Christopher Payne and Truman (Shawn McMillen Photography)
Truman and Payne came in to the day with a first and third place finish over fences under their belts, sitting neck-and-neck in the points race with Kelley Farmer and So To Speak, who had finished yesterday with a first and second place ribbons.
Truman and Payne clinched the championship and relegated Farmer and So To Speak to the reserve championship by finishing second in the handy class and earning the win in the under saddle.
"He's a phenomenal jumper, but on top of being a great mover and a great jumper, he's just a wonderful horse to be around," Payne said of Truman. "He has the best personality."
Payne continued, "We imported him last year. I thought he had done some stuff in Europe, and he really hadn't. He was greener than we thought, so we just kind of took our time last year. He won a lot, and then we moved him up to the First Years this year."
Taking the time to bring Truman cautiously up the ranks is something that Payne says is extremely important in bringing him along, and it has already paid of tenfold - Truman was Reserve Circuit Champion at this year's Winter Equestrian Festival.
"The biggest struggle to bringing along a First Year horse is that it costs so much to do in the Pre-Greens. To have it spend the proper time of a year or two in the Pre-Greens to make it a legitimate solid first year horse is the hardest thing," Payne said. "To have customers that take the time and are willing to spend that time and money. I'm very lucky with mine; Debbie Bass who owns Truman has been such a supporter of doing everything right for the horse."
Payne and the team at New Hope Farm, LLC are working to do right by a number of horses at this week's Kentucky Spring Horse Show; they have brought approximately 25 horses to compete throughout the week at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Farmer and Lane Change Farm have also brought a full, competitive contingent to the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, and they will be returning to their newly acquired home base in Lexington with a full string of tricolors.
After claiming the reserve championship in the First Year Green Hunters, Farmer earned the Green Conformation Hunter championship aboard Scripted, the Regular Conformation Hunter reserve championship aboard Quotable and the Regular Conformation Hunter championship on Mindful. Larry Glefke and Kensel, LLC own all three horses, and Mindful is the most recent addition, having just joined the team less than two weeks ago.
"We're just meeting for the first time in person, and we couldn't be more delighted," said owner Selma Garber. "Somebody spoiled the heck out of him already so I don't need to work too hard. He's been well rewarded and well appreciated, and he deserves it. I'm looking forward to seeing him at Devon."