Wilhelm Genn (Horse Shows By The Bay)
The class was one of the featured events during Horse Shows by the Bay Series III, July 16-20 in Traverse City, Michigan.
"They were both great today," said Genn, of Welcome Cor and Akida. "They are both turning 8 and coming along very well."
Ann F. Anastasio's Welcome Cor finished the Michel Vaillancourt-designed course 1.73 seconds faster than her stablemate Akida, owned by Genn. Amanda Derbyshire and David Gochman's Attack II claimed third with a clear round in 70.07 seconds.
After moving Welcome Cor up to the grand prix classes this spring, Genn has taken a step back with the Holsteiner mare (Caretino--Lepata).
"I moved her down, because after I tried to win a few classes she got too aggressive," he said. "My goal right now is to be able to ride at grand prix pace but keep her calm so she jumps thoughtful and doesn't try to rush. And today I'm super happy. She was fantastic. I'd like to try to do a few more classes like this and then she'll do the grand prix classes again."
Genn, of Rheinland Farm in Lebanon, Ohio, earned ribbons on Welcome Cor during series I and II, but this is their first blue in Traverse City so far.
"I loved the course. Michel is one of my favorite course designers; he always builds so well," said Genn. "And he makes those tempting inside turns. I took the one on both horses, and I'm glad I did, because you had to slow down anyway for the skinny fence. I didn't take the inside turn between fences 1 and 2 because that's not what I'm working on right now with the horses. I want them to be rideable and carry a nice pace and learn to keep jumping consistently clean, which they both did. I'm super excited."
Genn said he'll do one more class this week with Welcome Cor and Akida, and then he'll focus his efforts in the $40,000 Grand Prix of the Great Lakes on Sunday with two other mounts.
In the 3' Pre-Green Hunter section Thursday, there was double the fun for the owners of Corporate, who earned the championship. On the first day of competition, he was owned by Wendy Hofmeister, and on the second day his ownership transferred to Ashley Netzky.
Trainer and rider Tamara Provost, of Meadow View Farm in Westfield, Indiana, guided Corporate to blue ribbons on both days and topped the section with 38 points over Peter Pletcher and Jamie Jarvis' Pearl Street.
"We just bought him three weeks ago. Wendy found him in Chicago, and right away we knew he was lovely," said Provost. "A customer of [trainer] Maria Rasmussen bought him after schooling day [on Tuesday]. They vetted him and wired the money yesterday. I just finished showing him for them this week."
Although Provost understands the business of buying and selling horses, she was nevertheless disappointed to lose such a talented young horse after showing him just one time. They also topped the $1,000 USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Stake class, sponsored by PJP Farm, Inc., as an added bonus.
"I honestly believe he could win the [USHJA] Pre-Green Incentive Championship," she said of the 6-year-old warmblood. "He has the softest and longest stride, and he jumps every jump beautifully. He's a mover, and he has a great attitude. He has it all, and he's going to be famous. I think he may be one of the two nicest horses I've ever had."
Aizlynn Radwanski's Cute Date, a 6-year-old warmblood (Quaterback--Fatima) shown by Phoebe De Mott, earned the 3'3" Pre-Green Hunter Championship over Lynn Walsh's Hollywood Park and Peter Pletcher.
While David Beisel has won many a class and award during Horse Shows by the Bay over the years, including the grand prix, Thursday he enjoyed a new milestone: it was his first hunter grand championship award.
Beisel, of Goshen, Ohio, piloted Loveland Equine Investments' Calentino to the Second Year Green/High Performance Hunter Championship and the Wrenwood Farms Grand Green Hunter title.
"I thought yesterday he was nice, and today he was super," said Beisel, who won both over fences classes on the second day of competition. "I'm really pleased with him. I let him take a nap and get a bath for his preparation today."
Beisel has been partnered with the 9-year-old Holsteiner (Clinton--Lalida) for three years, and prior to Horse Shows by the Bay the elegant gray was Second Year Green Hunter champion at Country Heir in Kentucky.
"He's super scoepy, has a big stride and is a pretty jumper," said Beisel. "I'd love him to do the Grand Prix Ring, but he's very pretty over here. We'll do the [USHJA] International Hunter Derby with him.
"I've never been grand champion, so what a treat. It was nice of the Thornells to have such a nice horse for me to show," he added. "It's a good way to go into the big class tomorrow."
Beisel also made his presence known in the Grand Prix Ring. He topped the 7-/8-year-old Young Jumper Qualifier riding Georgina Lockwood-Taylor's Cha Cha and also won the 6-year-old Young Jumper Qualifier with Kara Cooke's Cumana.
Peter Pletcher, of PJP Farm in Magnolia, Texas, also prepared for the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, sponsored by The Gochman Family, by collecting more championship honors this week.
Pletcher guided Rancho De Los Arboles LLC's Thanks For The Gold to the 3'3" Performance Hunter Championship and the Wrenwood Farms Performance Grand Championship.
This was the third consecutive week the 7-year-old Hanoverian Thanks For The Gold (All The Gold--Amazing Grace) earned the 3'3" Performance Hunter Championship, sponsored by Baxter Hill.
Chicago and Ehrin Rittmueller added to their impressive point total from the first day of competition to claim the Green Conformation Hunter Championship and the Wrenwood Farms Grand Conformation Hunter honors.