Almost 1,000 Morgans from across the country and Canada, including Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, were shipped to Oklahoma City, OK, to compete in the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show. The event, held October 6-13, offered more than 300 classes, 29 divisions and an excess of $250,000 in prize money.
For the fifth consecutive year, Matt Kwapich of Bernalillo, NM, was the show's manager. This year, Sherry Sparks Cole of Sheridan, IN, served as show chairman.
“I thought that the performances were outstanding this year,” said Sherry Cole. “And, there was great camaraderie.”
EAH Over The Town, owned by John A. Yoder and handled by Lynn Peeples of Lynn Peeples Stable in Creekside, PA, was the Grand National Three-Year-Old Geldings Champion and Grand National Three-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Champion.
Lynn drove Sensationalist, owned by Aden and Harry Weaver, to the Grand National Three-Year-Old Park Harness Championship and the World Three-Year-Old Park Harness Championship.
Driving his I Beg To Differ, Lynn won the Reserve World Three-Year-Old Futurity Pleasure Driving Championship. Katelyn Byler rode Lynn’s mare to the Reserve Grand National Three-Year-Old English Pleasure Mare Championship.
Katelyn also rode Ledyard Code Red to the Reserve World Three-Year-Old English Pleasure Championship.
Amanda Dupont of Windward Farm in Port Matilda, PA, shipped 13 horses to Oklahoma City. She won the Grand National Three-Year-Old Hunter Pleasure Mare Championship with Newmonts Angelina. Owned by Jessi Barr, the mare also was the Reserve World Three-Year-Old Hunter Pleasure Futurity Champion and the Reserve World Three-Year-Old Hunter Pleasure Champion.
Rosemary Croop was thrilled when Amanda presented her mare, Playmor’s Call Me A Star CH, to the Grand National Versatile Morgans Championship. The duo was also Reserve Grand National Road Hack Hunter Seat Finals Champions.
Also riding under the Windward Farm stable banner, Samantha Chamberland rode Guha’s Gold N Romeo to the Grand National Western Dressage Level 1 Test 3 Open Championship. Sharon and Subhajit Guha own the 11-year-old palomino gelding.
Alicia Owens, owner/trainer/instructor of Scottfield Stables in Lenhartsville, PA, and assistant trainer, Dan Pavan, took seven horses to show.
One of Alicia’s long-time equitation students, Audra Lee, won the coveted AMHA Saddle Seat Gold Medal Championship. Audra was riding CBMF Random Hearts GCH. During the eight-day event, Audra also won the UPHA Senior Challenge Cup Finals. She also was named the Grand National Saddle Seat Equitation 15-Year-Old Champion.
Audra started riding with Alicia when she was seven years old. She won her first world and reserve world titles riding CN A Touch of Hope in Classic Pleasure Saddle and Equitation classes. Seven years later, Audra has claimed a national championship for her age group six out of the last seven years on three different horses. The one missed year, Audra was reserve...and her equitation career is not over yet!
“I didn’t want to ride equitation in the beginning,” Audra said. “But Alicia convinced me to try it.
“I loved it right from my first lesson,” Audra continued. “Practicing my rail work and pattern work gives me more time in the saddle, and more time to connect with my horse.”
Alicia rode EKL Sophisticated Lady to the Grand National Three-Year-Old English Pleasure Mare Championship. Eli and Rebecca Lapp of Colonial Stables in Gordonville, PA, own the young mare.
The Lapps also bred and raised EKL Shakedown, who was purchased by Alicia Owens at a young age. Alicia drove him to the Reserve Grand National Four-Year-Old Park Harness Stallion Championship.
“We had a great Grand National Show,” said Eli Lapp. “Not only did our horses do well in the show ring, but we also sold one at the show.”
Alicia also coached Maddie Sappenfield to a Reserve Grand National Junior Exhibitor Hunter Pleasure 16-17 Championship ride on MEM I’m Back. Terry Randall owns the gelding.
Mike Goebig and Dwayne Knowles, owners/trainers of Broadmoor in Kutztown, PA, took 19 horses to show.
Mike drove a young colt that he co-owns with Dwayne. Out Late made an impressive Reserve Grand National Two-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Championship win for his first time in the show ring.
Dwayne showed several client-owned horses. He drove Newmont’s Get Real to the World Two-Year-Old Park Harness Championship. Cindy Nord and her daughter, Allyson Wandtke, own the colt.
Allyson had a great show with her three horses. In his fourth saddle class ever, Allyson rode What’s Up to a unanimous win in the World Amateur Ladies English Pleasure Championship. And, all four of these wins have been with Allyson in the saddle.
On the last night of the show, Allyson had back-to-back world championship victories. She won the World Amateur English Pleasure Championship with her chestnut gelding, CBMF Restless GCH. This is the fifth time in seven years “Rusty’ has won this championship. Then Allyson climbed aboard Get Smart, the bay mare she co-owns with her mother, and won the World Ladies Park Saddle Championship.
