RINGSIDE WITH THE PLAID HORSE
BY EMILY RANDOLPH/RANDOLPHPR
Katy, Texas – March 27, 2021 – Carlee McCutcheon won the $30,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix on Saturday night, March 27, at the 75th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, marking the 15-year-old’s first grand prix victory.
“I’m so excited!” said a smiling and tearful McCutcheon, who won the class aboard MTM Unexpected. “I’m lucky to have these horses and a great team behind me.”
A field of 32 entries contested the first-round track set by course designer Manuel Esparza, with six advancing to jump-off in front of the socially distanced crowd.
When McCutcheon and MTM Unexpected enter the ring as the penultimate pair to return, the time to beat had been set at 43.302 seconds by Martien van der Hoeven and Morris Horta. With the track well-suiting MTM Unexpected, McCutcheon made catching van der Hoeven’s time look easy, and she stopped the clock nearly two and a half seconds faster to finish on 40.831 seconds.
The final combination to return, Trapp O’Neal and Baltazar D Z, had one rail down in a time of 41.053 seconds to finish in third, giving McCutcheon the win and Martien van der Hoeven the second-place honor.
“When we walked the course, I knew it was a good jump-off for my horse,” said McCutcheon, who trains with her grandmother, Colleen McQuay. “He got to gallop around. He was just great, and everything worked out great.”
McCutcheon has been partnered with MTM Unexpected for three years, and she made her grand prix debut with the 10-year-old warmblood gelding in 2020, most recently earning several top 10 placings in grand prix competition at the Desert Circuit in California this winter.
“We really had time to get to know each other, and I’m just so grateful for him,” said McCutcheon.
Hailing from Aubrey, Texas, McCutcheon has been competing at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show and the show’s venue, the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, for as long as she can remember. However, her visits to the show grounds aren’t always for hunter/jumper competition.
The daughter of renowned reiners, Mandy and Tom McCutcheon, Carlee McCutcheon is also an accomplished reiner in her own right, and she continues to compete in both disciplines. For the next two weeks though, McCutcheon will be solely focused on the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, including the two remaining grand prix classes.
Running March 24 – 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 – March 26, 2021 – Friday was double derby day at the 75th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, where Jordan Gilchrist won the $30,000 United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) International Hunter Derby and Jennifer Alfano topped the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby.
For Gilchrist, the derby victory came aboard Carige, her own 17-year-old grey Holsteiner.
The pair sat in third place following the first round of the USHJA International Derby, but high scores from the two judging panels of 82 and 83 in the handy round would shoot them straight to the top of the leaderboard. Coupled with high option and handy bonus points, Gilchrist and Carige earned a total handy round score of 183 and an overall winning score of 361.
Second place went to Ilana Halpern and Prosecco, owned by Devin Lanzone. After leading the first round with a round total score of 176, Halpern and Prosecco earned handy round scores of 76 and 79. With handy and high option bonus points included, the duo ultimately finished on an overall total score of 343.
Finishing in third behind Halpern with an overall score of 335 was again Gilchrist, this time aboard Charismatic, owned by Galen Hoaglund. Gilchrist rounded out her successful evening by also finishing ninth with Shy Boy, owned by Laura Hightower.
“I’m really excited; it was a fun night, and the horses were fabulous!” said Gilchrist, of Flower Mound, TX. “Carige actually belongs to my husband, [David Gilchrist]. He’s just been a hunter for not even quite a year. I adore him.”
While Carige was previously competing in the jumper ring, the Gilchrists felt that the horse may be better suited for the hunter ring, and thus far, they continue to be proved correct.
“He was super in the jumpers, but we were going as fast as we could double clear, and we kept being fourth!” said Jordan Gilchrist of the decision to transition Carige to the hunters. “He’s awesome, and he seems to really love his job now. He still gets a little jump-off minded in the handy. So, I was a little bit more conservative, but it paid off and he jumped in really good form.”
Jordan Gilchrist is a frequent top contender at Pin Oak and the show’s venue at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, and she and her Summer Hill Farms team will contest all three weeks of this year’s Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.
“I love the tradition of Pin Oak,” concluded Jordan Gilchrist. “They put a lot of thought into how everything’s done, and I really appreciate that as an exhibitor, trainer and rider.”
In the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, Alfano took the top call with Enzo W, a 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Vandervail, Ltd.
While a field of 32 entries contested the class, none would come closer to catching Alfano and Enzo W than Alfano herself. She also finished second aboard Early Times, owned by Marigot Bay Farm, LLC. Third place went to Natalee Haggan and Rhett, owned by Steve Weder.
Running March 24 – 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.
Remaining highlight events of Week 1 include Saturday evening’s $30,000 Pin Oak Charity Grand Prix, beginning at 7 p.m.
