International Show Horse Magazine December 2017 by SilverMane Media

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

ABOUT THE COVER

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WGC

2015 World’s Grand Champion Five-Gaited

MARC OF CHARM Santana’s Charm x Pretty Ribbons

Making His Marc

WC Riverdeams’ Remarcable WC Exclamation Mark! WC Cupid’s Marc WCC Riverdreams’ Reflection RWC Riverdreams’ Spitfire RWC Riverdreams’ Marc My Words RWC Beauty Marc 8

Riverdreams LLC Chapel Hill, North Carolina THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Fresh Cooled Semen, LFG Stud Fee $4000

Standing at Monnington Farm Georgia & Lionel Ferreira Simpsonville, Kentucky 502-655-6095

PB THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

CONTENTS

6 54 89 92 95 96 100

106

ADVERTISERS

107

112 26 19 12 32 2 24 7 FC 52 15 28 4 36 110 37 1

About the Cover UPHA American Royal Howard Schatzberg The Daily Lottery Meghan von Ballmoos Caretaker Spotlight: Keith Overall, Sr. Deveau Zubrod Kreitzer Robertson Equine Sales: Autumn Sale Deveau Zubrod Kreitzer UPHA Exceptional Challenge Cup Courtney Willcox Turning a Page: Randy and Denessa Harper of Harper Stables Deveau Zubrod Kreitzer World Cup Team Lori Nelson Young Trainer Spotlight:TJ Santaferra Meghan von Ballmoos

Alliance Stud Aurora Farms Autumn Hills Farm Bruwer Stables Cornerstone Kalarama Farm Kismet Farm Lone Star Saddlebreds Monnington Farm Redwing Farm Schuck Fencing Singing Hills Stables Skyline Stables Stachowski Farm Stachowski Farm, Kentucky Willowbank Wingswept Farm

THE TEAM Pieter Hugo Managing Director

Johan Blom Chief Executive Officer

Madge Bass USA Sales Manager

Marguerite le Roux Senior Designer

Deveau Zubrod Kreitzer Features/Profiles

Marie Chin Advertising Executive

Meghan von Ballmoos Features/Billing Director

Nick Schubert Junior Staff Writer

Gasnat Jaffer Office Manager

www.showhorse.co.za EDITORIALS: Johan Blom johan@silvermane.co.za (0027) 83 324 3709 Pieter Hugo pieter@showhorse.co.za (001) 502 321 8305 Meghan von Ballmoos meghan@showhorse.co.za (001) 860 605 5041 Deveau Zubrod Kreitzer DESIGN: Marguerite le Roux mleroux@silvermane.co.za ADVERTISING: Madge Bass bass.madge@gmail.com (001) 502 299 8523 Marie Chin marie@silvermane.co.za (0027) 82 497 4475 ORDERS & INVOICING: Gasnat Jaffer gasnat@showhorse.co.za 32b Whitlers Way, Hout Bay 7806, South Africa INTERNATIONAL DIALING CODES: SA (0027) AND USA (001)

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Copyright for all original published material is vested in SilverMane Media and may be reproduced only with the permission of the Editor. All opinions expressed in the articles appearing in SilverMane Media are those of the authors and are not necessarily subscribed to by the editorial staff of SilverMane Media. Authors of articles are compelled to acknowledge all sources of information (if any) used in the compiling of articles and are therefore liable for copyright transgressions. SilverMane Media accepts no responsibility for claims made in the advertisements and will not be held liable for any damage resulting from the use of any of the information published in SilverMane Media.

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

www.silvermane.co.za

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

NUTCRACKER CH

111612

UNDULATA’S

Caramac x Christmas In New York ERB by The New York Times

2009

. 2010 . 2011 . 2012 . 2013 . 2014 . 2015 . 2016 . 2017 #1 Sire of World’s Champions Sire of 118 World’s Champions Sire of 24 World’s Champions of Champions Sire of 4 World’s Grand Champions

Owned by Woodleigh Farm LLC INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE 46 THEWI Oconomowoc,

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com

NUTCRACKER CH

Caramac x Christmas In New York ERB by The New York Times

2009

Owned by Woodleigh Farm LLC Oconomowoc, WI

111612

UNDULATA’S

. 2010 . 2011 . 2012 . 2013 . 2014 . 2015 . 2016 . 2017 #1 Sire of World’s Champions Sire of 118 World’s Champions Sire of 24 World’s Champions of Champions Sire of 4 World’s Grand Champions

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE 47

126339

SEDGEFIELD'S LEGACY Undulata's Nutcracker x CHOur Charming Lady by Santana's Charm

Owned by Jack and/or Donna Finch Greensboro, NCINTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE 48 THE

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com

10379

CALL ME RINGO

Sultanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Great Day x CHEleanor Rigby by CHBuck Rogers

Owned by Belle Reve Farm Beverly Hills, CA

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE 49

Belle Reveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Renaissance Man x Steel Available by General Steel

Owned by William and Elizabeth Shatner Beverly50Hills,THE CAINTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

121789

RENAISSANCE MAN'S MEDICI

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com

123119

A RARE TEMPER (SA) Dorian Wild Temper x Garland’s Second Edition by Callaway’s Blue Norther

Owned by Fox Grape Farms, Inc. Roanoke, VA

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE 51

106450

DEEP BLUE

Callawayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blue Norther x Yorkshire Pudding (BHF) by New Yorker

Owned by Fox Grape Farms, Inc. Roanoke, VA 52

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com

106450

DEEP BLUE

Callawayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Blue Norther x Yorkshire Pudding (BHF) by New Yorker

Owned by Fox Grape Farms, Inc. Roanoke, VA

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

110051

SAMUR

Roseridge Heir x Worthy Moment by Worthy Son

Owned by J. Patrick Holahan and/or Waterford Farms LLC Lebanon, PA 54

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com

110051

SAMUR

Roseridge Heir x Worthy Moment by Worthy Son

Owned by J. Patrick Holahan and/or Waterford Farms LLC Lebanon, PA

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

120496

SIMBARA'S RIO BRAVO Castle Bravo x Simbara's Special Someone by Merchant Prince

Owned by Del Investments, Inc. Simpsonville, KY

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE 57

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

114625

THUNDERGUN Attacheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Thunderbolt x Sweetanticipation V by CHCaptive Spirit

Photo by Farrell

WILLOWBANK 502-722-8073 w8073@aol.com www.willowbankfarm.com THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG MO/KS Saddle Seat Equitation 17 & Under FIRE RUN BEST MAN & GABRIELLA SNYDER

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Three-Gaited Park Pleasure Junior Horse OUR BELLE OF THE BALL & ANDY FRESETH

Three-Gaited Park Three Year Old NUTTIN’ BUT KISSES & TORI ALBIN

Three-Gaited Park Pleasure Three Yr Old TANGO QUEEN & ANDREA HARRY Three-Gaited Country Pleasure Adult FAR AWAY GARFIELD & MICHELLE KRENTZ 62

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Country Pleasure Driving CH ATTACHE’S CHOCOLATE THUNDER & LYNDA ST ANDRE

MO/KS Three-Gaited Country Pleasure ABSOLUTELY ALISON & GWYNETH HAMRAH

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

MO/KS Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited THE KING’S LADY ANNE & RACHEL CUMMINGS

Amateur Roadster to Bike TRACK STAR & WILLIAM SHATNER

Fine Harness Three Year Old REEDANN’S CORONATION & ALAN R RAUN DVM Hunter Country Pleasure CH HARLEM’S SWEET SUCCESS & CAITLIN BRANNON

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Five-Gaited Country Pleasure MONNINGTON SIR CHARLES & BARBARA GOODMAN MANILOW

Roadster Pony Denver/Junior HEARTLAND INSPIRED & MATT SCHUCKERT

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MO/KS Five-Gaited Open RIDGEFIELD’S WILD CARD & GAYLE LAMPE

