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.