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
Katy, Texas – March 25, 2021 – Texas may be the Lone Star State, but there were two stars in the $10,000 Pin Oak Welcome Stake and Under 25 Welcome on Thursday, March 25 at the 75th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX. Jacqueline Ward clinched the Welcome Stake win while Avery Erickson earned victory in the U25 Welcome class held concurrently with the Welcome Stake.
Ward and her own San Chano were one of 10 entries to navigate the first-round Manuel Esparza-designed course to advance to the jump-off, where they tripped timers in a winning 33.385 seconds.
“This is my first really big win ever outside of amateur classes, so it’s really exciting,” said Ward, a 27-year-old Houston, TX, native who has been showing at Pin Oak since her early teen years. “The fact that the win is at Pin Oak is pretty big because I remember, as a kid, always watching the Pin Oak grand prix and welcome classes and thinking that they were impossible. The best of the best riders rode in them. To win that finally is huge for me.”
Ward continued, “We just got back from Wellington [Florida] where I did some 1.40 m and 1.45 m classes, and he was awesome. I think that prepared us for this. He’s really special. He has so many quirks; he’s so sensitive, but he’s also really awesome. We’ve developed such a good partnership where he’s built a lot of trust in me, and I think that helps us a lot.”
As the second-fastest jump-off pair with a time of 34.134 seconds, Erickson and her longtime partner, Chacco Lait, would finish in second in the Welcome Stake in addition earning the win in the U25 Welcome.
“It feels good to get it done! It’s a great start to the show here,” said 19-year-old Erickson. “Chacco Blue’s taken me from the low juniors to the grand prix ring, so it’s really fun. He’s a good boy, and I love him so much. He’s super special, and he tries really hard.”
Erickson has been coming to Pin Oak from her hometown of Dallas, TX, since she was competing in the Children’s Pony Hunters roughly six years ago.
“Katy [Texas] is always awesome as it is, but this is just such a special show,” said Erickson, who is currently on her gap year before joining the Southern Methodist University equestrian team in the fall. “The atmosphere and everything are amazing; they make it so pretty. It’s really good competition, and it’s fun.”
Finishing in third place in the $10,000 Welcome Stake were Trapp O’Neal and Baltazar D Z, while fourth place went to junior rider Brooke Peterson and Ennebel van het Posthuijs. For full results from Thursday’s competition, visit www.horseshowsonline.com.
Katy, Texas – April 8, 2019 – Saturday night marked the 2019 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show’s final Grand Prix, and fun was had by all. As with every Pin Oak Grand Prix, the Catalena Cowgirls started off the night with their iconic performance.
With only four clear in the first round from a field of 20 horses, Monica Hanks’ Abracadabra WKT, ridden by Faces of Pin Oak rider Daniel Bedoya, bested the competition to take the blue ribbon in Saturday night’s Wells Fargo $30,000 Grand Prix. This is the first grand prix win for Abracadabra WKT, known in the barn as ‘Abby.’ Monica and her husband, Steve, were glowing over the win and when they were awarded the High Point Grand Prix Owner Circuit Award. For his rides on Quattro and on Abracadabra WKT, Daniel Bedoya was also awarded the Antares Leading Grand Prix Rider Circuit Award.
Clock-Wise CSH, owned by Comly Sport Horses and ridden by Happy Comly, took a close second in Saturday night’s prix.
The prix and the Abbot Downing Ringside Gala also included the presentation of a number of awards. The top three jumper riders of all three weeks of the competition were presented with the $10,000 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Jumper Rider Bonus. This year’s Leading Jumper Rider Bonus was awarded to Trapp O’Neal while Martien Van Der Hoeven and Scott Lenkart took second and third, respectively.
Both the Grand Prix Style Award and the Leading Lady Grand Prix Rider Circuit Award went to Jill Gaffney and Freestyling Farms, LLC’s Jordan.
Sunday marked the end of the 2019 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, and it was an appropriately gloomy day, with thunderstorms and flash flooding causing many of the final day’s outdoor classes to be cancelled.
In the pony ring, So Enchanted, owned by Ticket to Ride, LLC and ridden by Carolyn Colter, was crowned Champion in the Small Pony Hunter division while Paris, owned and ridden by Lola Head, was the Champion Medium Pony Hunter.
Despite the rain cancelling the end of the show for the Large Ponies and Green Ponies, the Championship in the Large Pony Hunter division and the Pony Hunter Circuit Award went to Poplar Place Pied Piper, owned by Isabella Mullan and ridden by Brooke Brombach.
Cool Spot, owned by Jennifer Wheeler-Winborne and ridden by Megan Winborne, was this weeks’ Champion in the Green Pony Hunter division while the Reserve Championship and the Green Pony Hunter Circuit Award went to James Waldman’s Waltzing Matilda, ridden by McKayla Brombach.
