Katy, Texas – April 1, 2019 – Week II of the 2019 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has come to a close with many exciting wins and a new rounds of Champions crowned.
NKH LLC’s NKH Caruso and Mathis Schwentker once again topped Saturday night’s Grand Prix following their win on Thursday night in the $25,000 Walter Oil & Gas Corp. Grand Prix.
Six horses from the field of 28 progressed to the jump off, which allowed for plenty of galloping. NKH Caruso finished 1.2 seconds ahead of Jordan, ridden by Jill Gaffney and owned by Freestyling Farms LLC, who finished second in Saturday night’s Prix after winning Wednesday night’s $10,000 1.45M Welcome Stake.
In April 2018, NKH Caruso (Cash & Carry x Dorina) won the $100,000 RFD-TV InIt2WinIt Speed Jumping Championship at the International Omaha with Christian Heineking. Mathis began riding NKH Caruso in October 2018 at the American Royal, where the pair won the $20,000 American Royal Grand Prix. Mathis and NKH Caruso have since had an incredible 2019, winning the $30,000 Smartpak Grand Prix at both HITS Coachella Desert Circuit I and II as well as the HITS Coachella Desert Circuit I $70,000 Back on Track Grand Prix. Prior to returning to NKH’s home state of Texas for the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, the pair competed in the in the HITS Coachella Desert Circuit VIII AIG $1 Million Grand Prix and placed 14th out of 57 horses.
Faces of Pin Oak rider Natalee Haggan and MTM Cravitz, owned by MTM Farm, were awarded the Grand Prix Style Award at Saturday’s event.
Each year, Pin Oak partners with Texas Children’s Hospital to select ‘Honored Heroes,’ children who have overcome great obstacles medically and are on the road to recovery, to honor and host during certain of the many Pin Oak events. Pin Oak Charity Horse Show was proud to host Noah, one of Pin Oak’s Honored Heroes, at Saturday’s Hildebrand Fund $30,000 Grand Prix and Avalon Advisors Ringside Gala. Nine year old Noah is a Texas Children’s Hospital leukemia patient in recovery. He loves nature and animals and was so excited to attend the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show where he received a warm welcome and an up-close glimpse into the world of show jumping.
On Sunday, riders dusted off their white breeches once again for ‘Classic Day’ in both the hunter and jumper rings. Week II of Pin Oak 2019 offered over $30,000 in classic prize money. Amidst increased competition with many new exhibitors arriving this week, several of the riders found in the Week I winner’s circle defended their positions at the top during Week II.
HRS Fortuna and owner Hallie Rush repeated their Week I result earning Champion in the High Junior Jumper division. The pair also took the blue ribbon in the High Junior Jumper Classic. Contador De Bornival Z, owned by Kathy Taylor and ridden by Kathryn Taylor, and Fast Flo, owned by Nicole Peterson and ridden by Brooke Peterson, tied for the division’s Reserve Championship.
Bethany Glenn and her Fine Fleur were crowned Champion in the High Amateur Owner Jumper division. Camaro 122 and owner Caitlyn Epperson took the division Reserve Championship and the blue ribbon in the High Amateur Owner Jumper Classic.
Learning To Fly and owner Frances Barham earned the Championship in the Low Junior Jumper division, also repeating their Week I result, while Carly 10, ridden by Kathryn Taylor and owned by Kathy Taylor, was Reserve Champion and took the win in the Low Junior Jumper Classic.
Athena and owner Hannah Newton were Champion for the second week in a row in the Low Amateur Owner Jumper, also taking the win in the Low Amateur Owner Jumper Classic. Meanwhile, Bart-C and owner Sarah Boyd took Reserve Champion.
Maxim Investments’ Atomic and Samantha Reynoso rode to the Championship in the High Children’s Jumper division and as well as the High Children’s Jumper Classic while Washington, owned and ridden by Emma Flett, took Reserve Champion.
AU Girl and Caitlyn Epperson earned the top prize in the High Adult Amateur Jumper Classic as well as the division Reserve Championship. Caitlin Hudson took the tricolor aboard her own Breeze.
Avery Griffin aboard her Lyons Creek Action won the Low Children’s Jumper Classic and took Reserve Champion in the division. No Sky Too High and Laurel Walker earned the Championship.
Silhouette CF and owner Hannah Colligan rode to the division Championship in the Low Adult Amateur Jumper and the win in the Low Adult Amateur Jumper Classic while Annette Diaz aboard her own Picture This tied with MTM Mrs. Yowza, owned by MTM Farm and ridden by Alexandra Gonzalez, for the Reserve Championship.
