RINGSIDE WITH THE PLAID HORSE
BY EMILY RANDOLPH/RANDOLPHPR
Katy, Texas – April 3, 2021 – Mackenzie Hudson rode her own Ekyra Fortuna to victory in the $5,000 1.30 m/ 1.40 m Amateur-Owner (AO)/Amateur (Am.) Jumper Classic on Saturday, April 3, to conclude Week II of the 75th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.
Hudson was one of 19 entries to contest the first-round track set by course designer Bernardo Costa Cabral at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX. Of the 19 entries, four produced clear efforts to advance to the jump-off and three jumped double clear. The fastest of those three, Hudson stopped the jump-off timers in 26.519 seconds.
With a time of 27.309 seconds, second place went to Jacqueline Ruyle and her own Lucille, and a close third place with a time of 27.330 seconds went to Mikayla Linder aboard Chine van’t Schanshof.
“I have so much confidence with [Ekyra Fortuna], I was able to really let her go in the jump-off. She’ll do anything that I ask her to,” said Hudson of the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare that she has now been partnered with for six years. “I was 15 when we got her, and she was six, so we’ve really come up together.”
While Hudson and “Ekyra” were previously jumping at the grand prix level, the pair took some time off during the COVID-19 pandemic and are now working their way back up the levels.
“This was our second time back in the 1.30 m,” explained Hudson, 21. “She was awesome. She definitely wants to go. In the first round, you really have to hold her back so that you can then in the jump-off, let her go and really go with it. She’ll leave strides out; she’ll add strides. She’ll do whatever you ask her to.”
Hudson, who currently trains with her mother Lacy Hudson at Manor Equestrian in Austin, TX, has been attending the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show since she was six years old and looks forward to it each year.
“I showed my first large pony in the short stirrup here and have been coming ever since!” concluded Hudson. “I like that this show has everyone from Texas but then more. It really feels like a family community here. Everyone’s so inviting and so welcoming.”
In addition to the $5,000 1.30 m/ 1.40 m AO/Am. Jumper Classic, Saturday’s schedule featured a full line-up of both jumper and hunter classics. In the $5,000 1.30 m/1.40 m Junior Jumper Classic, the win went to Genevieve Munson and Charlene, and the $2,500 1.20 m Junior Jumper Classic victory went to John Gilpin and Arobase des Champs. Earning the win in the $2,500 1.20 m AO/Am. Jumper Classic was Anna Marie Mayes riding Balou Bailando. For full results, visit www.horseshowsonline.com.
While Saturday marked the conclusion of Week II of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, competition resumes on Wednesday, April 7. Running through April 11, the 75th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show features three weeks of top hunter, jumper and American Saddlebred competition while benefitting the Texas Children’s Hospital.
Learn more about the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show by visiting www.PinOak.org, and find the horse show on Facebook here. To purchase competition photos, visit www.AndrewRyback.com. For additional coverage throughout the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, follow The Plaid Horse on Facebook and Instagram.
RINGSIDE WITH THE PLAID HORSE
BY EMILY RANDOLPH/RANDOLPHPR
Katy, Texas – April 2, 2021 – Peter Petschenig and It’s the Senator 111 claimed victory in the $50,000 Hildebrand Fund Pin Oak Grand Prix on Friday, April 2, at the 75th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX.
A field of 22 horses contested the Week II featured event, with 10 entries advancing to jump-off over the Bernardo Costa Cabral-designed short course.
The second pair to return, Martien van der Hoeven and Morris Horta, set the early time to beat at 36.316 seconds, which would ultimately hold up for second place. Only Petschenig and It’s the Senator 111 delivered a faster clear round, stopping the clock at 35.925 seconds as the penultimate pair to return. Third place with a time of 37.304 seconds went to Matt Cyphert and his own Lochinvar.
“[Getting this win] is actually kind of surprising!” said Petschenig, who has had the ride on It’s the Senator 111 for the past eight months. “Usually, he can’t go fast because he’s a little bananas! He jumped fantastic. He can jump anything there is. He’s just super difficult. He needs way more work than anyone else. He’s just different, but he’s fun too.”
While Petschening is continuing to get to know the 13-year-old grey Belgian Warmblood gelding, everything came together on Friday night.
“This is the first time that everything worked the way that I wanted it to work. Since he’s so lunatic, I thought, ‘I can’t go fast anyway.’ I actually didn’t mean to go really fast at all in the jump-off,” continued Petschening. “I landed after the triple bar, and the six [stride option] was right there. Other than that, I just turned a little tighter than the other ones I assume.”
Since moving to Texas from California in 2017, Petschening has been a consistent top competitor at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, and he looks forward to attending the three-week horse show each year.
“They do a super job in presenting the show,” said Petschening. “They put a lot of thoughts into small details, and the people are very nice here. It’s very a good cause too, and that’s the most important thing!”
Petschening will next aim It’s the Senator 111 toward the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show’s featured culminating event, the $100,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix, to be held Saturday, April 10.
