Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Presents $230,000 Donation to Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus
This week, sponsors and committee members of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show proudly presented Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus with a check for $230,000. This generous contribution marks another milestone in the longstanding partnership between the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and Texas Children’s Hospital, supporting their shared mission to advance pediatric healthcare in the Houston area.
Over the years, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has made a lasting impact on Texas Children’s Hospital through targeted donations that help fund vital projects, such as the Radiology Renovation and the Breathing and Exercise Lab at West Campus. Significant initiatives also include contributions to the Legacy Tower in the Texas Medical Center, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Endowed Fund in Sports Medicine, and the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Sports Medicine Fellowship. This partnership has further supported the Cancer and Hematology Center at West Campus and campaigns dedicated to building the Texas Children’s Woodlands and West Campus hospitals.
Through these donations, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and its supporters have become integral to the ongoing enhancement of pediatric care facilities and resources across Texas Children’s network, especially for families at the West Campus. This latest donation of $230,000 reaffirms their commitment to ensuring Texas Children’s can continue providing top-tier healthcare to young patients in the Houston area and beyond.
The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show’s Sponsor Appreciation Event was nothing short of spectacular! Hosted by the ever-gracious Mindy Hildebrand, the event was a perfect blend of fashion, fellowship, and philanthropy, leaving everyone inspired and energized.
Attendees were treated to a fabulous informal fashion show, led by Fady and the stylish team from Tootsies, who showcased some beautiful looks perfect for any Equestrian Affaire. The afternoon was filled with delicious food and wonderful company, making for an unforgettable luncheon experience.
One of the most heartwarming moments was reflecting on the incredible achievement of raising $230,000 for Texas Children’s Hospital last year! It was a proud reminder of the positive impact that the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show continues to make in the community.
The event was truly a celebration of friends, fashion, and fellowship, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the support and dedication of everyone involved. We are so grateful to our sponsors and attendees who made this day so special. We look forward to the continued success during Pin Oak 2025.
April 14, 2024 – Katy, TX – Andres Torres Hernandez has had self-described “up-and-down” results throughout the 2024 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, but he and Vivant Comedy PS finished the three weeks with the show’s highest possible “up”: victory in the finale $100,000 Hildebrand Fund Grand Prix.
On Saturday, April 13, in an exciting conclusion to open jumper competition at the 78th annual show in Katy, TX, 18 entries took on the 1.50m course designed by Bernardo Costa Cabral. In front of an enthusiastic crowd, that technical track with a tight time allowed narrowed the field down to five to return for the jump-off.
“The most important thing, I think, was the time allowed,” said Hernandez, referencing the first round that saw three riders jump clear only to finish with time faults. “I was last in the first round, and I saw many guys with time faults, so I was thinking, ‘I need to go fast in the first round!’ I think that was the most difficult part in the first round.”
Once through to the jump-off at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, speed was still very much the name of the game. Frequent Pin Oak grand prix victor Nicolas Gamboa was the first to return, and he and NKH Vittorio S sped over the course in 33.114 seconds but with one rail down, leaving the door open for the remaining contenders.
Genevieve Munson and Natalee Haggan each also saw one rail fall before Gamboa returned again, this time aboard his winningest mount, NKH Mr. Darcy. With the NKH, LLC-owned gelding, Gamboa showed a clear round was possible, stopping the clock in 35.446 seconds to take over the lead and to put the pressure on for Hernandez.
And Hernandez rose to the occasion. The Mexico-based rider and Vivant Comedy PS flew over the final Hilcorp Energy Company oxer in 33.448 seconds to secure the win and to give spectators a thrilling ending to a great night of competition.
“I feel great. This has been an amazing, amazing day,” said Hernandez. “To finish like this is just amazing.”
Hernandez has been partnered with his winning mount, his own 9-year-old Oldenburg mare Vivant Comedy PS, for the past four years, and he has been carefully producing her throughout that time.
“She just started doing the grand prix this year,” said Hernandez of the mare who also turned in a clear round in the Pin Oak Week II $50,000 R-C Ranch Grand Prix. “She’s just amazing. We love her. We love her in the barn.”
For Hernandez, winning with Vivant Comedy PS at Pin Oak is extra special, as much of his family – including his wife, kids, parents and sisters – was able to be there with him.
“In Mexico, sometimes I have to go alone [to shows] or just with my wife,” concluded Hernandez. “I like a lot being here at Pin Oak. The footing is really good. All of the people have been very nice. I like also that all my family can be here with me because we’re all together. That’s the main thing I like here – that we can be all together.”
For full results of the $100,000 Hildebrand Fund Grand Prix, click here.
April 13, 2024 – Katy, TX – Jef Lauwers and Hallpass ended the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show the same way that they started it: with a USHJA International Hunter Derby victory.
After having earned the win in the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, sponsored by Augusta Pines Farm, during Pin Oak Week I, Lauwers and Hallpass returned to also take home the top spot in Friday’s Week III $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, sponsored by Memorial Park Hunters.
This time, the competition moved indoors under the lights of the Main Ring at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, where 30 entries took on the first-round course designed by Meghan Rawlins.
As the 13th pair in the order, Lauwers and Hallpass shot straight to the top of the leaderboard with scores from the two judging panels of 86 and 87 – plus four high-option bonus points added to each score – for a first-round total score of 181.