McKayla Brombach also received the Best Child Rider On A Pony award for her tremendous efforts on her many rides over the three weeks of competition. “This weekend was a little rough, but it ended on a good note. I’m so honored to have received the Best Child Rider award,” said McKayla of her show. “It was really cool for my sister and I to go head to head for the circuit award. It was really close, and even though Brooke beat me for the regular pony circuit award, our green pony turned around and was circuit champion in the greens,” she continued.
When asked about her green pony ride, Waltzing Matilda, McKayla said, “I’m really proud of her because she only went to one show before coming to Pin Oak, so this is her first series. I’m just so happy with her.”
In the Junior Hunter ring, Symbolic and Bella Kay received the 3’6” Junior Hunter Circuit Award as well as the Championship in this week’s 3’6” Junior Hunter 16-17 division, winning all four over fences rounds. Bella Kay and Symbolic also received the Antares Leading International Derby Rider Circuit Award on Friday evening following a third place finish in this week’s International Derby. “I was so excited just to be able to earn the International Derby Rider award since that is usually won by a professional. Then Symbolic won all four of our junior hunter trips this week, giving us champion for the weekend, circuit champion for the juniors, and the high point hunter award. He is just the best and always comes out wanting to win!” said Bella.
“This is my 5th year coming to Pin Oak and definitely my best one yet. It’s for sure my favorite horse show in Texas and one of my favorite shows of the whole year. I love the atmosphere, the competition, and the cause!” she continued.
Classico, owned by Erica Moe and ridden by Brooke Brombach, was Champion of this week’s 3’6” Junior Hunter 15 and Under. “Classico is just such an amazing horse,” said his owner, Erica Moe, “after being Reserve Champion in the 3’6” Performance and Champion with Brooke in the Junior Hunters, he packed me around the Medium/Long Stirrup division, and we were Champion there too!”
After a great day in the equitation ring on Saturday, Eleanor Rudnicki continued her winning ways with Donald Stewart’s Bertolucci. The pair was crowned Champion of the 3’3” Junior Hunter and received the 3’3” Junior Hunter Circuit Award.
“I was so proud with how consistent Bert and I were all 3 weeks. He was riding really well and jumping great, so it was amazing when it all came together. This was also one of my last shows on Bert, so it was pretty special to win the circuit championship,” said Eleanor of her big wins.
Despite the thunderstorms and flash flooding causing the second day of the Children’s Hunter division to be cancelled, South Haven Farm’s Snickers and Lilly Goldstein received the Children’s Hunter Circuit Award as well as the Reserve Championship in this week’s Children’s Hunter 14 and Under division. The Champion in the Children’s Hunter 14 and Under division went to Paloma, owned and ridden by Avery Hansen.
This week’s Champion in the Children’s Hunter 15-17 went to Penelope OPL while Who Dat, ridden by Rachael Harrower and owned by Maura Harrower, was Reserve Champion following a tremendously successful week in the combined High Performance and 3’9” Green Hunter division.
Olive, owned and ridden by Ryan Grissom, was Reserve Champion in the Modified Children’s Hunter received the Modified Children’s Hunter Circuit Award.
For the equitation riders, Pin Oak ended with several medals, mostly in the jumper ring, on Sunday. Savannah Hemby took the prize in the Platinum Performance Talent Search aboard Sterling Equestrian’s Kasarco O.H.
Catherine Shurtleff won the USHJA 3’3” Jumping Seat Medal aboard her own Cayden A. Tessa Downey and Double H Farm’s HH Moonshine took second. Tessa and HH Moonshine also took second in the Hamel NHS 3’3” Medal to Peyton Rathbun aboard Abigail Albrecht’s MTM Flashdance.
Gerico, owned and ridden by Portya Muenke, took the win in the WIHS Equitation Jumper Phase. The WIHS Equitation Hunter Phase was won by Katia Cannon aboard Donald Stewart’s Canal Street. Hallie Grimes took the overall blue ribbon in the WIHS Equitation aboard Brookside Pine Farms, LLC’s Thrift Shop receiving second in both phases. The pair also took second in the Platinum Performance Talent Search.
Bella Kay, after an incredible three weeks in both the hunter ring and the equitation ring, took the 3’6” Equitation Circuit Award with her SWS Questionnaire. When asked about her continued success in the equitation ring, Bella said, “I was really proud of my horse for his consistency in the equitation as he just started doing it a little over a year ago. He has come so far and matured so much even since Pin Oak last year, so I was extremely proud of him for being so good and claiming the circuit champion award!”
In the jumper ring, the Championship in the High Amateur Owner Jumper division went to Fine Fleur and Bethany Glenn for the second week running. Quicksilver and owner Katherine Huffstutler were crowned Champion in the High Junior Jumper division.