MO/KS Three-Gaited Open CARMELITA KISSES & MARGARET KASEY NOLAN 64

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Fine Harness Stallion/Gelding HERE COMES THE BOOM! & NEIL VISSER

Three-Gaited Over 15.2 HS DAYDREAM’S HEADS UP & SCOTT HAGAN

MO/KS Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Show Pleasure GRAND GESTURE & TAYLOR PHILLIPS

Amateur Harness Pony MR BRIGHTSIDE & LINDA QUIN

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Three-Gaited Three Year Old REEDANN’S ROYAL GOSSIP & JOEL DORIGNAC

Amateur Three-Gaited 15.2 & Under CH PLATINUM MOON & COURTNEY MCGINNIS

Amateur Three-Gaited Park BALENCIAGA & JAMES SIGMON

Five-Gaited Mare CH FOX GRAPE’S THE TIGER LILY & ELISABETH GOTH THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Five-Gaited Three Year Old THE RISING & MACKENZIE LYTTLE

MO/KS Three-Gaited Park JUST OUTRAGEOUS & HANNAH HOUSKE

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MO/KS Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Amateur TANGO TILL DAWN & MALLORY STACY

Three-Gaited Park MY ROYALE PRINCE & STEVE WHEELER 66

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Amateur Roadster to Bike TRACK STAR & WILLIAM SHATNER

Ladies Amateur Three-Gaited I’M STILL DREAMIN’ & BARBARA GOODMAN MANILOW

Fine Harness Two Year Old DIAMOND IN THE FLUFF & TODD GRAHAM

Amateur Hackney Pony HEARTLAND ROUGH AND READY & GRACE ARNOLD Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 18-38 CH SPREAD THE WORD & AMANDA MURCHISON

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Five-Gaited Amateur THE STORY OF MY LIFE & ALYSSA SULSBERGER

MO/KS Five-Gaited Show Pleasure CH MOJO & BAILEY SKINNER

Ladies Three-Gaited Under 15.2 ON HIGHER GROUND & KIM COWART THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 39 & Over CH MIGHTY THOR & MICHAEL PETTY

Three-Gaited Two Year Old UNDULATA’S COLORADO CRACKER & KAYLA WOOTERS

Five-Gaited Show Pleasure 18-38 WALTERWAY’S EFFECT ON ME & SARAH STRONG

Fine Harness Junior Horse HS I’M HOT WIRED & DEBBIE FOLEY

Harness Pony Open HEARTLAND DIXIE DANCER & ALICIA SCHUCKERT

Three-Gaited Park Pleasure KALARAMA’S OUT OF THE ORDINARY & ANDY FRESETH 68

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

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Amateur Three-Gaited Over 15.2 FOX GRAPE’S RELENTLESS & ASHLEY BOLENDER

Five-Gaited Two Year Old JUJUBEE & ANDREA HARRY MO/KS Roadster Pony HEARTLAND LAND ROVER & SUSAN COURTNEY

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Three-Gaited Park Junior Horse OUR BONNIE BELLE & MARIA GILMAN

Five-Gaited Show Pleasure 39 & Over CALLAWAY’S BOOKMARK & BARBARA GOODMAN MANILOW

Fine Harness Mare ENOUGH FLUFF & MELISSA MOORE THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Ladies Five-Gaited Mare SHARE THE MOMENT & DEBBIE FOLEY

MO/KS Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited HE’S BORN TO ROYALTY & CAMILLE TALKINGTON

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Amateur Roadster Pony SIS O’SIX & LOUISE BENNETT UPHA Exceptional Challenge Cup Final JOE MILLIONHEIR & CHRISTOPHER MOLONY

Western Country Pleasure BRIGHT BRITCHES & MEGAN NOVAK 70

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Ladies Fine Harness CH OUR BRILLANT BELLE & MARY GISE

Roadster Pony Open MASTERCRAFT’S FORECASTER LF & BILL WALLER

Three-Gaited Under 15.2 CH DON O’NEILL & CHRIS REISER

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Ladies Five-Gaited Gelding CALLAWAY’S BRIONI & CEIL WHEELER Three-Gaited Junior Horse LADY BISCOTTI & EMILY WEST

Amateur-Five Gaited Stallions/Geldings A LASTING LEGACY & ANDREW SLATER

Ladies Three-Gaited Over 15.2 REEDANN’S GIRL CRUSH & ALICIA OWENS THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Five-Gaited Gelding CH THE DAILY LOTTERY & DANNY LOCKHART

UPHA Exceptional Challenge Cup (2018) W & LIAM CURRAN

Roadster to Bike Open B 52 & DEBBIE FOLEY

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Three-Gaited Country Pleasure 13 & Under NUT AN ILLUSION & FINN COOPER

Hackney Pony Pleasure Driving Adult BUCKLE UP HS & VERONICA LINDSTROM

Walk/Trot Show Pleasure 12 & Under CH GOLDEN MARKET & ARISTON VELMAN 72

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 14-17 JETT RINK & VICTORIA WALZ

Show Pleasure Driving SOUND THE CALL & MICHAEL BLETSOE

Roadster Under Saddle STREET LEGAL GRS & SUSAN SWOPE

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited 13 & Under LADY MANDOLIN & RYAN VISSER Show Pleasure Driving Sec. 2 KATHARINE THE GREAT & ANNA MARIE KNIPP

Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 13 & Under OCEAN ELEVEN & ALAYNA APPLEGATE THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Five-Gaited Pony ULTIMATE SPITFIRE & SAMANTHA SWIGER

Three-Gaited Country Pleasure 14-17 CH EXTREMELY FORTUNUT & MOLLY CODEANNE MO/KS Three-Gaited Country Pleasure Stake ABSOLUTELY ALISON & GWYNETH HAMRAH

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Three-Gaited Pony NOBODY KNOWS & RYAN VISSER Hackney Pony Pleasure Driving Junior Exhibitor SHOWSTAR’S MELISSA LF & MADISON POPE

Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited 14-17 QUESTIONABLE CONVERSATION & ALEX RUDDER 74

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

MO/KS Three-Gaited Park Stake IT’S ALL ABOUT GEORGE & MADISON POPE

Amateur Fine Harness CH CARAWAY’S NEW YORK MINUTE & JANET STERBA

UPHA Junior Challenge Cup National Championship Finals HEIR’S ENCORE & ELLA HAMPTON

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Ladies Amateur Five-Gaited I’M LOOKIN FOR BEAR & CAROL HILLENBRAND

Western Country Pleasure Ladies SIR DON JUAN & KERRY RICHTER

Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited 14-17 SOQUILI’S CURIOUS GEORGE & ALEX RUDDER THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited 13 & Under CH CALLAWAY’S DREAM BIG & GRACIE CEARLEY

Roadster Pony Under Saddle GAME & SAVANNAH WOODRUFF

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Parade Horse Open NADIA COMANECI & CHERI WISE

Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited Show Pleasure CH TAKE IT FROM THE TOP & MADELEINE WOOD 76

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Country Pleasure Driving National Championship CH ATTACHE’S CHOCOLATE THUNDER & LYNDA ST ANDRE

Hunter Country Pleasure National Championship CH HARLEM’S SWEET SUCCESS & CAITLIN BRANNON

Roadster Pony Junior Exhibitor 13 & Under HEARTLAND VELVET TOUCH & GRIFFIN DAY

Hackney Pony Open LE MARC & DAVID FRAZIER

MO/KS Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Championship TANGO TILL DAWN & MALLORY STACY

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Park FUTURETTE & ALEX RUDDER

Five-Gaited Country Pleasure National Championship MONNINGTON SIR CHARLES & BARBARA GOODMAN MANILOW

Five-Gaited Junior Horse TEXAS PETE & KIM COWART THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Walk/Trot Show Pleasure 12 & Under Stake CH GOLDEN MARKET & ARISTON VELMAN

