In years past, we’ve had some absolutely spectacular opening ceremonies complete with fireworks, 8 year olds with the voice of an 18 year old opera singer, American Indian signers translating our national anthem… the list goes on. This year, it was simple, but most importantly it featured a group of four Morgan flag horses who were not only typey, but were perfect and precise in their assignments to boldly present our flags with their talented youth riders aboard. No dancing around, no spinning, no distracting. Each horse and rider stood strong and still while an exhibitor of pure voice and lovely timbre sang a rendition of our anthem that was at once impressive and inspiring. When the lead horse “Hotshot” took a hand gallop around the ring with his Old Glory waving, it was enough to bring a lump to the throat of every person in the arena. This kicked off our final session of this week of Morgan competition at the highest level.
All thoughout the day, I saw sporadic packing and hugging going on in many aisles, along with determined faces getting on their Grand National Champions for the last time this year and heading to make-up rings for their World Championships. There were some upsets and there were a few expected repeat World title winners. This year’s judging panel seemed to turn in cards that were sometimes diverse, but in spite of that provided an outcome that satisfied not only the exhibitors, but the sometimes more demanding spectators as well.
The World Champion Reiners provided an exciting break in the evening session with a little spinning and sliding, much to the delight of the crowd. Our final equitation World Champions were paraded before us, some of them besting between 40-60 other riders to come out on top.
There was not a single class in the final session that did not boast at least two World Champions, which was certainly eye-candy for long time OKC attendees. In one of the toughest Open Western Pleasure world classes we’ve ever seen, it was Minnesota’s Andy Marlett aboard Kristie Strom’s Tracemark Tapestry that provided the ride of her career to win a class over the seemingly unbeatable boys: Firecrest E-Ticket and Daryl Hopson and Treble’s Tanqueray with Judy Nason.
Tony Lee had to be popping his buttons over Astronomicallee’s oldest daughter winning her first big time performance world title in a highly competitive Ladies Park Saddle class with Alyson Nord-Wandtke aboard for mother Cindy Nord, who owns this game and talented mare. Alyson rode the two classes of her life here this week, after winning the World Amateur Park Saddle title the night before. She was followed by Sebring Stables and Copper Beech with Amy Neifert and NDT French Impressionist, who were at once mannerly and brilliant.
There were two relatively new faces in the Roadster division this year, but the crowd seemed to be behind Lynn Peeples and his solid and speedy Arboria Victorious, who tied third to WC Dragonsmeade Maxmara and Luman Wadhams, and Peggy Alderman’s Flairetation, one of only two mares in this big class. All three horses were great fun to watch and each had a different style of speed. Maxmara was beautiful and bridled and was by far one of the most attractive road horses we’ve seen here in years.
A workout would have been welcomed, but apparently wasn’t needed in the Open Pleasure Driving as Tim Arcuri drove the Connor’s Dragonsmeade CarnegieHall flawlessly to win this title over the visually dominating CCR’s Outrajus Corajus and Gerry Rushton for Richard & Nan Cecchetini. CarnegieHall has his world in hand titles behind him to boost him to the top of this class, while OC has a way of going that is simply poetry in motion to watch. Richard Boule drove the class of his life with Jeff Gove’s FRF Seatlle Reign, who took it to the limits and was not going down without commanding the attention of everyone in the coliseum.
The Afterglow Party was simply not able to hold a candle to our last class, The Big One: World Champion Park Saddle. Six amazing entries spawned a three horse workout between former WC HVK Vibrance with Jenny Taylor, Ryan Arcuri and the newcoming 4 year old CRD Bugatti, and Dianna Rannells and the sole chestnut representative, former WC Park Harness junior horse SpiceOLife Present Tense. It was one for the history books as David James Walker's SpiceOLife Present Tense was called out for this important win--the last chestnut horse to win this title was Legacy’s Viking in 1987. In reserve was Arcuri and his big, black young stallion, with the veteran campaigner Vibrance in third. We had not just one, but TWO tough young horses in this class, as Tim Roesink also offered up the powerful four year old mare MEM Bonnie Blue. This class was quality from top to bottom as it was rounded out by SLB Andiamo and Debi Jeppesen and Azeedad’s Lucky Star and Ann Anderson. Sadly missing from our competition was the very popular two-time winner of this class, Stand And Deliver, who was back in his stall after a minor injury in his qualifier kept him from competing. But I'm sure we'll see him return next year, perhaps with his petite and game owner aboard! Pictured at left is our new World Champion Park Saddle horse on his victory pass.
I hope everyone enjoyed my daily ramblings from OKC, and safe travels going home!
--Tami Johnson
