse three different times; each time in front of a different judge. The judges look for movement of the horses (together and individually), presentation of the hitch, and ease of handling, among other things. The results of each hitch and each ladies’ cart driver under each judge are listed below.

Fierce Competition

Shanahan's winning Hitch

Listed in the results it is easy to see how close the competition has become in the Haflinger and Hitch Pony Championship Series. The top three hitches ending in a three-way tie, proves how close each participant is in their class. The ladies’ cart series speaks volumes about how far each individual driver has developed their animal to become outstanding in each and every way. Final Thoughts

The 2017 finalists has, on average, 25 years of experience in breeding, raising, and exhibiting Haflingers and Draft Ponies. Their extensive experience drives them to success in this hobby. The Board of Directors of the HHPCS asked each participant at the finals on their final thoughts about the finals and some comments were:

“The level of competition has increased to a point where everybody is almost equal and it is coming down to the little things that each judge on how they prefer one hitch over another.”

“Given the variability of each individual drive for each class it is difficult to tell when they might be successful and when not, but the suspense of not knowing results to the end of the finals has a certain air of mystery that we enjoy.”

“It has taken a lot of time and effort from many people. We would like to thank our families for all of their help over the past show season.”

Sream-n-Acres Hitch

Colleen Crawford in Ladies Cart

Triple F Farm's Hitch