The hunter ring saw many familiar faces in the winner’s circle as well. Kirby McCool’s Intrepido topped the field in the 3’6” Junior Hunter 15 and Under for the second week in a row with Khaki McCool in the irons. Candid, owned by Jennifer Alfano and shown by Grace Debney, took the Reserve Championship.
Symbolic and owner Bella Kay, winners of Friday’s $30,000 Walsh and Albert USHJA International Hunter Derby, were crowned Champions in the 3’6” Junior Hunter 16-17 winning three of the four over fences classes. Canal Street, ridden by Katia Cannon and owned by Donald Stewart, took Reserve Champion.
Emma Flett and her Cascalo bested the competition in the combined 3’6” Junior Hunter Classic.
Donald Stewart’s Bertolucci was crowned Champion in the 3’3” Junior Hunter 15 and Under with Eleanor Rudnicki in the irons, swapping positions from Week I with Luke Jensen and Jill Barnett’s Coraggio PF, who took the Week II Reserve Championship.
Gap Crown Horses, LLC’s Cassiopeia Cellestin, ridden by Ellie Peterson, took home the blue ribbon in the combined 3’3” Junior Hunter Classic and was again Champion in the 3’3” Junior Hunter 16-17 following a tricolor Week I. Emily Weimer and her own Cheers earned Reserve Champion.
Quirrell, owned and ridden by Georgia Leb, took both the win in the Children’s Hunter 14 and Under Classic and the tricolor in the division. Week I division Champion Snickers, owned by South Haven Farm and ridden by Lilly Goldstein, was Reserve Champion.
Oakhaven Partners, Ltd.’s Penelope OPL was Champion in the Children’s Hunter 15-17 with Riley Delbecq aboard while Zeppelin, owned by Lilah Bass and shown by Natalie Bass, earned the Reserve Championship.
After a rough start to the week following an accident in the 3’3” Performance Hunters, Kelley Cloud’s Clintino won the Children’s Hunter 15-17 Classic scoring an 81.5 and an 86 with Brooke Brombach aboard.
Taylor Landstrom’s Smash, ridden by Xia Tabanou, won three of the four over fences rounds in the Small Pony division, earning the Championship. Clara Keath and her own Peace Keeper rode to the Reserve Championsihp.
Paris, owned and ridden by Lola Head, was Champion Medium Pony while Ticket to Ride LLC’s Smallwood Mystic earned the Reserve Championship with Carolyn Colter aboard.
Lola Head earned top honors in the pony ring once again aboard her own Caleche, earning the blue ribbon in the combined Pony Classic as well as the Championship in the Large Pony division. Poplar Place Pied Piper, owned by Isabella Mullan and ridden by Brooke Brombach, was Large Pony Reserve Champion.
The Large Green Pony Hunter Championship was earned by 14 Karat, owned by RGG Equestrian LLC and ridden by Reagan Gehm, for the second week running while Divide’s Chatterbox, owned by Linda Pryor and ridden by Isabella Fisher, took the Reserve Championship.
The blue ribbon in the Green Pony Classic was earned by Cool Spot, owned by Jennifer Wheeler-Winborne and shown by Megan Winborne. Cool Spot was also Champion of the combined Small/Medium Green Pony division, maintaining the pony’s winning streak earning Champion or Reserve Champion at every show since stepping into the Greens this year. Divide’s Lady Chatterly, ridden by McKayla Brombach and owned by Amy Gangstad, took the Reserve Championship.
Pin Oak’s equitation competition also wrapped up today with the final three medals of the weekend. Macy White and her Viva’s Glory, winners of the Week I Hamel NHS 3’3” Medal, won the USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal Sunday afternoon. Izabella Millimet won this week’s Hamel NHS 3’3″ medal on her own RVF Carlyle.
Bella Kay continued her winning ways aboard her SWS Questionnaire in the Platinum Performance Talent Search for the second week in a row.
Tessa Downey took the blue ribbon in the ASPCA Maclay aboard HH Moonshine, owned by Double H Farm. Saturday’s win was Tessa’s first 3’3” medal, and Sunday’s win in the Maclay was her first time competing in the Maclay or any 3’6” medal. Tessa said of her win, “It was so exciting to actually win a Maclay. We just got HH Moonshine from Quentin Judge at Double H Farms. I’m so grateful to be able to ride him because he’s so talented and I feel like he will help me get to be a better eq rider.”
As we head into the final week of Pin Oak 2019, riders who have been showing all three weeks are looking forward to Pin Oak Grand Champion Awards, Antares High Point Rider Awards, Jumper Rider Bonuses, and, for the Child and Adult Amateur Jumper riders, the Pin Oak Invitational Classics.