MO/KS Am/Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited Stake I SECOND THE MOTION & LAURA LOGAN

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MO/KS Three-Gaited Stake SHE’S GOING PLACES & DIANA ENNIS

Hackney Pleasure Horse/Pony Under Saddle ROMEO’S POLICITICAN LF & ELIZABETH SESSUMS

Three-Gaited Park Pleasure Stake KALARAMA’S OUT OF THE ORDINARY & ANDY FRESETH 78

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Saddle Seat Equitation 13 & Under PRINCE OF PROWLIN’ & ALAYNA APPLEGATE

Roadster Pony Junior Exhibitor 14-17 HEARTLAND BEACH BOY & GABRIELLA SNYDER

Western Country Pleasure National Championship SIR DON JUAN & KERRY RICHTER

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Three-Gaited Country Pleasure Adult National Championship GROUNDHOG & MORGAN KING

AHHS Hackney/Harness Medallion KILBRO’S CODE RED & MADISON POPE

MO/KS Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Stake EVER GLADE’S SUMMER HEIR & DIANA ENNIS

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG UPHA Fine Harness Classic Grand Championship LOVELY & NANCY TROUTMAN

Five-Gaited Show Pleasure Adult National Championship FORT CHISWELL’S HOT KISS & CAILIN BRIDGES

UPHA Park Pleasure Classic Grand Championship SO HEAVENLY & MIKE APONTE

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UPHA Hackney Pony Classic Grand Championship HEARTLAND LIBERTY & MICHAEL GRAHAM

UPHA Senior Challenge Cup National Championship Finals CH (EQ) IMAGINE MY SURPRISE & VICTORIA WALZ 80

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA Three-Gaited Classic Grand Championship SAMUR NUTS & KELLY KRAEGEL

UPHA Harness Pony Classic Grand Championship STEELY DAN & ALAN R RAUN DVM

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

UPHA Roadster to Bike Classic Grand Championship SCREAMIN EAGLE & DANNY BUGG

UPHA Five-Gaited Classic Grand Championship FOX GRAPE’S JUNGLE GARDENIA & BRET DAY

UPHA Roadster Pony Classic Grand Championship HEARTLAND SERIOUSLY & ABEL SALAZAR

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Saddle Seat Equitation 16-17 CH (EQ) REEDANN’S HEIR TO GLOR & VICTORIA WALZ

Three-Gaited Pony Stake NOBODY KNOWS & RYAN VISSER

MO/KS Five-Gaited Show Pleasure Stake CH MOJO & BAILEY SKINNER

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Saddle Seat Equitation Junior National Championship WON FOR THE GIPPER & ASHLEY PERRY

AHHS Hackney Pony Pleasure Driving Medallion CHARMED MASTERPIECE & ELLA REAGAN 82

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Saddle Seat Equitation 14-15 FIRE RUN BEST MAN & GABRIELLA SNYDER

Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 13 & Under National Championship COMPLETELY CAVEAT & DAWSON ARCHIBALD

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

UPHA Hackney Pony Pleasure Driving Classic Grand Champ BLF 1ST CHOICE & GRACE ARNOLD

Three-Gaited Country Pleasure 14-17 National Championship CH G.V. SILVER OAK & SOMMER JUSTICE

Five-Gaited Pony Stake ULTIMATE SPITFIRE & SAMANTHA SWIGER THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Three-Gaited Country Pleasure 13 & Under National Championship NUT AN ILLUSION & FINN COOPER

Show Pleasure Driving National Championship CH WHO & CATHY ROGERS HOLMES

Three-Gaited Show Pleasure 14-17 National Championship CH GRACEFUL SURPRISE & CHLOE HAUVILLE

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UPHA Walk/Trot Challenge Cup National Finals MILLER CHILL & HADLEY NOVAK

Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited Show Pleasure National ChampionshipÂ CH TAKE IT FROM THE TOP & MADELEINE WOOD 84

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Saddle Seat Equitation Senior National Championship MOOI MOOI & LAUREN ARQUILLA

Amateur Fine Harness National Championship CH CARAWAY’S NEW YORK MINUTE & JANET STERBA

Ladies Amateur Three-Gaited National Stake I’M STILL DREAMIN’ & BARBARA GOODMAN MANILOW

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

AHHS Roadster Pony Under Saddle Medallion THE FALCON & SUSANNA KRITZLER

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Amateur Harness Pony National Championship MR BRIGHTSIDE & LINDA QUIN

Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited 13 & Under National Championship CH CALLAWAY’S DREAM BIG & GRACIE CEARLEY

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Parade Horse National Championship NADIA COMANECI & CHERI WISE

Three-Gaited Show Pleasure Adult National Championship CH SPREAD THE WORD & AMANDA MURCHISON

Amateur Three-Gaited National Stake FOX GRAPE’S RELENTLESS & ASHLEY BOLENDER

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Tom Bass Memorial Five Gaited MO/KS Stake RIDGEFIELD’S WILD CARD & GAYLE LAMPE

Amateur Roadster Pony National Championship SIS O’SIX & LOUISE BENNETT

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Amateur Roadster to Bike National Championship TRACK STAR & WILLIAM SHATNER

Amateur Hackney Pony National Championship HEARTLAND ROUGH AND READY & GRACE ARNOLD

Amateur Three-Gaited Park Championship BALENCIAGA & JAMES SIGMON

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG

ASHA Junior Exhibitor Show Pleasure Driving Challenge Finals READY TO JET & WHITNEY SHORE

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Ladies Five-Gaited National Stake RIDGEFIELD’S DANCING SOLDIER & SUSAN SWOPE

AHHS Roadster Pony 14-17 Medallion STAT & ROSE MARIE WHEELER

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA Walk/Trot Challenge Cup 8 & Under (2018) CABERNET GIRL & SALAY TOMPKINS

AHHS Hackney Pleasure Horse/Pony Under Saddle HEARTLAND DIRECT HIT & CHEYENNE WILLIAMS

Three-Gaited Park Pleasure Junior Horse Stake OUR BELLE OF THE BALL & ANDY FRESETH

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited Park National Championship FUTURETTE & ALEX RUDDER

Hackney Pony National Championship LE MARC & DAVID FRAZIER

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG UPHA Walk/Trot 9-10 Challenge Cup (2018) MISS MHEIRY MAC & RICHIE DALLEN

ASHA Junior Exhibitor Country Pleasure Driving Challenge CIAO! BELLA MIO & ANNIE AYOTTE

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Saddle Seat Equitation WTC 10 & Under CH HIGHLY CAFFEINATED & AMANDA LIANN TREMPER

Roadster Under Saddle Stake STREET LEGAL GRS & SUSAN SWOPE

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Ladies Amateur Five-Gaited National Stake I’M LOOKIN FOR BEAR & CAROL HILLENBRAND

AHHS Roadster Pony 13 & Under Medallion STAT TISTIC & NICOLE JACKSON

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Fine Harness National Championship CH OUR BRILLANT BELLE & LYNDA FRESETH

USEF Saddle Seat Medal Finals CH (EQ) CHANTI’S PRAYER & MOLLY CODEANNE

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG

Harness Pony National Championship HEARTLAND DIXIE DANCER & ALICIA SCHUCKERT

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Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited 14-17 National Championship SHE’S BORN TO SPARKLE & GRACE WEISNER

Ladies Three-Gaited National Stake ON HIGHER GROUND & KIM COWART 92

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Amateur Five-Gaited National Stake I’M A BLUES MAN & LISA HOLT

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Amateur Hackney Pony Pleasure Driving National Championship BUCKLE UP HS & VERONICA LINDSTROM

Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited 14-17 National Championship BODIDLY & SALLIE MASON WHEELER

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Junior Exhibitor Three-Gaited 13 & Under National Championship LADY MANDOLIN & RYAN VISSER

Three-Gaited National Championship HS DAYDREAM’S HEADS UP & SCOTT HAGAN

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THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Roadster to Bike National Championship GENESIS & JAMES NICHOLS

PB INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE

Three-Gaited Park National Championship MY ROYALE PRINCE & STEVE WHEELER THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show PHOTOS BY HOWARD SCHATZBERG Roadster Pony National Championship MASTERCRAFT’S FORECASTER LF & BILL WALLER

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Five-Gaited National Championship CH THE DAILY LOTTERY & DANNY LOCKHART 96

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Eleanor Rainbolt-Forbes presenting The Daily Lottery to their second World’s Champion of Champions Junior Exhibitor Five-Gaited.

