Katy, TX – April 6, 2025 – Four years ago, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show marked Olivia Cliver’s first significant grand prix with Connor 69, and on Saturday, April 5, it marked another victory for the now accomplished duo. With a blazing-fast, double-clear effort, Cliver and Connor 69 took home the win in the $50,000 Southern Way Farm Grand Prix to conclude open jumper competition at Pin Oak Week 2.
“This is a fun show,” said Cliver. “This was our first real big grand prix when we got [Connor 69]. We’ve built up over the years and just completed our first five-star grand prix in the fall. So, coming back here and getting to win the grand prix is really special.”
To clinch Saturday night’s win, Cliver and Connor 69 had to successfully navigate the Manuel Esparza-designed first-round track and then best a six-horse jump-off. The early time to beat in that jump-off was set at 38.721 seconds by Australia’s Rowan Willis and his new mount For Dilando PS, but, as the penultimate rider to jump, Cliver knew what she needed to do to get the win.
“My plan for the jump-off was to really catch fence one on a nice angle,” explained Cliver. “I find with him if I can catch that first fence in a really good rhythm and flow, then from there, it’s pretty solid. He’s a really good jumper, and I can trust him to do his part if I can do my part.”
With both of them undoubtedly doing their part, Cliver and Connor 69, owned by On the Mark Equestrian, cruised through the timers in 37.779 seconds to take the win. Willis and For Dilando PS, owned by Just A Cheeky One, finished in second place, and Rikke Heineking and Twilight, owned by Ella Heineking, rounded out the top three with a time of 39.097 seconds.
“[Connor 69] is definitely a more forward-thinking horse,” said Cliver. “He’s pretty lazy and unmotivated until he gets in the ring, and then it’s a light switch for him. He definitely wants to be able to take you to the fence, but he wants you to support him at the base and really let him get across the back rail of those oxers.”
In addition to competing at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show on her own horses, Cliver is keeping busy at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center training her On The Mark Equestrian clients.
“We brought a big group with us this year; we have such a great group of clients,” said Cliver. “They’re really like family. So, this win is also their win. We own him with a few of our clients who are also just such big supporters of us, and so it’s really a special thing to get to share this with them.”
Cliver concluded, “This show is just really special. All the trainers from Texas have been spread out over the winter, and we all get back together here. It’s kind of a big reunion, and we all get to have a good time together.”
To view complete results of the $50,000 Southern Way Farm Grand Prix, click here, and to learn more about the 79th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, visit www.PinOak.org.
Katy, TX – April 5, 2025 – Ritz is a barn favorite at Matt Cyphert’s Woodhill Farm, and on Friday evening, April 4, at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, the gelding showed why. With Cyphert in the irons, Ritz jumped to the win in the $25,000 Open Hunter Classic, sponsored by Leaving One Out LLC, and held during Pin Oak Week 2.
A field of 21 horses took on the two-round class at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, and at the end of the opening round, Cyphert and Ritz sat in second place on a score of 174 (87+87). The pair then replicated that performance over the second-round, Kevin Holowack-designed course, again earning dual scores of 87 to take over the lead with an overall score of 348.
Second place went to Nada Wise and Stacey Thompson’s Chesterfield. The duo led the way after the first round with a score of 177 (89+88), and they coupled that with a score of 167.50 (83+84.5) in the second round for a total score of 344.50. Rounding out the top three on a score of 342.5 were Courtney Lenkart and Chicoletto, owned by Mercedes Flett.
“Ritz has been in our barn for about four years now, and he’s really become family,” said Cyphert of the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, owned by Katie McDonnell. “He’s a barn favorite; he’s all the trainers’ favorite. He’s just a trier – wonderful attitude, loves his job. His owner, Katie, is the same. She’s one of our favorite people. It’s just a great pairing of two wonderful people and animals, and it just sort of makes the whole thing work.”
Cyphert continued, “These classes have been a little bit of a learning process for him – just the environment, the electricity under the lights at night. He’s occasionally gotten a little bit excited, but he’s done enough of them now. Katie’s a great supporter of the sport and of him; she’s allowed him to go and do some really nice classes, and I think he showed his maturity tonight.”
