Above Level

Following are the Morgan Class results for the Dixie Cup Spring Class.  I will report the rest of them once they become available to me.  For the full results go to Gaitkeeper.com and for more information on the show see the Dixie Cup Spring Classic website.

Morgan In-hand Mares 2 & under
1 Willowick Dixie Krystal (Mary Brannon, rider; Mary & Charlie Brannon, owner)
2 LNT Georgia Girl (Peter Falso, rider; Grande L Farms, owner)

Morgan In-hand Mares 3 & over
1 CBMF Chasing Rainbows (Barbara Goda, rider; Michael & Jill Bertolani, owner)
2 Everlast Black Cashmere (Mary Brannon, rider; Jean Jones, owner)

Morgan In-hand Geldings 3 & over
1 Dragonsmeade Andante (Barbara Goda, rider; Sarah Dye Gallant, owner)

Morgan Classic Pleasure Driving - Open
1 Hollybrook Independence (Cathy Minard, rider; Grande L Farms, owner)
2 Whitemud Forever Sunbeam* (Michael Bertolani, rider; Michael & Jill Bertolani, owner)
3 LNT Jack Be Nimble (Lyniece Talmadge, rider; Grande L Farms, owner)

Read the rest

Here are the Morgan class results for the UPHA Chapter 5 Show.  I will update them as they become available.  For more information about the this show go to the UPHA Chapter 5 website and for the full show results see www.HorseShowsOnline.com

Morgan Pleasure Driving Open-Jr. Horse
1 RWJ WHAM EVER (ROBERT JONES, owner; PHIL FOUNTAIN, rider)
2 BRIAR OAKS GOOD VIBRATIONS (TONY & DENNY MAUNDER MORGANS OF BRIAR OAKS, owner; BRIAN HADLEY, rider)

Morgan English Pleasure Open
1 TWISTED SISTER (LYNN BEGALLA, owner; LYNN BEGALLA, rider)

Morgan English Pleasure Amateur
1 N A S RICKBACKER (NANCY MURDOCK, owner; NANCY MURDOCK, rider)
2 PSC GABRIEL (PAM CURRY-SIEMERS, owner; PAM CURRY-SIEMERS, rider)

Morgan English Pleasure Junior Horse
1 DRAGONSMEAD INFUSION (DRAGONSMEADE, owner; PHIL FOUNTAIN, rider)
2 ORRWOOD’S IN DUE TIME (MORGANS OF ORRWOOD, owner; BRIAN HADLEY, rider)

Morgan Classic Pleasure Saddle
1 AUHL TURNED OUT (PEEPER RANCH, owner; JANE BLACKBURN, rider)

Morgan Western Pleasure Open
1 MERRIHILL RHYTHEM NATION (MARY HOLLOWAY, owner; RYENN JOHNS, rider)

Morgan Pleasure Driving Amateur
1 BRIAR OAKS GOOD VIBRATIONS (TONY/DENNY MAUNDER MORGANS OF BRIAR OAKS, owner; BRIAN HADLEY, rider)
2 MANTIC BULLSEYE (MARILYN HICKEY, owner; MARILYN HICKEY, rider)

Morgan English Pleasure Junior Exhibitor
1 CABOT CORTE BLANCHE (FAY LOWRY, owner; AUDREY LOWRY, rider)
2 PLUM HAVEN FUN RUNNER (SANDY SESSINK, owner; RYENN JOHNS, rider)
3 CO PERFECT TIMING (JENNIFER LORENZ, owner; JENNIFER LORENZ, rider)

Morgan English Pleasure Ladies
1 PSC GABRIEL (PAM CURRY-SIEMERS, owner; PAM CURRY-SIEMERS, rider)
2 N A S RICKBACKER (NANCY MURDOCK, owner; NANCY MURDOCK, rider)

Morgan Western Pleasure Amateur
1 MANHATTEN TRANSFER (DIANA KLINE/JOHN SENDROWSKI, owner; DIANA KLINE, rider)
Morgan Pleasure Driving UPHA Classic
1 RCV ALL THE RAGE (KATHLEEN GATIEN, owner; JIM LOWRY, rider)
2 BRIAR OAKS ARMANI (TERRY/DENNY MAUNDER, owner; PHIL FOUNTAIN, rider)
3 ORRWOOD’S IN DUE TIME (MORGANS OF ORRWOOD, owner; BRIAN HADLEY, rider)

Morgan Walk.Trot, Eq. 11 Yr. and Under
1 AUHL TURNED OUT (PEEPER RANCH, owner; SARA KJEZA, rider)

Morgan Western Pleasure Ladies
1 MANHATTEN TRANSFER (DIANA KLINE/JOHN SENDROWSKI, owner; DIANA KLINE, rider)
 

I haven’t heard much talk about the UPHA Pink Ribbon program.  I noticed it first in the prize list for the NY Regional.  They included a full-page ad for the UPHA Pink ribbon class.  Then Chris Cassenti informed me that the theme of the Chapter 14 UPHA Spring Premier Show was to support the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness.  Apparently the entire Friday evening session was dedicated to “Ride For The Cure” with the coolers for every class that evening embroidered with a Pink ribbon.  An additional Pink pocket ribbon was provided to each winner as well as a bouquet of pink flowers.  Breast cancer survivors from the horse community made the center ring presentations to the class winners.  It sounds like a real celebration.  I wouldn’t have minded winning one of those coolers.