By Meghan von Ballmoos

THE DAILY LOTTERY If ever a horse was perfectly named, it would certainly be CH The Daily Lottery. Sired by Sultan’s Great Day out of Callaway’s Lady Lottery, it seems to be an obvious name choice by pedigree, but embodies the individual as if it were foreshadowing. With both the rarity and luck of a winning lottery ticket, this incredible horse won the genetic lottery. Generations of selectively chosen specific traits in pursuit of a great five-gaited American Saddlebred combined in such a pattern of DNA molecules as to create a prime example of a modern five-gaited show horse and one of the winningest five-gaited horses in history. For his breeder, trainers, owners, and riders since his debut as a three year old, The Daily Lottery is a big win.

THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE

Trainer Jon Wallace riding The Daily Lottery in his debut at Mid-South Premier in 2007.

The only photo of The Daily Lottery as a foal at Penny Lane Farm.

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ack in the 2003 breeding season, Amy Hanson had only recently delved into the Saddlebred breeding world. Thanks, in large part to James Nichols, to whom Amy credits the reason she has a barn. Amy and her late husband Dale Hanson ran Penny Lane Farm, breeding eight to ten foals a year. They owned the Will Shriver mare Callaway’s Lady Lottery at the time. “I don’t know what made me do the cross— it just popped into my head. I had a breeding to the stud so I just did it,” explained Amy. So, without much ado, the legendary horse was created. A breeder could make ten times more foals a year and never come close to breeding an individual of such extraordinary ability and accomplishment. “He was just a little chestnut foal with no markings,” Amy continued. She named him The Daily Lottery because she was in “a phase” of referencing both the sire and dam lines in the name. It turned out to be a great one. In fall of his two-year-old year, his career began at the hands of trainer Jon Wallace. Jon racked him over the winter and brought him along to his first horse show to a winning debut at the Mid-South Premier in 2007. “He was a star from the get-go,” said Amy. The young stallion was quickly making a name for himself. When Raymond Shively came to see “Gambler,” as he was

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Peter Cowart leading him as the newly crowned World’s Grand Champion Five-Gaited in 2014.

then known, he knew he had to have him. “He had an air about him that you knew he was going to be somebody. Of course, nobody knew he would become as great as he has. …. He had the attitude more than anything.” Delovely client Mandy Martin’s family bought him. At the end of his debut show season, The Daily Lottery went to Dr. Foss to have frozen semen collected and became a gelding. Newly armed with the tractability that comes with gelding, the young horse was going to be shown by an amateur at a young age. Mark Turner was to prepare the game and green youngster for Mandy Martin to show him as a four-year-old. Raymond Shively said, “he was one of the gamest horses I’ve ever been around.” Despite the challenges, the team got it done. The Daily Lottery and Mandy won the Five-Gaited Four-Year-Old Stallions and Geldings class at Louisville that year, followed by the World’s Championship Junior Five-Gaited. “What made him unique was that you didn’t or couldn’t force him to do anything. You had to respect him in order for him to respect you enough to allow you to do it,” explained Mark. Making it to the hands of other trainers, The Daily Lottery continued to make dreams come true. A powerhouse team in rider Gabe Deknatel and trainer John Conatser for Carol Hillenbrand, two more world’s championship wins and one reserve went in the history books.The grand horse delivered

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Mark Turner riding for the 2015 UPHA National Five-Gaited Championship.

once again for trainer Peter Cowart and owner Chris Hawley adding the World’s Grand Championship to his repertoire with a memorable one-handed rack in the work off. Amy Hanson still gets a thrill watching him show and knowing she created such a remarkable horse. “I go by to see him whenever I can,” she said. To watch the horse perform is to love him. Never has a horse more perfectly been suited to his job in life. His brilliance is a result of effortless and extreme talent, yet he takes his job so seriously that it gives a spectator chills to witness. The Daily Lottery, or “Dan” as he is now known, ended up back in the hands of Mark Turner— this time charged with the task of getting him in the ring with junior exhibitor Eleanor Rainbolt-Forbes. Though there was no better girl for the job, she had to rise to the occasion to ride the game horse. “Dan is such a fun, amazing horse. He’s such a competitive spirit in the ring and a loving horse in the stall,” said Eleanor. About his reuniting with the beloved horse Mark said, “he was just as game as a ten-year-old as he was when he won the junior gaited stake with Mandy. But you could tell he was with two great horse trainers in John Conatser and Peter Cowart in between that did a great job with him.” Mark went on, “I would say he is definitely the greatest horse I ever got to sit on and the best Saddlebred I have ever seen with my own

eyes. He has to be one of the greatest of all time.” Now under the ownership of Misdee Wrigley Miller’s Hillcroft Farm and trained by Kalarama Farm, The Daily Lottery has plenty more winning to do. He most recently won the UPHA National Five-Gaited Championship at the American Royal Horse Show with Daniel Lockhart in the irons. “It’s very exciting and an honor to have a horse like him in the barn. You feel like you have a lot to live up to, with all he has accomplished. He’s just a grand horse and an amazing athlete,” said Daniel. Mirroring Daniel Lockhart’s words, Raymond Shively summed it up. “He’s just a grand horse. Might be as good a gaited horse as ever was. I would like to see him show against Skywatch and Imperator.” At just thirteen,The Daily Lottery has won the World’s Grand Championship, the Amateur World’s Championship twice, the Junior World’s Championship, and the Junior Exhibitor World’s Championship twice, among countless other wins and national championships. He has thrilled audiences time after time arising victorious. And he’s not nearly finished yet.

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KEITH OVERALL, SR.

CARETAKER SPOTLIGHT This past winter when the horses were all let down and out of show mode, and the youngsters were entering their training routines for the first time, I got to thinking about how lucky we have been personally to have had some wonderful caretakers over the years. Our main caretaker, Jeff Repinski, has worked for Zubrod Stables for nearly 40 years. He’s been a part of the team basically since its inception, and while he left for a few years to try his hand at something else, the horses drew him back and he’s been with us ever since. He now works shorter days, and while he leaves the show travel to the younger guys, he’s a great person to have at home “holding down the fort”. The caretakers are the pulse of our industry. Their blood flows through the veins of every aspect of our business, and so much success is owed to them; from making sure the horses are turned out immaculately, to noticing any small sore; they take care of our precious cargo in both sickness and in health. Thinking of how vital they are to the achievements of these magnificent animals in the show ring, the wheels in my head started turning. I’m really excited to debut this new monthly feature, where we will be taking a look at some of these incredible caretakers that have been immersed in the Saddlebred business for many years.