For the third year in a row, in the qualifying class, Allyson rode her gelding to the Grand National Amateur English Pleasure Stallions & Geldings Championship title.
Allyson rode Get Smart GCH to the Grand National Ladies Park Saddle Mare Championship. This was a unanimous win, and the third world championship title this mare has won in the past four years.
Allyson also drove Ledyard Octavia CH, for owner William Haines of Ledyard Farms. Octavia was the Reserve Grand National Ladies Park Harness Mare Champion.
CN Timeless Masterpiece GCH, driven by Allyson, was the Reserve Grand National Ladies Pleasure Driving Mare Champion. Allyson’s mother, Cindy Nord, owns ‘Surprise’.
Whitemud Shimmer won the World Futurity Two-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Championship for owner William Haines of Ledyard Farms. Dwayne drove this stylish filly.
Blurred Lines was the first horse from Broadmoor to make a victory pass at this year’s Morgan Grand National. She unanimously won the Grand National Four-Year-Old English Pleasure Mare Championship. Owned by Good Morgan LLC, ‘Princess’ was ridden by Kim Germ-Cramer.
Toscanini GCH and Kim were the Grand National Amateur Masters English Pleasure Champions. Good Morgan LLC also owns this brown gelding. Kim had won in this division twice before with two different mares.
Whitemud Sky Captain GCH and owner Dianne Lents were reserve in the Grand National Amateur Masters Pleasure Driving Championship.
For the second year in a row, Merriehill Nighty Night was the first horse from Pennsylvania to trot into the winner’s circle at this year’s show. Scott Neidlinger led her to the Reserve Grand National Three-Year-Old Mare Championship. She is owned by Debbie Confer of Cardinal Hill Stables in Bedminster.
Last year, Kerrianne Adamek of Murraysville, PA, had a great final year of her junior exhibitor career. Showing under the direction of Tim Roesink of Grove Pointe Stables, Kerri had no trouble with the transition into the Youth, Amateur and Ladies classes.
Four months ago, Kerri bought the reigning World Ladies Park Harness Champion, Playmor’s I’m A Star Too. Both she and Tim showed him once before venturing to the Morgan Grand National, Kerri won the Grand National and World Youth Park Saddle Championships. She also drove her bay gelding to the Grand National Youth Park Harness Championship.
Then Tim Roesink took the game, talented, eight-year-old gelding back onto the ring on the last night and won the coveted title of World Park Saddle Champion.
This year’s show was extra special for Dr. Kevin Schengrund of Hershey, PA, as his oldest daughter, Morgan, competed in the Leadline class for the first time. His SSLLC Empire was the Reserve Grand National Three-Year-Old Classic Pleasure Saddle Champion. The stallion was ridden by Kathleen Jensen.
Kathleen Peeples, owner/trainer, and Christopher Bernard, trainer, of Waterford Farm in Oxford, NJ, had a successful ending to the 2018 show season. Kathleen rode Bella Noire to the Reserve Four-Year-Old Western Pleasure Mare Championship. The mare is owned by Lori Sargeant.
Kathleen also rode Cherrydale Casanova to the World Three-Year-Old Futurity Park Saddle Championship. Christopher Bernard drove Cassanova to the unanimous World Three-Year-Old Futurity Park Harness Championship. The stallion is owned by Dr. Robin Herrick.
Kathleen also had great fun leading six-year-old Tori Eaton in the Leadline class. Tori rode LA Ricochet GCH.
Miss Velvet Brown, owned by Millstone Morgans of Manatapan, NJ, was the Reserve Grand National Four-Year-Old Pleasure Driving Mare Champion. She was driven by John Hufferd of Triumph Stables.
Sarah Butler won the Grand National Junior Exhibitor Working Hunter Finals, riding Radiance Calico Jack. This duo was the World Low Working Hunter High-Point Champion. The 11-year-old gelding is owned by Kate Holloway of Salisbury, MD.
Cobblestone Dash for Gold CH won the Grand National Western Dressage Basic Level Test 2 Amateur/Junior Exhibitor Championship. The nine-year-old palomino gelding was ridden by his owner, Roberta Brown of Dillsburg, PA.
Roberta’s 10-year-old mare, MHMF Ariel, won the Grand National Western Dressage Basic Level 3 Junior Exhibitor/Amateur Championship. Ridden by Mai Wisdom, Ariel also was the Reserve Grand National Western Dressage Basic Level Test 1 Junior Exhibitor/Amateur Championship.
Both of Roberta’s horses are trained by her son, Aaron Brown of Double A Equine Services in Hollywood, MD.
“Our show committee strives to have a fun show, and I think we succeeded,” said Sherry Cole.