Billyboy, owned by by McKenzie Mills, earned the Championship in the Low Amateur Owner Jumper division while Mozart’s Symphony, owned by Jacqueline Wilson and ridden by Owen McWilliams, claimed the Championship in the Low Junior Jumper division.
Portya Muenke aboard her Eurohill’s Alcatraz took both the Championship in this week’s High Children’s Jumper division and first in the $10,000 High Child/Adult Jumper Invitational. The High Adult Amateur Jumper Championship went to Ramiro Cruise, owned and ridden by Isabel Harbour.
H&M Cisco owned by Katlynn Butler and ridden by Katie McDonnell claimed the Championship in this week’s Low Adult Amateur Jumper division. Tyler Mayer’s Windelinde and Tessa Downey rode to the Championship in the Low Children’s Jumper division.
Riders, spectators, officials, and volunteers are all feeling a special sense of accomplishment as they make their way home from this iconic horse show knowing that both their fun and hard work has helped contribute to a great Texas tradition and to a wonderful cause.
The 2019 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Draws to a Close with a Final Grand Prix
Katy, Texas – April 7, 2019 – The Booth Show Jumpers $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and Houston Modern Luxury “Bourbon, Bow Ties, and Big Hats” Derby Party on Friday night at Pin Oak Charity Horse Show Week III in the Irish Day Farm Main Indoor Arena brought fun, excitement, and many big hats.
After winning the National Derby earlier that afternoon and earning the Antares Leading National Derby Rider Circuit Award, Jennifer Alfano conquered again in the International Derby ring. After coming into the handy round in third place, she secured the win aboard her own Candid.
Faces of Pin Oak rider, Natalee Haggan, rode to a second place finish in Friday evening’s International Derby aboard MTM Here’s 2 You, owned by Candu Farm. Natalee and MTM Here’s 2 You were awarded the Emerging Professional Rider award as well as the Grand 3’6” Professional Hunter Championship award last year at Pin Oak Week III.
Junior rider Bella Kay and her Symbolic rode to third place in Friday night’s derby after winning the Week II ‘Hunt and Go’ USHJA International Derby and coming in second place in the Week I USHJA International Derby, earning them the Antares Leading International Hunter Derby Rider Circuit Award. Having just celebrated her three year anniversary with Symbolic, Bella was on cloud nine after her incredible three weeks in the Pin Oak International Derbies.
MTM Do Right, one of Didi Mackenzie’s two entries and the first horse on course in Friday night’s International Derby, and his groom, Manuel Tamayo, were presented with the award for the Best Turned Out International Derby Horse. Didi Mackenzie’s second entry, MTM Inside Scoop, earned a sixth place finish in Friday’s Derby following an incredible day in the Amateur Owner ring.
Just as a champagne toast commemorated Pin Oak 2019’s first International Derby during Week I, the Week III International Derby was completed with a champagne toast to celebrate the final derby of Pin Oak 2019.
Junior riders buckled down on Saturday with hopes of securing big wins and circuit championships during Pin Oak 2019’s final weekend.
In the equitation ring, Luke Jensen rode Stephanie Tropia’s CR True Color to the win in the ASPCA Maclay medal first thing Saturday morning, while last weeks’ Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal winner, Grace McReynolds of Colorado Springs, took second place aboard her own Kabaltic. Tessa Downey, last week’s Maclay winner, took third aboard HH Moonshine.
Following the ASPCA Maclay, Eleanor Rudnicki and Brookside Pine Farms, LLC’s Kendrick took home the blue ribbon in the Dover/USEF Hunter Seat Medal on Saturday morning. Eleanor and Kendrick also took the blue in this week’s 14 and Under THIS National Children’s Medal.
When asked about her equitation rounds, Eleanor said, “I felt pretty confident going into the equitation ring today. The horse that I rode, Kendrick, was feeling really good. I went into the USEF medal test sitting in 3rd, so I just wanted to put in a solid round that could help me to move up. It was an interesting test, and I was really happy that we ended up winning the USEF Medal and later the THIS too.”
After earning a fourth place finish in Friday night’s International Derby and a fourth place finish in the ASPCA Maclay, Canago and owner Miranda Seade took second to Eleanor in the Dover/USEF Hunter Seat Medal.
The win in the 15-17 THIS National Children’s Medal again went to Hannah Buskin and Ava Williams’ Fedor, winners of a class of 31 riders in the Week II THIS National Children’s Medal.
Equitation riders are excited to see who will be crowned the 3’6” Equitation Circuit Champion following the remaining Pin Oak Week III medals to be held on Sunday.
While sponsors and spectators are looking forward to Saturday night’s circuit award presentations and the Wells Fargo $30,000 Grand Prix and Abbot Downing Ringside Gala, riders are looking forward to Sunday’s division championships and circuit championship awards to wrap up the final week of Pin Oak 2019.
Jennifer Alfano and Candid Win Pin Oak’s Final $30,000 USHJA International Derby