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By Deveau Zubrod Kreitzer

eith Overall, Sr. grew up in Shelbyville, Kentucky surrounded by Saddlebreds from a fairly young age. He first got involved with the horses when his cousin, Phillip Crittenden, worked for Jack Nevitt. “I started going to work with him when I was about sixteen. Jack put me outside weed eating, but I wanted to get in the barn and work with the horses,” recalled Overall. After proving that he deserved to be working inside the barn, he ended up working for Nevitt for five years, and then spent five years after that working for Leslie Bennett. It was then he came in the door to Premier Stables looking for a job with Rob and Sarah Byers, where he has now worked for the past 25 years. “We had known him since he was probably about 16-years-old and we were at Rock Creek, and he might have worked a little bit there, and then he came to us after he worked for R.H. and Leslie Bennett. We had known him for a while already,” said Rob Byers. Over the years, Overall has become an invaluable part of the Premier team, handling duties not only as a caretaker, but overseeing much of the daily operations of the business. “In the beginning, he was a caretaker, he was really an expert in turning out a horse for the show ring and getting their tails fixed. But since Heather [DiGiannantonio] has left, he stepped in. He helps me while I’m working horses, makes sure all our feed and shavings orders are placed every week,” said Rob Byers. “I don’t need to tell him to do it. Everything is really routine for us, he makes sure we have all of our medications and supplements. He’s really good at noticing if something is wrong with a horse and tells me right away and we decide what to do. He takes care of the general maintenance as well. He goes out and hops on the mower and does all that as well. He’s really been invaluable over the years.”

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CH Bravo Blue back at Premier with caretaker, Keith Overall in 2012 after winning his five-gaited Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grand Championship.

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While Overall agrees he handles those duties, he doesn’t take nearly as much credit. “I’m a caretaker,” he says. “I take care of a lot of the things at the barn. I don’t like to say a manager, because I feel like everybody is equal in the job. I’m never going to ask anyone to do a job I wouldn’t do.” Overall also has a sense of humor, as anyone who’s ever been around him knows. While he takes his job seriously, he’s also a bit of a jokester, and always has a story to tell.“One of the things that I love about Keith is his sense of humor,” said Byers. “He comes in and he’s always smiling – he always gets a chuckle out of us.You have to have a sense of humor in this business or you won’t survive.” Overall’s favorite part of his job is working with the horses each day. “I enjoy taking care of the horse. People don’t realize how much personalities these horses have and people don’t understand how much a groom helps a horse,” said Overall. “The groom forms them from the time they first start their training and makes them obedient in the stall, teaches them manners, and that’s a big part of it and that makes the trainer’s job easier too.” By far, Overall’s proudest moment was when he got to pin the ribbon on World’s Grand Champion five-gaited horse, CH Bravo Blue in 2012. Overall had a big part in getting the horse back into the show ring after he was recovering from an injury, and it wasn’t sure if he would ever make it back to the show ring again. Overall walked him daily and spent countless hours nursing the horse back to health. “When he came in he was lame, and I didn’t really want him, but Heather told me that he was one of the ones I wanted, so I took him, and together we all doctored him back.” While Overall enjoyed taking care of CH Bravo Blue, his personality in the stall was quite different from the powerhouse you see in the show ring. “He was a pretty calm, simple horse. You could tell his motor revved up once he was out of the stall.”

Rob aboard CH Bravo Blue, with Keith Overall at his tail.

scared another horse with his enthusiasm. He received the Koller Farms Caretaker Trophy for his care of CH Bravo Blue and other Premier horses that year.“It took a lot of work, but we got there.” It’s clear he saw it as a team effort. Overall has been married to his wife, Roberta for 26 years. They’ve known each other their whole lives, as she grew up in Shelbyville as well.Together they have three children.Their oldest daughter, Jessica, Kelsey, and their son KJ. Kelsey was recently married and is going to be a nurse practitioner.The whole family has been a part of Premier and Rob and Sarah Byers’ lives in some capacity. Roberta helps Sarah at the house, keep things cleaned and organized, and sometimes Jessica helps out as well. “Keith’s a family man, and his wife is super sweet, and she’s a very quiet person, unlike Keith,” said Byers.

Overall remembers watching the class from the rail, and after they had finished stripping the horses, he went back into the chute to await the results. He was standing at the gate, only feet from where Bravo Blue was standing. “I was in the chute when they called his number, and I ran in there, I was so happy.”

All of the children worked with the horses a bit as well. Kelsey and her brother, KJ, would get out of school and then come straight to the barn to get the school horses ready for lessons. They did this for five to six years. KJ continued working with the horses after high school, first working for Premier, and now across the street for Mary McClean at Golden Creek Farm.“He loves doing it,” said Overall. “He was hanging around the barn and started rubbing on them, and fell in love with the horses. When he graduated high school, he started working here and then he started at Mary’s.”

He was waving his towel over his head in jubilation, and laughs recalling how he was so elated that he may have accidentally

“I love working for Rob and Sarah. I don’t think I could work anywhere better in the horse industry.”

“Bravo Blue and Rob winning was a dream that I’ll always remember. After that people would walk up to me and say,‘Hey Keith’ and would congratulate me, and that made me feel really good. I’m not a guy like that. I’m low key.”

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By Deveau Zubrod Kreitzer

AUTUMN SALE The Robertson Equine Sale was held Friday, November 17th and Saturday, November 18th, and the numbers were up, with the 2017 fall sale grossing more than any other previous RES sale, with a total of just under $1-million.

he Robertson Equine Sale company was started by Jimmy Robertson, and his wife Helen, after they saw a need in the industry to fill a gap when the Teater family closed the doors to Tattersalls.

top quality American Saddlebreds at public auction.

The chestnut gelding is by My Royale Charm and out of A Daydream Believer (BHF). He was the 2016 reserve world’s champion in the three-year-old five-gaited stallion/gelding division. He was purchased by Johanna Kapioltas of Cirrus Stables in “My dad used to have sales at least once a year, Shelbyville, Kentucky. the last 10-15 years he was in business,” explained Jimmy. “I had my taste in it from my dad’s sales. When I heard that Tattersalls When the hammer was brought down, the purchase price of wouldn’t go again, I called Susie Teater and I wanted to see if they $190,000 was the highest RES has ever had. “It was a big thrill,” were thinking of doing it again. She called and said they would be said Robertson. closing their doors and that’s when we started.They had a fall sale in 2011 and our first one was in the spring of 2012.” Robertson feels that the sales are important to the Saddlebred industry for many reasons. “For one, people need an exit strategy, While not a lot has changed in recent years, the climate of the people want to sell a horse…with the auction you know you economy has obviously had some effect on the sales. “I don’t have a way to market your hose, there’s more and more people know how much it’s changed; the times weren’t the best in 2012 that are using our sale to market their horses.” we were still trying to get over the depression and the economy. I think that’s the only thing different, the times are better now.” And while there is concern across the industry with horses being sent to slaughter, Robertson says he doesn’t think that’s an issue And if it’s any indication, things are definitely on an upwards swing, with their sales. “You really have to spend a fair amount of money as the activity surrounding the sale was definitely increased as to take them to slaughter, and you have to buy them pretty well. “I think the climate is pretty good,” said Robertson. “Not cheap, and I don’t feel like that they are, because these horses are just the fact that our sale was hopping, I know people that were bringing more than that type of horse should bring.” coming in town as early as Tuesday and staying in town doing horse shopping and it’s really doing everybody in the area a lot of “There’s always that worry,” he added. “I certainly don’t want any good whether they had anything in the sale or not.” horse to go to slaughter, and would do anything I could to prevent it, but the thing about it is, to me it just seems like they aren’t selling Robertson has seen high numbers in sales at past sales as cheap enough to go that route.” well, in April of 2014, Michael and/or Jonna Curry’s dispersal of more than 100 horses added additional numbers to the While they have no plans to make any major changes to future catalog. And the stallion he consigned, Callaway’s Guy Park sales, Jimmy does have a plan to make some minor updates, in brought $160,000, as he bought the big chestnut back to light of recent events. “We are going to make sure horses are dissolve his partnership. presented just like show ring situations, so no straps on a yearling or weanling. We will figure out the language, but will make some This year Robertson’s cataloged over 200 horses and sold around restrictions on carrying just a short whip when showing a colt in 140-150 horses, with an average sales price of almost $7,000. hand, and we plan to be more careful about what goes on outside the sale ring. Times have changed. It’s not going to look different That average price was driven up by the sale of hip number 198, from the outside looking in, but we will watch things closely. We HS Daydream’s Perfect Gentleman, a consignment from Scott aren’t going to reinvent the wheel, but we’ll be sure that won’t Hagan of Hagan Saddlebreds, as part of his commitment to sell happen again,” said Robertson.