Running through April 11, the 75th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show features three weeks of top hunter, jumper and American Saddlebred competition while benefitting the Texas Children’s Hospital. While Saturday, April 3 concludes Week II, competition resumes with Week III beginning on Wednesday, April 7.
Learn more about the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show by visiting www.PinOak.org, and find the horse show on Facebook here. To purchase competition photos, visit www.AndrewRyback.com.
For additional coverage throughout the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, follow The Plaid Horse on Facebook and Instagram.
RINGSIDE WITH THE PLAID HORSE
BY EMILY RANDOLPH/RANDOLPHPR
Katy, Texas – April 1, 2021 – Ilana Halpern of Lafayette, CA, rode Prosecco to victory in the $30,000 United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) Hunt & Go Format International Hunter Derby on Thursday, April 1, during Week II of the 75th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX.
Halpern and Prosecco were one of 24 entries that first completed an eight-fence Classic Hunter Round set in one ring before immediately clearing a trot fence set between two connecting rings and continuing on to an additional six-fence Handy Hunter Round in the second ring.
In the Classic Hunter Round, Halpern and Prosecco earned dual scores of 83 from both of the two judging panels, and their performance only improved as they continued on. With scores in the high 80s from both judging panels in the Handy Hunter Round, coupled with three high option bonus points added to each judging panels’ scores in both rounds, the pair finished on an overall 349 total.
Second place with an overall score of 331.5 went to Caitlin Burns and her own Fila. Third place went to Frank Owens who rode Carrida, owned by DS Holdings, LLC, to an overall score of 326.
“I’m so thrilled!” said Halpern, 34, who is competing at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show for the first time. “I have been working with this horse for a little over three years now, and I love him and believe in him. I thought he was so excellent tonight. Not only was he great, but he finished stronger than he started. As the trainer and caretaker of the horse, that makes me feel especially good.”
Halpern rode Prosecco, an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Devin Lanzone, to second place in the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter during Week I of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, and she has spent the past week working on the gelding’s fitness.
“One of the things that we talked about strategy wise last week was that maybe he was a little bit lacking in fitness for the handy,” explained Halpern. “So, I’ve been really flatting him and taking advantage of the bit of warmer weather to build him up a little bit. I felt like it cooled off today, and as a result, his fitness showed.”
In addition to spending time working on Prosecco’s fitness this past week, Halpern has also been the horse’s primary caregiver, something she says plays to her advantage in the saddle.
“When Craig [Starr] and I travel to shows with primarily our own horses, as long as the number of clients isn’t too large, we do like to groom our own horses from an economic standpoint,” explained Halpern. “And, to be very honest, it’s a joy! [Prosecco]’s a very careful, cautious horse. For him to jump at this level, it takes a bit of encouragement and nurturing, I think grooming him myself has been wonderful for that. I feel like I know everything that’s happened in his day, and I know where he is mentally and emotionally. With a sensitive horse, that’s so incredibly important. I’m just really proud of him, not just for this class, but for the entire time we’ve been here.”
For Halpern, who originally hails from Buffalo, NY, the major victory at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is the realization of a lifelong dream.
“Since I was a little girl, I would see that Jennifer Alfano always came here, and she always won the Derby,” said Halpern. “I always wanted to be exactly like her. I still do! I just really, really wanted to make it happen….For this to turn into an opportunity for this horse and for his confidence, it couldn’t have been better!”
Running through April 11, the 75th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show features three weeks of top hunter, jumper and American Saddlebred competition while benefitting the Texas Children’s Hospital. Week II continues through Saturday, with competition highlights including Friday night’s $50,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix, sponsored by the Hildebrand Fund.
Learn more about the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show by visiting www.PinOak.org, and find the horse show on Facebook here. To purchase competition photos, visit www.AndrewRyback.com.
For additional coverage throughout the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, follow The Plaid Horse on Facebook and Instagram.
RINGSIDE WITH THE PLAID HORSE
BY EMILY RANDOLPH/RANDOLPHPR
Katy, Texas – March 31, 2021 – Daisy Ford earned her first grand prix win only a month ago, and on Wednesday, March 31, she returned to the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, to do it again. This time the 19-year-old and her own Gatsby topped the $25,000 Pin Oak Grand Prix, sponsored by Heroes for Children, during Week II of the 75th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.
With the $10,000 Under 25 Grand Prix, sponsored by Leaving One Out, LLC, held concurrently, Ford was also automatically named the winner of the featured U25 class.
“I’m so excited! Gatsby’s really come through this year in a big way, and I’m really, really proud of him,” said Ford of the horse that she first began competing in the children’s jumpers seven years ago. “It pays off when you’ve had a partner for seven years, for sure! You know exactly what they’re thinking.”
The solidity of the pair’s longtime partnership was particularly evident over Wednesday’s jump-off track. Nine entries from the 28-horse field qualified to come back and contest the short course set by course designer Bernardo Costa Cabral, with Ford returning in the penultimate position.