When Ritz is not competing with Cyphert aboard, the gelding that Cyphert describes as being “naturally pretty quiet” can often be found in the 3”6” amateur-owner hunters with McDonnell – including on Friday morning prior to the evening’s featured event. There McDonnell piloted him to the reserve championship in the 3’6” Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35.
For full results of Friday’s $25,000 Open Hunter Classic, click here.
Katy, TX – April 5, 2025 – The $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, sponsored by EPIC Sporthorses, was in high demand on Friday, April 4, at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. With more than 50 entries, the initially scheduled class was held as two separate classes for professional and junior/amateur competitors. Natalee Haggan and MTM In Love, owned by MTM Farm, did not let the stiff competition throw them off their game, winning the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open with a score of 177 (85 + 92).
Far from deterred by the bustling atmosphere, Haggan said she enjoys being surrounded by all the activity at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. “I love the atmosphere. I love the decorations, the number of people that are here. I like the intensity in the jumper classes because there’s almost 40 in each one, so it’s really good competition. It keeps you on your toes,” she said.
Close behind Haggan was Allison Dodd’s Call Me Cool, ridden by Kelly Lorek, taking home second place with a score of 175 (88 + 87). Jennifer Alfano rode Linda Cowden’s Pendleton to third place with a score of 167 (90 + 77).
While MTM In Love is Haggan’s favorite horse, she only gets to ride him on rare occasions.
“I’ve been riding for several years now for Erin Jarvis, his trainer. He’s my favorite horse!” Haggan said. “I usually only get to ride him when I meet up with Erin, and that’s usually here at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, which I’m very fortunate to get the opportunity to do. My best guess is I probably won’t get to ride him again until the fall.”
After a slight adjustment to their plan during the classic round, Haggan knew she had to bring her a-game in the handy round. “In the first round, I didn’t get down the first line like I had planned on, and I was hoping that my score wasn’t going to reflect that because it walked in eight, and I did it in nine,” Haggan said. “But it seemed to match everywhere else. So, it turned out well!”
The 12-year-old Warmblood gelding was able to draw from his experience as a seasoned competitor at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center to shine in the handy round. “The handy – that’s his game. He’s into that. He’s ready to do all the things I ask, and at that point, he’s usually settled in with the course. So, when I ask him to do really tricky, handy turns, he gives it his all,” Haggan said.
Despite limited practice time together, Haggan and MTM In Love didn’t let that deter them from taking a few risks in their second round. “Turning from the hay bales straight to the wall I thought was maybe a little bit risky, but I know his background and training from Mike [McCormick] and Tracy [Fenney] at MTM Farm, and I thought, ‘He’s got this,’” Haggan said.
True to form, the grey gelding did indeed ‘have it.’ Haggan and MTM In Love confidently tackled all the high-option fences in both rounds, adding a total of eight points to their score. While Haggan may make MTM In Love look confident and effortless as he floats through the course, she says he is not quite as brave as he looks – but if you believe he can do it, he’ll try his heart out.
“He’s not the bravest horse by nature, but if you believe, he believes. The expression he gives you in the ring is just priceless. You can tell he loves his job, and if you give confidence, he will do anything that you ask,” Haggan said.
Haggan is keeping busy at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, with a full string of horses. “I have 16 horses here – one sort of counts because it’s my daughter’s mini. I have four students. They’re all great, very hard workers, and they ride really well,” Haggan said. “I’m excited to be here showing with them.”
One of those students, Bernadette Mulliken, took to the ring shortly after Haggan, to bring home another win for the team. Aboard her own Momentous, Mulliken rode away with the win in the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur, also sponsored by EPIC Sporthorses.
Mulliken took the top call with scores of 87 and 86 for a 173 overall total. Second place with scores of 77.50 and 85 for a 162.50 total went to Elle McNear and her own Caracalla. Rounding out the top three with a score of 157 (84+73) were Kristen Pribilski and Next Chapter.
For complete results of the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Open, click here, and for results from the $10,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby – Junior/Amateur, click here.
Katy, TX – April 4, 2025 – The $25,000 Frio Vodka Grand Prix at Pin Oak Week 2 came down to a lightning-fast, 13-horse jump-off, and at the end of the day on Thursday, April 3, it was Avery Griffin who galloped away with the win aboard Oh My Star van Strytem, owned by PBC Equine Investments LLC.