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Level 4 National Champion - Jay Love and New York Fire with Instructor Jan Henderson Level 2 National Champion – Christopher Molony with Instructors Avery Bül and Scooter Scheurich

Lydia Olmsted, Instructed by Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center Level 1 National Champion – Daniel Cruz with Instructor Betty Gray

Sean Simpson, Instructed by Cedar Creek THE INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE 104 Therapeutic Riding Center

Level 3 Reserve National Champion - Evan Saunders with Instructor Kathy Saunders

Level 3 National Champion - Annie Messer with Instructor Phyllis Brannon

By Hilary Wilcox

UPHA EXCEPTIONAL CHALLENGE CUP EXCEPTIONAL RIDERS ACHIEVING EXCEPTIONAL GOALS The UPHA Exceptional Challenge Cup Class was started in 1998 by former UPHA President L.F. Lavery. He felt our Challenge Cup programs were incomplete without offering a class for riders challenged by disabilities. The Exceptional Challenge Cup was one of the first classes of its kind and it opened the door for riders with a variety of disabilities to participate in our sport at the highest level.

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ach Year the exceptional riders work to qualify for the National Finals at the UPHA American Royal National Championship Horse Show. These riders come from a variety of programs. Some come from traditional therapeutic riding facilities, some from saddle seat or hunt seat lesson programs and others from horse families. Some of the programs have riders qualify at barn shows and local tournaments and others have riders that qualify at Saddlebred and Morgan shows, across the country, which offer the UPHA Exceptional Challenge Cup qualifying classes. Each of the riders spends their year perfecting their pattern and the requirements of the level in which they plan to compete at the American Royal. They want to bring their best efforts to the National Stage. Watching this class each year in Kansas City and the qualifying classes at each horse show helps to highlight what a privilege it is to be able to participate in this sport and it reminds us

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Level 4 Reserve National Champion - Rebecca Richter with Betty Gray of Stirrups and Strides Therapeutic Riding Center

how lucky we are to be able to share it with people of all different walks of life. All the Exceptional riders face challenges that most cannot imagine. The joy of the sport shines brightly in their eyes and their hearts. That joy is palpable when they are receiving their awards at the National Finals. The goal of the committee has been to make this class an event for each rider helping to celebrate their strengths and lift them up for the incredible work they put in each and every day. It provides an opportunity to celebrate all their accomplishments, in and out of the ring, and help them continue to share the joy of horses with all of us. The generosity of the sponsors, Mary Gaylord McClean, Elisabeth Goth and Lynn Macnemara, make this possible. Through their gracious support these dedicated riders will continue to reach for the stars from the back of a horse. If you have not had the opportunity to cheer for these riders in their qualifying classes, make a point to do it in 2018!

Liam Curran with Instructors Avery Bül and Barbe Smith

Daniel Cruz, Instructed by Stirrups and Strides Therapeutic Riding Center

Lydia Olmsted, Instructed by Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center

Level 2 Reserve National Champion – Sean Simpson, Instructed by Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center

Christopher Molony riding Joe Millionheir, Instructed by Cascade Stables

Liam Curran, Instructed by INTERNATIONAL SHOW HORSE THE Cascade Stables

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Harper Stables in Shelbyville, Kentucky

Randy and Denessa

By Deveau Zubrod Kreitzer

TURNING A PAGE

RANDY AND DENESSA HARPER OF HARPER STABLES

hen Denessa and Randy Harper look back on a lifetime in the industry, one thing is certain; they are happy with the many moments that have led them to where they are today. The events that have led them to a day where they can wake up in the morning, and see the horses right out their window. And for the first time in their illustrious career, they have found themselves working for themselves as well; running their own public training facility for Saddlebreds, Hackneys, Friesians and Standardbred road horses. “It’s huge,” says Denessa of the change. “There’s a lot more freedom to make decisions to do things for different customers instead of just one customer. At the time it was a wonderful thing [to work as private trainers], but now we have a bigger availability to have consignment horses and training horses for different people. With our customers and clientele, we own what we are doing, and we are working hard to put this new version of a former grand establishment

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back out there. It’s ours, and that makes a big difference.” “It’s really nice not to have to answer to anybody,” added Randy. “If you have good ethic and you try to do the right thing, that’s the main thing and just keep trucking along every day. It’s been really nice, and it’s a good feeling to do this on our own.” “I would not have changed any of it, but I am thrilled that we have our own facility now,” added Denessa. The Harper’s had been looking for a place to call their own for a while. “We had looked at several places, but had not found anything that jumped out to us that we really needed to have,” said Denessa. “We had told Bill Field years ago that we would be interested in his place if he ever wanted to sell it, and when he made the decision to retire, and his son John moved to Texas to train, Bill called Randy to let us know it was available.” “I told Bill we wanted it right then,” recalled Randy.

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Randy aboard Azure Wish at Bonnie Blue in 2016

“We came over and saw it and loved it. Then, Jessie and Mike Richardson were wanting to move into Shelbyville at about the same time, and they were interested in buying our house and our property, so we were able to turn around and sell our place to them,” added Denessa. Everything fell into place, and right after the World’s Championship Horse Show this year, Randy and Denessa moved the horses into the new barn, and within a few more weeks they moved into the apartment that is across the front of the barn.

helps a lot,” added Randy. “I like living there because it’s kind of homey, it really just feels more like home.”

“We absolutely love [the apartment]. So many of the rooms in the house we had lived in were unused. We would be in them to clean them but never used them. This apartment has those rooms we do use and twelvefoot ceilings and crown molding, gorgeous wood beams and a big stone fireplace, which we both really love,” said Denessa. And after 40 years of driving to work, they are thrilled that they can wake up to the horses.

When it comes to working horses, Randy and Denessa share the training duties and they have a couple longtime grooms that know the routine as well. “It’s working well with the group we have,” said Denessa. They generally have their own string of horses they work and wrap up with them around one each day, after which they usually do farm work, like mowing or cleaning tack, and Denessa will do paperwork for the farm.

“It’s a lot more convenient [living on the farm], so it really

While it seems that Randy and Denessa had found their

The barn, which was first built in the early 1980’s for Edward R. Bennett, has sixteen stalls, which is nearly full with their training horses. They have made some changes to the barn to make it their own, and some updates to the property as well, giving things a fresh coat of paint, and they plan to update the outdoor arena and add a stone dust track around the property line as well.

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Oprah Winfrey, amateur roadster under saddle world’s champion with Candi Aversenti

Happy Landing, open roadster under saddle world’s champion with Randy Harper

Tijuana Starlet with Sally Wheeler

Randy aboard CH One for The Road winning the Three-Gaited World’s Grand Championship for the second consecutive year in 1992

niche working with hackney ponies; they both actually started out working with the Saddlebreds, and now, many years later, their string is once again primarily horses as opposed to the ponies.

all neck, and reminds me of what Kalarama’s Blue Mac would have been as a baby. He’s just a weanling, but we are looking forward to seeing what he will become,” said Denessa.

“We both started out working with the Saddlebreds, but when we went to work for Cismont Manor, we worked mostly ponies, and then again at Frickey’s; but then we got some customers and we got back into the horses again, and it’s come full circle. It’s not hard to train different breeds, it’s only complicated if you make it that way,” explained Randy, describing how it’s been an easy transition back to the horses.

Randy and Denessa first met while Randy was working at Bent Tree Farm in Shawsville, Virginia. They started dating, and then in 1986 they were married. Together they worked for Dr. Covino (Candi Aversenti’s father), at Iron Horse Farm in Ringoes, New Jersey. From there they went to Sally Wheeler’s Cismont Manor in Keswick, Virginia, and then in 1994 they began working for Karen and Ed Frickey’s Frickey Farm, where they remained for the last 23 years.