When Ford and Gatsby entered the ring, the time to beat had been set at 33.183 seconds by Carlee McCutcheon, the winner of the $30,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix held just four days prior. With fast foot speed from Gatsby, slick turns and strides left out throughout the course, Ford quickly toppled that time to stop the clock in 32.470 seconds.
Martien van der Hoeven and Morris Horta, owned by Luccirelli International, LLC, were the final pair to return. As they crossed the final fence, it looked as though they may have the win. However, the clock stopped just tenths of a second shy of Ford’s time, giving van der Hoeven the second-place honor with a time of 32.793 seconds. McCutcheon and her own MTM Fortunate finished third.
“I have a super quick, careful horse, and I knew I could leave out strides in a few places because I have such a big step with him,” said Ford of the 15-year-old Oldenburg gelding. “I got lucky, and everything came up the way that I was hoping it would.”
While Ford and Gatsby make it look easy today, their partnership was not always that way.
“It didn’t start off easy for me with him,” explained Ford, who trains with Alexandra Ansteth at Augusta Pines Farm. “He’s a very powerful horse, and he’s got a really hard jump. That was my hardest thing to get used to with him. Probably my first big win with him was at Pin Oak two years ago when I won the Under 25. That was my first grand prix that I jumped clean, and to come back and win the actual grand prix just two years later feels pretty amazing!”
Running through April 11, the 75th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show features three weeks of top hunter, jumper and American Saddlebred competition while benefiting the Texas Children’s Hospital. Week II continues through Saturday, April 3, with remaining feature events including a $30,000 United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Derby on Thursday and the Hildebrand Fund $50,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix on Friday night.
Learn more about the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show by visiting www.PinOak.org, and find the horse show on Facebook here. To purchase competition photos, visit www.AndrewRyback.com.
For additional coverage throughout the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, follow The Plaid Horse on Facebook and Instagram.
RINGSIDE WITH THE PLAID HORSE
BY EMILY RANDOLPH/RANDOLPHPR
Katy, Texas – March 30, 2021 – Avery Erickson, 19, and Chacco Lait won the $15,000 Open Jumper Welcome Stake to mark the start of Week II of the 75th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show on Tuesday, March 30, in Katy, TX.
With the $5,000 Under 25 Welcome held concurrently with the Open Jumper Welcome Stake, Erickson also automatically claimed victory in the U25, marking her second consecutive U25 Welcome win. During Week I of the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, Erickson and Chacco Lait took the top spot in the U25 Welcome and finished in second in the Open Jumper Welcome Stake.
“[Chacco Lait] feels like he’s on a roll!” said Erickson, of her 14-year-old Oldenburg gelding. “He’s really giving me all he’s got, and he feels great, so I’m really happy with him.”
Erickson and Chacco Lait were one of five entries to produce a fault-free first round and one of four to jump double clear, but none would come close to catching their jump-off time of 34.805 seconds. Second place with a time of 37.583 seconds went to Jordan Gilchrist and her own Happyboy van de Doornakkers. Finishing in third with a time of 40.626 seconds were JJ Atkinson and Golden Cassini.
“I just wanted to have a nice, smooth pace through the jump-off,” said Erickson, who trains with Britt McCormick of Elmstead Farm. “He just was on it all the way. He’s got a big step even though he’s a little guy. So, I did six in the last where most everyone was doing seven.
“He’s very quick across the ground,” continued Erickson. “In the jump-off, I can kind of let him go and get a good canter, and I know he’s going to be fast. He’s very careful, so as long as I get him there, I know he’s going to try his best.”
Erickson and Chacco Lait will next contest Wednesday’s $25,000 Pin Oak Grand Prix, held concurrently with the $10,000 U25 Grand Prix.
Until then, Chacco Lait can likely be found napping in his stall.
“His favorite thing to do is to go take naps,” said Erickson, who also makes sure that the gelding gets out for lots of trail rides around the Great Southwest Equestrian Center. “He’s always laying all the way down in his stall just napping and relaxing.”
Also earning jumper victories in the Kirkland & Ellis Main Ring on Tuesday were Michael Tokaruk, Jordan Gilchrist and Craig Starr. Tokaruk and D’Almgravin topped the 1.25 m Open Jumpers, while Gilchrist and Serpico won in the 1.40 m, and Starr and Christian Dior were best in the 1.35 m.
Running through April 11, the 75th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show features three weeks of top hunter, jumper and American Saddlebred competition while benefitting the Texas Children’s Hospital. Week II continues through Saturday, April 3, with feature events including the $25,000 Pin Oak Grand Prix on Wednesday, a $30,000 United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Derby on Thursday and the Hildebrand Fund $50,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix on Friday night.
Learn more about the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show by visiting www.PinOak.org, and find the horse show on Facebook here. To purchase competition photos, visit www.AndrewRyback.com.
For additional coverage throughout the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, follow The Plaid Horse on Facebook and Instagram.