Coming the closest to Hallpass’ score in the first round was Ivy League, owned and ridden by Jennifer Alfano. Alfano and the 7-year-old Warmblood gelding earned scores of 83 and 85, plus two high-option bonus points, for a first-round score of 172. Sitting in third place at the end of the first round, with a score of 167, were Alwaleed Alrashid and Versailles, owned by Lyla Brady.
With the top 12 returning in reverse order of their standings for the handy round, the top three spots ultimately remained completely unchanged. With Versailles, Alrashid earned scores of 81 and 87, plus three high-option bonus points, for a second-round score of 174 and an overall third-place total of 346.
Alfano and Ivy League also earned a second-round score of 174, giving them a total score of 346 and cementing their second-place finish.
As the last to return, Lauwers and Hallpass only further lengthened their lead. Scores of 87 and 88, plus all four high-option bonus points, gave them a second-round score of 183 and the win with an overall score of 364.
“[Hallpass] is my knight in shining armor,” said Lauwers of the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding, owned by Sue Copeland. “He just comes out, and he starts jumping. He jumps better and better and better. He’s a great derby horse. That’s why we have him here.”
When not in the show ring with Lauwers, Hallpass can be found at home with Copeland, who keeps the horse fit on the flat and over smaller jumps before turning him over to Lauwers for derby classes.
“He doesn’t really travel with me,” explaind Lauwers. “He stays here, and he loves Texas. He loves his mom. She rides him every day, and then I get to ride him here at Pin Oak. It’s been really cool to have a horse like that that just comes out and steps up and does his job.”
Lauwers continued, “I love it here [at Pin Oak] because it feels like it’s one big family. I think the Texas people really stick together. We all come together, and we have different stories to share [from the winter spent on different circuits]. It feels like a community to come back to. It’s nice to have a hometown show where we all have fun. The ambiance is great, so it’s just fun to be here.”
Following a successful three weeks at the 78th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, Lauwers will now spend a few weeks at home in Magnolia, TX, with PJP Farm before setting his sights on his summer goals.
“I think I’m going to try to take [Hallpass] to Derby Finals this year,” said Lauwers. “He’ll probably come and meet me up north maybe [at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival in Traverse City, MI]. We’ll warm him up there, and then we’ll get ready for Derby Finals. It’s fun to have a horse like that that you know and that you can count on. He just always is the same. He comes out super. At the beginning of the week, he comes out like, ‘Ugh, you’re not my mom! Why are you kicking me!’ But then he loosens up and his jumping great. It’s like autopilot; you can just cruise over big jumps.”
Also recognized during the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby was this year’s Best Turned Out Derby Horse award recipient, C’est La Vie, ridden by Emma Rupinski. For the honor, C’est La Vie’s team was presented with the Paula Sparks Perpetual Trophy.
To view full results of the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, click here.
April 12, 2024 – Katy, TX – Of the five grand prix classes held thus far at the 2024 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX, four of them have been won by Nicolas Gamboa, including Thursday’s $25,000 Monarch Stables Grand Prix.
Gamboa has now earned an impressive nine Pin Oak grand prix wins since securing his first-ever grand prix victory at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center only two years ago. His victory in Thursday’s class came aboard his winningest mount throughout those two years, NKH Mr. Darcy.
Gamboa and the 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding, owned by NKH LLC, were one of 17 entries in the class and one of six to jump clear over the first-round course designed by Bernardo Costa Cabral.
From there, Gamboa and “Darcy” showcased what has become their signature speed, stopping the clock in 35.702 seconds for the win. Second place with a time of 36.844 seconds went to Martien van der Hoeven and Chance Encounter, owned by Marlac Ventures. Finishing in third was the only other grand prix winner so far this Pin Oak circuit, Avery Griffin, this time aboard Bodega Semilly, owned by PBC Equine Investments, LLC.
“I wanted to be quick, but I didn’t want to take everything out,” said Gamboa of his jump-off plan. “There were obviously some places to go inside and some places to go around. Normally, you would think inside is quicker, but I chose to go around there. I think it paid off in the end that I could keep cantering and didn’t have to slow down. I didn’t watch everybody in the jump-off go, but I think Darcy just kind of flowed very nicely and evenly everywhere. He was the one that won the class for us today.”
Gamboa continued, “Bernardo [Costa Cabral] is obviously one of the best course designers in the world. He does a fantastic job everywhere. Pin Oak is extremely lucky, and all of us in Texas are extremely lucky to have him here. He did a great job for a Thursday grand prix, setting us up for the rest of the week. I personally did not jump the [Welcome Stake] yesterday, but I watched a few go, and I thought this was just a little bit bigger, a little bit more technical. Overall, I thought it was a fantastic course with enough questions. He for sure didn’t pull out all the tricks today, but you can see his mind thinking on what he wants to do for Saturday’s [$100,000 Hildebrand Fund Grand Prix].”
That $100,000 Hildebrand Fund Grand Prix is what Gamboa will set his sights on next, as the class marks the highlight finale of three weeks of top hunter/jumper competition at the 78th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. The evening’s grand prix festivities will kick off on Saturday, April 13, at 7 p.m. with entertainment from the Diaz Family, followed by the first horse on course at 7:30 p.m. Spectator admission and parking are free, and all are invited to attend.