“We both enjoy working both horses and ponies. The pony market has never been as big as the saddle horse industry and going back and adding more saddle horses is a better marketable situation for us, with a much bigger clientele,” explained Denessa. “We still love the ponies, and still have some and we love the Standardbred road horses as well.” They are also getting their hands into the breeding aspect of the industry. “This past year Don Spears loaned us a wonderful mare of his, she had a colt sired by Arrowhead’s Unlike Any Other, and he really is unlike any other. He’s

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Denessa first got involved with Saddlebreds when she was just a little girl, living in Wytheville, Virginia. Her father was good friends with well-known saddle horse trainer, Thad Williams, and she was introduced to him by going to visit with her dad, where she immediately fell in love with the saddle horses. “We moved to Roanoke when I was in school. I met a lot of good friends who are trainers now from the show circuit. I had a cutting horse that I rode barrels with, and a saddle horse, and had fun doing that sort of thing.”

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Speed N Spirit and Denessa Harper

“We couldn’t afford to have horses in training, so I would go watch them working horses and take home what I learned. And I’m sure I was a mess,” she recalled laughing. “He was training really nice horses and I was training backyard stuff, but it was a lot of fun.” Randy also grew up with horses, although his path was a bit different. He grew up in Zanesville, Ohio, the son of a Morgan and Quarter horse trainer. At a young age, he went to live with his uncle, Bob Harper, a Saddlebred trainer himself, in South Park, Pennsylvania. He’s been surrounded by the horses ever since. He first worked at North Ridge Farm for several years, and with Jack Nevitt and then Bill Wise, and a few different training jobs before he moved to Virginia to work for Bent Tree Farms. Together, Randy and Denessa have garnered much success over the years, and they both have favorite memories and horses that have made an impact on them. While Denessa has shown in driving a lot over the years, she’s always loved to be in the saddle. She won the fivegaited grand championship, at Eastern States Exposition in 1985, after a tough second workout on a horse named Sharp Tack, owned by Melanie Adler.The horse went on to

have success in the junior exhibitor division with Melody Adler, and she remembers this as one of her favorite memories. Denessa also fondly recalls Little Sport Model, a threegaited pony world’s champion with Candi Aversenti’s daughter, Ashley (Saunders). She was still quite young and inexperienced when they set out to start riding her, on their path to Louisville. Randy and Denessa were also the first trainers to win both the Amateur Roadster horse under saddle and the Open world’s championship in the same week when Candi Aversenti won the amateur with Oprah Winfrey and Randy won the open division with Happy Landing at Louisville in 1988. In 1992, they enjoyed an unforgettable Saturday night at Louisville, as Denessa won the Roadster Pony World’s Grand Championship with Speed N Spirit. The very next class, Randy went in to take home top prize in the ThreeGaited World’s Grand Championship aboard CH One for The Road for the second consecutive year. And to top it off, the very next class, Denessa went in to head good friend, Mike Barlow’s harness horse, as she had been that

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Heartland Expectation

RWC Kalarama’s Blue Mac and Candi Aversenti

season, and they won the Fine Harness World’s Grand Championship.Three classes and three wins on stake night at Louisville. They made history once again when the incomparable hackney mare, Tijuana Starlet won three World’s Championships in one week. Sally Wheeler won the Amateur Hackney Pony world’s championship; then son, Kenny Jr. won that championship, and finally Sally showed in the Open Hackney World’s Grand Championship on Saturday night and won that as well. Other notable ponies they trained included Fancy Ribbons, Catch Me If You Can, Brass Lass, Ballet and Classical Dancer to name a few. Some of Randy’s most memorable ponies he trained over the years were Mark of Success, CH Heartland Expectation and Hazard County. To him a special horse or pony starts with their training on day one. “The way the think and their ability to want to work, their willingness is really important to me. And how they achieve whatever our goal for them is. Sometimes they aren’t the best, but they think the best, and they are just an overachiever, and I’ve always liked that about them.” Another under saddle horse they had great success with

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Lexington Junior League Friesian under saddle Grand Champion, Abe with Denessa Harper up

was WGC CH Winterfest, who Denessa worked for The Newcomb Family. They had set out to find a horse that could win it all in the three-gaited 14-17 division in Stephanie’s last year as a junior exhibitor, and in 1996 they did just that. “It was kind of scary to try to find a horse that could win everything, and I really enjoyed them and that horse and putting that together.” Denessa’s all-time favorite horse happens to be one they still have in the barn now, Kalarama’s Blue Mac. “He’s my favorite horse I’ve ever worked. He’s so up and ready to do anything and everything. He does it too hard too much if you don’t watch him,” she said excitedly. “He’s got such a huge personality every day of his life, not just at the horse shows. He may come out any given day and come out squealing and bucking and then hit the grou0nd trotting.” “Candi’s done a great job with him,” she added. “We knew we wanted him for her from the moment we saw him.” The list of achievements and awards for the Harper’s goes on and on. Some of their most notable awards include; Randy being a Chapter Chairman of the UPHA and serving on the board in four different states and serving as President of the UPHA for three consecutive

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Denessa aboard CH Winterfest, winning the American Royal Three-Gaited Grand Championship in 1997

Randy and Denessa with Candi Aversenti in the summer of 2017

Ashley Saunders and three-gaited pony, Little Sport Model

Double or Nuttin’

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years from 2004 to 2006. Randy was on the Kentucky State Fair Board and also President of the AHHS for three years. He has been UPHA Chapter horseman of the year in three chapters in three different years, and Denessa has been a UPHA Chapter horseperson of the year five times in three different chapters. Her proudest recognition however came in 2014 when she was awarded the Shirley Parkinson Professional Achievement Award, presented to a trainer for going above and beyond their duties to promote the horse show industry. “That [award] was huge, it meant so much to me. Shirley Parkinson still worked in the UPHA when Randy was President and they got very close, and she was such a wonderful lady, and so it really meant a lot to me,” she explained. Randy says his biggest personal achievement was probably being inducted in the UPHA Tom Moore Hall of Fame. “It’s not how you start out, thinking of things like that,” he said. “You just start out trying to be successful, and then when you reach a pinnacle like that in your life, it really makes you feel good.” Together the pair received the Trainer of the Year award from the AHHS in 2003 and the following year they were both inducted into the Hackney Hall of Fame.

In 2016, they received the AHHS Bill G Robinson Trainer of the Year award as well. While, most trainers are enjoying the off-season right now, Randy and Denessa aren’t getting much downtime. “Right now, if we have free time, I like messing around on the farm, it’s nice knowing it’s your own thing, if we want to cut down a tree we can, and if we want to plant a tree we can. We don’t have to ask anyone. We don’t play as much golf as we used too. The farm is time consuming, but in a good way,” said Randy. They’ve long been known as golfers, putting on the UPHA Benevolent Fund golf tournament, which they are passionate about, and are known to play a few holes at the UofL golf course in Shelbyville as well. While they’ve already had a career many could only dream of, this new venture for them is just the turning of a page. They are eager to enter into the 2018 show season with their clients and horses. “I just really would like to continue to do what we are doing right now. This is all new and fun and we are really excited about it,” said Denessa. “We just want to keep doing what we are doing and trying to be successful in our new barn, and please all the customers, and just enjoy life,” added Randy.

