Horse Show Review
We showed 16 horses at the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show in OKC and came home with four world championships, four reserve world championships, three national championships and one reserve national championship.
Our first national champion of the show was STAND OFF and owner Leslie Hurst. They won the first section of the Grand National Classic Pleasure Driving Masters Championship!
Last year’s Reserve World Three-Year-Old English Pleasure Champions was this year’s Reserve World Four-Year-Old English Pleasure Champion, CN AWAITED MASTERPIECE. Owned by Cindy Nord, he was ridden both years by John Velardi. This year, he also won the Grand National Four-Year-Old English Pleasure Stallion & Gelding Championship!
In their debut together, GET OUT and Christine Matthews unanimously won the Grand National Four-Year-Old Park Harness Mare & Gelding Championship.
After a brief session with make up artist Jeffrey Fetzer, Christine looked awesome as she got into the harness buggy then drove GET OUT to the Reserve World Four-Year-Old Park Harness Championship.
For the third year in a row, BLURRED LINES GCH and owner Kim Cramer won the Grand National Ladies English Pleasure Mare Championship and the World Ladies English Pleasure Championship. This year, both wins were unanimous for the duo.
John Velardi showed Kim’s NEWMONT’S FRENCH BELLBOY to the Reserve World Futurity Three-Year-Old Park Saddle Championship.
CBMF UPRISING GCH and owner Tony Lee finished their first year together in a new division in the spotlight. They were pinned the Reserve World Amateur Roadster to Bike Champions.
Allyson Wandtke and WHAT’S UP GCH won the Grand National Amateur English Pleasure Stallion &. Gelding Championship for the third consecutive year.
Saturday night in the World Amateur English Pleasure Championship, Allyson rode into the winner’s circle for the eighth time in her career in this division. This was the second year in a row riding WHAT’S UP GCH.
Allyson and her mother, Cindy Nord, co-own the beautiful bay mare, GET SMART GCH. Smarty and Allyson won the Grand National Ladies Park Saddle Mare Championship for the sixth time since 2015.
CAROL DAWSON GCH unanimously won the Grand National Amateur Park Saddle Championship with owner Allyson Wandtke aboard. They had the crowd with them on Friday night when they unanimously won the World Amateur Park Saddle Championship. Allyson previously won this world title with CN THE MASTER’S FLYTE in 2006 and 2008.
We had an exciting ending to Friday when the many-times world champion CBMF RESTLESS GCH and owner Allyson Wandtke made their final appearance in the ring. Tony Lee produced a retirement video about Rusty that played before the duo burst into the ring. As they trotted around the arena in the spotlight, there was a standing ovation in the seating area and in center ring. Rusty never dropped an ear and Allyson never stopped smiling. When they lined up in the winner’s circle, they were joined by Allyson’s mother, Cindy Nord, her trainers, Mike Goebig and Dwayne Knowles, riding instructor, Jane Bennett, and a host of Rusty’s support team and friends. When his saddle came off, a blanket of roses was placed across his back. A halter replaced his bridle, then Allyson and Mike walked the brilliant chestnut gelding out of the show ring for the very last time. A joyful and sumptuous party was held in the Broadmoor stable area. Many were excited to give the World Champion pats on his neck as well as treats. We were all pleased that so many of Rusty’s fans stopped by the stable area to join us in the celebration. A great time was had by all.
When she wasn’t practicing riding or driving OUT LATE, or driving down victory lane as the World Junior Exhibitor Pleasure Driving 14-17 Champion, Isabella Charon and her mother, Mary Beth, visited the Oklahoma Historical Research Museum. Isabella was gathering information for her research paper on the Medicine Lodge Treaty of the Native Americans.
When Maria Tartaglione wasn’t practicing or showing LEDYARD ALL THE RAGE to the Reserve Youth English Pleasure Championship for the second year in a row, she was studying for courses as she is pursuing a major in chemical engineering at Northeastern University in Boston.
Maria and long-distance friend, Emily Lents, have started a new pre-show tradition, sharing a brownie sundae at the Redrock Canyon Grill. Several other members of the Broadmoor Gang also gathered there for a pre-show dinner. Lots of laughs and good food were enjoyed by all.
Dwayne has judged horses all over this continent and in many European countries, but this is the first time he was on the judge’s panel of a dance contest. Dancing with the Stars, of the Morgan variety, brought out the young and not so young, for an evening of fun and laughter. The winners were horse trainer Ryne Swope and TMH Associate Editor Kim Oplotnik. It was a great show from start to finish, and we thank all the show officials, committee members and volunteers for all that they did. We wish all our Morgan family and friends an enjoyable holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you during the 2022 show season.