“Star” was one of 27 horses that took on the Manuel Esparza-designed track at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, and following the first round, speed quickly became the name of the game.
Early in the jump-off, the target time remained around the 37-second mark, with Morgan Parasher and Chess taking an early lead in 37.271 seconds. That time would hold up until the final stretch of the jump-off, as Allison Kroff and her aptly named T-Quick Hurricane turned in a time of 35.227 seconds.
With no one else coming within two seconds of Kroff until that point, it seemed a tall order for either of the final two entries to topple Kroff’s spot atop the leaderboard – but Griffin got it done. She and Star flew over the final vertical in 34.406 seconds to take home both the overall win and the win in the $10,000 U25 Grand Prix held concurrently.
“[Oh My Star van Strytem] really just changed my life, and I feel like I match so well with that horse,” said Griffin of the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding that she has had for roughly a year and a half. “He shows me where he wants to be, and he’s just so fun to ride.”
Griffin continued, “I went early [in the jump-off] on my first mare, Bodega Semilly, but normally, she is a little bit slower than Star…She ended up having one down in the last line, but she had a pretty fast time. So, I knew I could follow the same plan on Star, just pick up a big canter. There was a little bit of a leave out from the second to the third jump, and once I did that, just stayed on the same canter, and it was amazing.”
Following a successful winter in Wellington, FL, Griffin is happy to return home to Texas – and to the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show.
“I love that it’s a charity event,” concluded Griffin, 18. “It really feels like no matter what you do in the week, it means more than you. That’s just such an incredible feeling, to know that your week is bigger than just your personal results.”
To learn more about the 79th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, visit PinOak.org, and for full results of Thursday’s $25,000 Frio Vodka Grand Prix, click here.
Katy, TX – April 3, 2025 – Genevieve Munson describes her multi-year partnership with Contendro Star as “a journey,” but lately, the pair seems to have reached their destination. On Wednesday, April 2, at the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, their final destination was the winner’s circle in the $10,000 Summer Hill Farms 1.40m Welcome Stake, and they arrived there with seeming ease.
When Munson, 21, and Contendro Star entered the Main Indoor at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, the jump-off time to beat had been set at 39.138 seconds by Allison Kroff and Irish du Caillou. That time, however, would prove no trouble for Munson and “Nigel,” as they made short work of the Manuel Esparza-designed track, blazing through the timers in 34.765 seconds.
Kroff and Irish du Caillou, owned by TC Sport Horses LLC, held on to second place, and third place with a time of 39.357 seconds went to Diego Bedoya and NRG Farm LLC’s Condialuba PS.
“For us to continue and finish the way we did was really encouraging for me and our progress,” said Munson of her finish with the 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding that she has been partnered with for roughly five years. “I was just elated with him and how calm he was. He gets nervous. He’s hard to keep relaxed. Getting him to understand that you did a good job isn’t always easy because he’s so unnerved. For him to walk out of the ring the same horse that I entered the ring with was huge. Especially after two rounds where he was rideable and with me and understanding what we’re here to do. When that horse helps me out, it’s huge because he’s starting to understand the job. Like, ‘Oh, we’re here to win! This is fun.’”
Munson added, “At 17 years old now, he’s still learning how to win. He has been an amazing horse for me in my career, helping me get miles at bigger heights. Now, as some of my other horses are retiring, he’s taking that front spot and starting to be the one in the spotlight. Sometimes we flourish under it, sometimes we don’t.”
One of the recent keys to Munson’s success with the gelding has been seeking outside help from another frequent Pin Oak competitor, Natalee Hagan.
“That’s the first place I went after the class today was to go thank Nat and tell her that the things that she’s asked me to work on we’ve been implementing, and we’re starting to see the results,” said Munson. “I’m very thankful to her, not only for sharing her time and experience with me, but just for being here.”
Munson and Contendro Star’s next target is Thursday’s $25,000 Frio Vodka Grand Prix, the first of two grand prix classes offered during Pin Oak Week 2. The three-week horse show continues through Sunday, April 13, with a full schedule available to view here. To view complete results from Wednesday’s $10,000 Summer Hill Farms 1.40m Welcome Stake, click here.