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By Lori Nelson

2018 U.S. SADDLE SEAT WORLD CUP TEAM CHOSEN

AFTER SELECTION TRIALS AT WILLIAM WOODS UNIVERSITY

ulton, Mo. – After impressive showings at the U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team Trials, 12 riders were chosen to represent the United States at the 2018 Saddle Seat World Cup. Thirty-two aspiring athletes from 18 states tried out at William Woods University on Saturday, December 2, 2017. Twenty riders competed in the three-gaited section and 12 riders competed in the five-gaited. Each phase consisted of one rail ride and one pattern ride on an unfamiliar horse. After the Trials, six riders from each section were selected to the 2018 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team in three-gaited and five-gaited. The selection trails were judged by a five-judge panel of Michael Craghead (Fresno, Calif.), Cecile Hetzel-Dunn (Weirsdale, Fla.), Lisa Hillmer (Kearney, Mo.), Anne Judd (Lutz, Fla.), and Donna Pettry-Smith (New Lenox, Ill.). Athletes rode horses provided by William Woods University and were given only seven minutes to warm up before each rail phase. The horses, generously donated to the university, were any breed or crossbreed suited for and trained in the saddle seat discipline. William Woods students with varying equestrian backgrounds groomed and tended to the horses used in the competition. These students donated their time and worked tirelessly before and the day of the Trials to prepare these horses to help them be their best. After the conclusion of the phases, the scores were tabulated and riders, trainers and supporters waited anxiously for the 12 team members to be announced. The riders on the 2018 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team are: Three-Gaited: Lauren Arquilla (Woodridge, Ill.) Michael Arquilla (Woodridge, Ill.) Kaeley Arterburn (La Grange, Ky.) Kaylee Atkinson (Oro Valley, Ariz.) Nicole Rodriguez (Grand Blanc, Mich.) Victoria Walz (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) Five-Gaited: Joan Benjamin (New Orleans, La.) Haley Berget (Oconomowoc, Wisc.) Ainsley Budzinski (Mukwonago, Wisc.) Matt Huke (Westfield, Ind.) Anne Pateman (New Orleans, La.) Reagan Upton (Birmingham, Ala.)

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These riders will represent the United States in July of 2018 during the U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup competition in Lexington, Ky. The Saddle Seat World Cup is a bi-annual international competition originating in the early 1980’s as an informal exchange of saddle seat riders between the United States and South Africa.Teams from as many as seven nations now compete for the coveted World Cup titles. The U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team is supported by grants from the USA Equestrian Trust and the United Professional Horsemen’s Association. US Equestrian is pleased to partner with ModJods to provide practice jods to members of the 2018 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team. Additional contribution opportunities can be found by visiting http://www.usef.org/donate; select U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup in the dropdown menu. For more information about the U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team and the 2018 Saddle Seat World Cup, visit https://www. usef.org/compete/disciplines/saddle-seat/usa-saddle-seat/ussaddle-seat-world-cup-team-2. For additional information or questions regarding the Saddle Seat World Cup, please contact Lori Nelson, Senior Director of National Affiliate, Competition and Alliance Partner Relationships, by phone at (859) 225-6957 or via email at lnelson@usef.org. Like USA Saddle Seat on Facebook and find out more about Saddle Seat Equitation and all of US Equestrian’s 29 recognized breeds and disciplines in this Learning Center video. Join the conversation: follow US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and use #JoinTheJoy.

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TJ presenting Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Berry Tart to win the ThreeYear-Old Five-Gaited class for Alliance Stud.

YOUNG TRAINER SPOTLIGHT:

By Meghan von Ballmoos

TJ SANTAFERRA

In the Saddlebred world, and certainly the Kentucky circuit, the name TJ Santaferra is synonymous with everything a young horse trainer should beâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; enthusiastic, talented, and dedicated. Currently the trainer at Stachowski Farms in Simpsonville, Kentucky, he has a number of world titles to his name and has already started a significant number of show ring stars. Enjoying success early in his twenties, his positive approach to life and horses has already taken him far, yet it is clear to anyone that knows him that he will continue to achieve well into the future.

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The Ignitor Morgan stallion Remi, TJ’s beloved dog

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Shane and TJ

J fell in love with horses when he was seven years old. He soon began taking riding lessons, quickly developing a growing passion for learning and working with horses. When he started working some of his own horses at twelve years old, he realized how quickly a horse could grasp a new exercise or concept. It was incredibly exciting for TJ. Watching the results of his efforts, he was inspired and motivated to continue. When he was just fourteen years old, Elaine Gregory offered him an opportunity to work with her for the summer and learn how to be a “horse trainer.” He jumped at the opportunity and moved up to Vermont. “It wasn’t after too long that I told her I wanted to stay permanently and continue learning and working with her. So I left public high school and enrolled in homeschooling,” explained TJ. “Not only was Elaine my mentor at the time but she was also my school teacher. We laugh now about how crazy it was to have done all that together.” Though the experience was fun and gave him a glimpse into his future, he soon realized that perhaps he had undertaken too much a little too soon, so he returned to his public high school in Syracuse, New York. Nevertheless, TJ knew that with certainty that being a horse trainer was truly the career he wanted to pursue. His entrepreneurial spirit soon emerged:

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So, I opened up my own farm at my house and bought and sold a bunch of horses myself. Once I developed a successful reputation, I took a few horses on consignment. Meanwhile at school, I was making sure I studied Spanish and every business ownership class I could so that I was adequately prepared to make my dream come true. After high school, TJ took a position at River’s Edge Stables in northern New Hampshire, where he developed a strong riding program and showed horses on a local level. With higher aspirations in mind, he knew he needed to work alongside some of the best trainers. Jim and Fay Lowry hired him as an assistant trainer and he gladly moved to central Illinois to join their team. At Lowry’s, he enjoyed three years of endless opportunities and constant encouragement that really helped develop his skills with young horses and taught him how to match a horse and rider together. When he learned that Kathy Capsuto was looking for someone willing to learn and help develop her well bred youngsters,TJ jumped at the opportunity. He felt ready to step out of his comfort zone and head to the highly populated horse country of Shelbyville, Kentucky. While at Kathy’s, TJ developed his own style as a trainer. She gave him industry exposure, confidence, and the extra encouragement to show greatness. It was nearly three years later that he accepted the position

TJ giving a lesson

TJ and Ella Herrin

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TJ, Holly, and Allison Santaferra (in the tree)

with Jim Stachowski as Head Trainer and Manager at the Stachowski Kentucky location operating out of Alliance Stud in Simpsonville. Since then, the Stachowski Farm Simpsonville location continues to grow and ﬂourish. “Jim Stachowski has provided me with valuable insight on how to successfully operate a sales, marketing and training barn. Being part of a larger team allows us the opportunity to share horsemanship and training ideas which helps to expand everyone’s skills. In only a few show seasons, we have gathered a very talented group of horses and wonderful clients,” said TJ. They have created an atmosphere where everyone feels welcome. “Having a place that people can come visit, watch horses work, enjoy time with their friends and fellow peers in a way that is neutral and hospitable is very important to me,” he explained. “Over the past year and a half, I have strived to create just that and I am looking forward to what the future holds for us.” For TJ, one of the biggest challenges facing a young trainer is finding the balance between work and personal life. Though working with horses is his passion and rarely feels like work, he occasionally needs to remember that “there is a whole big world out there outside of what I do each day.” His partner Shane Vandercook has shown him that it is important to step away every once in a while; to travel to different places and escape the horse community for a weekend. “I’ve found that

when I do that I only come back working better and more enthusiastic that I was before,” said TJ. A testament to his positive temperament and arguably a big factor in his success,TJ claims the most valuable lesson that he has learned so far is “being optimistic and open-minded can take you places that you could only have dreamed of going.” To distinguish himself among his peers, he aims to present each horse to the best of its current ability. “It’s important to me that they each one is ready to perform at the level I’m asking them. I take pride in the journey to each individuals best performance,” he explained. Building upon his early exposure to excellence, TJ is known to consistently present horses for the highest level of competition. Developing young horses and new riders is his passion. “I have been extremely fortunate with the opportunities that have arrived upon me in this business and I aspire to continue developing quality young horses and people alike,” said TJ. Though still quite young, TJ Santaferra is one of those rare people that found his calling and is making the most of it. Building on fortunate opportunities, he worked hard to make a name for himself in the industry by maintaining a positive attitude and meticulously tending to the details that separate good from exceptional, in both presentation and preparation.

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