Atherton, Calif. - Saturday is a special day at Menlo Charity Horse Show (MCHS) from the Leadline to the $40,000 Bentley Los Gatos and Bentley San Francisco Grand Prix; there truly is an event for everyone.

Don DeFranco has been on the MCHS committee since 2007 and began sponsoring the Leadline Class in memory of his father, V. James DeFranco a pediatrician and family practitioner, who passed in May 2013.

“He was a very charitable man and did a lot of good for a lot of people and I just thought it was a good way to honor him, and he loved the Leadline Class,” explained Don.

Don’s parents were not horse people at all but Don was born with the horse crazy gene, and when a friend’s (Michelle and Derek’s) daughter took part in the leadline he was smitten.

“Their middle daughter is crazy about horses and she is at a loss as to what to do. So we got a pony here and dressed her up and put her into the Leadline Class I did walk her through it so she is kind of like a horse niece to me,” said Don. “She comes every year and is continuing with it (riding), the horse thing doesn’t go away especially when it starts that young.”

Don certainly enjoys brightening the summer for these young children as they begin their equestrian life, even better he plans to continue sponsoring the class into the future.

”Seeing the smiles and the excitement fill the ring…. there was a little boy with curly blonde hair and he was yelling to his father, “daddy, daddy” that was so sweet. They just really love it, its really nice.”

Three-year-old Maclean Sennhenn and her younger brother Sterling rode in the class today.

“We had two horses today, it was the first time for my brother.” explained Maclean. When asked if she would ride in the class next year she said ”Oh no”. The reason being is that Maclean hopes to move up to the Walk Trot Class in 2017. Younger brother Sterling was tired after the excitement of the class. “Two”, he said. A very significant statement as Sterling has his second birthday on Monday 15th of August. The second and final word of his interview….”horse”.

Summerhouse Farm also supports the Leadline Class, Ann Fay Barry and Abby Friedman sponsor the ribbons.

Don also shared why he is involved with MCHS. “It is for a very good cause and I think the people are so wonderful. What I like about it, especially this charity, (I give to a lot of charities) is that I know what the monies that come in at Menlo, we get so many things donated and there is very little waste, so much money goes right to the organization, we don’t have a lot of overhead costs because it is powered by volunteers. My mother-in-law had macular degeneration so that was a real connection to the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired for me.

In the early afternoon attention turned to the beautiful Bentley tent on the lawn in front of the Turf Club and Menlo Circus Club Stables, for the 3rd Annual Tailgate Party hosted by Bentley San Los Gatos and Bentley Los San Francisco. Beautiful Bentley’s adorned the lawn and equestrian furnishings provided by ELLA Palo Alto complemented the spectacular cars on display.

Bentley is in its fifth year of sponsorship to MCHS, these beautiful Bentley’s with unrelenting power and elegantly harnessed are the perfect fit to the MCHS.

“MCHS is special to us because it fits with our Bentley brand and we are a locally owned company, the family that owns our dealerships are San Francisco raised and San Francisco born and have homes in Atherton and the Peninsula and we bookend (San Francisco and Los Gatos) the Peninsula on top of the fact that with the
Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired is the charity we really feel it’s a way to give back and a way to be involved., “explained Kip Miles, General Manager British Motor Car Distributors, LTD. “I think also for Bentley especially. Bentley it is a car company, but they are a lifestyle company and the people that frequent the MCHS, not just the supporters, not just the people that participate but also the people who are just a part of it in Atherton and really it fits that lifestyle, and we feel that it is a good marriage.”

We have gotten the support over the years from Bentley USA which is not always easy to do, they are very protective of their brand but they are very bullish on Menlo Charity Horse Show, very bullish on this event in particular for the visibility it brings the brand.” said Tim Wood, General Manager Los Gatos Luxury Cars.

Kip continued, “To be a part of the main event, so to speak, in our world, to be out in the ring and be able to present the check and to go for a ride with the winner is always very special. Last year it was, no pun intended, a showstopper, it was the combination of a lot of work and a lot of fun, and the rider really enjoyed it, so this show we will do something special as well.”

The Tailgate Party has got better and better every year. “We are very good at selling cars, very good at servicing cars and very good at talking care of clients, but not very good at throwing a party unfortunately, but with the help of ELLA, Bentley, Perri Guthrie and Catherine Harvey and then our own media crew, this is by far the best year.,” said Kip.

Kip wanted to thank, “Evelyne Quach and Lindsay Luna of the marketing team, they are truly wonderful, Michael Heywood from Bentley as without his local knowledge and local feel we probably would not get the support that we get, and of course I have to thank Bentley USA, it is not the norm for them to support a local dealer at this level but they see the value in it and I have to thank Bruce Qvale the person who owns our dealerships, without him, his generosity and without his vision we would not have the opportunity to do this.”

As the Convertible Bentley arrived on the Grass Jumper Field and the riders warmed up an earlier start was announced. With 31 horses in the $40,000 Bentley Los Gatos and Bentley San Francisco Grand Prix the race was on to beat nightfall.

Nine horses came back for the jump-off, Kristen Hardin was first back on the field with Bert to set the pace at 43 seconds, but had an unfortunate rail. Guy Thomas and Jonkeer Z are, at this point, the first pair to make it round in under 41seconds. Thomas then set the pace for the rest of the field. At the end of the day, although others really put the pedal down, no one could beat this pair’s time giving Guy his third win in the last five years at Menlo.

“I am so fortunate to have a horse like this to ride, a week ago in Sonoma he was brilliant. We were first in the ring and first jump-off and he won it. Every time we go into the ring I feel more connected, more and more of a team. But he got me a little bit worried tonight before he got back into the ring he took a major liking to the Flag Horses and being a stallion he was beside himself in the warm up ring, luckily once we got in there and jumped the first fence, I thought, best stay out of is way, he’s going to jump clean again if you don’t screw it up.

He was brilliant in the first round and I knew, coming back just like last week, when Kristin (Hardin) was behind me on Firestone S, Bobby (Robert Blanchette) on his stallion (Lazur), Daniel Zilla, sneaky fast, and I thought I had to put enough pressure on them. I did not want to be that tight back to the second fence, I turned back to the second fence and I thought I am completely screwed, I thought, you just gave it away. There was either the really long one or it was a mess and thank God my horse said, “sit still, I got this covered you just hang on” and then it was just try to be smooth as possible from there and he was brilliant again.,” Said Guy Thomas.

“When he bailed me out at the second fence and I thought don’t be stupid, you’ve already taken a hell of a shot here, just be smart. He was great to the Rhys Vineyards jump and I was able to catch a flyer at the Bentley, for some reason I saw the one to go ahead to the vertical and I thought maybe you’re a little bit quick but he landed and he just turned back under me like a small horse, he likes to win and luckily I can stay out of his way”

Guy’s next goal is the World Cup™, there are two qualifiers coming up, and Jonkeer Z has been to two World Cup Finals™ with Karl Cook who rode him previously, Guy hopes they continue to click and that everything goes right and he can maybe end up at the World Cup Finals™ in Omaha.

MCHS it Guy’s home show, on home turf, He was born at Stanford University Hospital, only two miles down the road, and he now works out of Stanford’s Red Barn. Guy along with his parents Butch and Lu Thomas original supporters of the event from day 1, has been attending the show for 38 years…. almost his entire life.

“It always fun to win but Menlo makes it a little bit more special as even today I had past students coming to the Grand Prix that I hadn’t seen in a year and people you don’t see all the time, so it’s really nice.,”explained Guy.