UPHA has a goal to raise $100,000 for breast cancer research, education, and awareness.  They are asking shows to designate either the Ladies Five-Gaited Championship for Saddlebreds or the Ladies English Pleasure Championship for Morgans, as the UPHA Pink Ribbon class.  UPHA is providing special trophies and pink ribbons.  Everyone is asked to donate to the fund in honor of someone they know with breast cancer.  Up to 50% of the funds raised by a show for the Pink Ribbon class may be donated to a local breast cancer organization, or all funds may be forwarded through the UPHA Foundation for donation to a nationally known breast cancer program.

This seems like a worthy cause for all of us to support with both our money and participation.  Hopefully, more of our Morgan shows will jump on the bandwagon.  Please check with your show committees and ask them to participate in any way they can.  More information is available at www.UPHAonline.com.

I was wondering if anybody went and, if so, how was it?  Sounded like fun.  If I hear or see any reports I will be sure to add them to this post.

The is a little write up and a few pictures from PlayMor Farm on the Saddle Horse Report  website for those of you that are interested.  There are some pics of some cute babies.  Go to the Current News page of the Saddle Horse site to see them.

It’s interesting to note that the poll about becoming a judge has resulted in a statistical tie. I didn’t vote because, although I have thought about becoming a judge, I guess I’m not decisive enough to make the commitment.

I also see in the Network that the AMHA Professional Committee “continues to work on a solution to the limited pool of judges available for the GN.” As I understand it, the problem is that many of our Morgan judges are trainers who make their living getting horses prepared to show at the Grand National. It’s unreasonable to ask them to give up the income they generate by qualifying a horse for, and then showing it at the Morgan Grand National, in order to judge the show. We need more Amateur Owners and Breeders to become judges and we need to encourage and support them to do so. So, whose responsibility is it to see to it that we have enough qualified judges to judge our shows, including the Grand National?

I submit that it is not AMHA’s responsibility, but rather, it is the responsibility of those of us who want to show our horses. AMHA’s primary responsibility is the integrity of the Registry and promotion of ALL Morgan horses. Showing is only a part of AMHA, not the whole enchilada. I think it’s terrific that in order to promote the standard, there is a school for those who aspire to become Morgan judges, and that the 2 dollar Judges’ Education fee that we pay at Regional shows finances that effort. However, I think that we, the exhibitors, can do more.

Read the rest

The topic of exhibitors blaming judges for playing “show politics” came up recently in one of our “Ask A Judge” posts (see “Ask A Judge-What is the Hardest Thing About Judging?”).  I thought I would see how many people really think that judging has become too “political”.  If you have any comments on why you  think that or how it could be remedied, please comment on this post.

The following are the results for the Morgan classes of the Colorado Classic Horse Show.  Thanks to Anne Burton for sending them to me!

Class#: 10 MORGAN WESTERN PLEASURE OPEN

1 Maximum Pepper (Jan Lindeberg, owner; Dale Rickford, rider)
2 KN French Commandante (Playmore Farm LLC, owner; Terri Rickford, rider)
3 Canabar Kokopelli (Mai Wisdom, owner; Chris Rickford, rider)
4 RRG Ignite (Valerie Francis, owner; Heather Garcia, rider)
5 Endeavor Second to None (Paulene Ayers-Menk, owner; Jamie Bridgewater, rider)
6 LPV Crescendo (Melissa Justice, owner; Melissa Justice, rider)

Class#: 13 MORGAN CLASSIC PLEASURE SADDLE OPEN
1 Whispering Masqued Man (Deborah Phelan, owner; Deborah Phelan, rider)
2 AMHF Absolut Mystery (Debra Hurst Walters, owner; Debra Hurst Walters, rider)
3 RRG High Profile (Thomas Volz, owner; Karen Hostetter, rider)

Class#: 23 MORGAN HUNTER PLEASURE OPEN
1 KN French Commandante (Playmore Farm LLC, owner; Chris Rickford, rider)
2 Newby’s Joe Boy (Karen Crichfield,owner; Kim Vogel, rider)
3 LV Majestic Future (Mallory Mignot, owner; Mallory Mignot, rider)
4 Moriah Mint Fortune (Jenna Boyles, owner; Jenna Boyles, rider)
5 Be My Magic Moment (Barbara Nesse, owner; Barbara Nesse, rider)
6 George W (Jeffrey Hurst, owner; Aylssa Hurst, rider)

Read the rest

I haven’t been on the blog for a couple of days because I was out of town doing something I never thought I would do in a million years.  Yesterday I ran the Indianapolis Mini Marathon with my husband and actually finished without having to walk.  I began training for it in November and finally got to cross the finish line with the other 30,000 + other participants.  It was a big thrill and accomplishement for me (although I admit at mile 11, I really wanted to just lay down and die), especially since yesterday marked the 565th day since my last cigarette.  

I am very, very glad it is over (you have no idea HOW glad) so now I will be back to blogging and trying to keep you all up to date on the Morgan world as best I can.

This is a blog about Morgan horse shows. However, there was a tragedy today in the broader horse world. I’m sure many of you have seen the news about Eight Belles. For those who haven’t, here’s the video:

Eight Belles, a three year old filly, finished second, fell to the ground after the finish, shattering both front ankles. She was euthanized on the track a few minutes later.

 Ironically, the veterinarian at the track was also the vet at the 2006 Preakness, where Barbaro was injured at the start.

“It will happen sometimes after the race. It’s not unheard of,” said Bramlage, who also was the on-call vet during the 2006 Preakness Stakes at Pimlico, when Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro broke down at the start. “They’re taking a load on their skeleton. The difficult thing to explain with her is it was so far after the wire. She was easing down on the turn.”