Del Mar, Calif. – After the East Coast and West Coast portions of the Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championship presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare concluded on Wednesday, August 28, Quite a Star, the East Coast Best Young Horse Champion, was named the Overall Grand Champion. Caberneigh, the East Coast Best Young Horse Reserve Champion, was named the Overall Reserve Grand Champion.
Judges Jessie Lang (Jackson, Wyo.) and Chance Arakelian (New Canaan, Conn.) evaluated the young hunter prospects on Saturday, August 24, at the Virginia Young Horse Festival in Lexington, Va., and on Wednesday, August 28, at the Showpark All Seasons in Del Mar, Calif. They awarded the East Coast Best Young Horse Champion title to Quite a Star and the West Coast Best Young Horse Champion title to Cambria before selecting Quite a Star as Overall Grand Champion.
Quite a Star (Qredit Hilltop—Feiner Dance) is North Hill Farm’s two-year-old Oldenburg filly. She was bred by Margaret Sherman (Lewes, Del.). Emily Anne Belin-McDonnell (Honey Brook, Pa.) trained and handled both Quite a Star and the East Coast Best Young Horse Reserve Champion Caberneigh (Cabardino N—Special Consideration), Linda Mancini’s two-year-old Warmblood filly, claiming the Leading East Coast Handler title. Quite a Star also won the Two-Year-Old Fillies class.
Additional East Coast Champions
Yearling Colt/Gelding – Alls Well (Apiro—Chips of Clay), a 2018 Westphalian colt bred, owned, and handled by Jamie Sullivan
Yearling Filly – Reality Star NHF (Rosenthal—Feiner Dance), a 2018 Oldenburg filly bred and owned by North Hill Farm, handled by Emily Anne Belin-McDonnell
Two-Year-Old Colt/Gelding – Cabalero (Cabalito—Allegria), a 2017 Belgian Warmblood gelding bred and owned by Elizabeth Capor and handled by Charlie Brown
Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding – Santos (Sir Wanabi—Lillemor), a 2016 Oldenburg gelding bred and owned by Julianna Hennessy, handled by Emily Anne Belin-McDonnell
Three-Year-Old Filly – Brilliancze MFH (Balta—VPRST Viola), a 2016 Deutsches Sportpferd filly bred by Christina Burke Frey, owned by Kimberly Hennon, and handled by Robert Croteau
Amateur/Junior Handler – Austin Faxon handling Renaissance (Rosenthal—Pardon Me Boys), a 2016 Oldenburg filly bred by George K. Horeis and owned by Lori Johnston
Four-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Gin and Juice (Sterling—Harlow), a 2015 Brandenberger gelding bred by Amanda Taylor, owned by Patricia Michael, and ridden by Alexis Robinson
Four-Year-Old Conformation Over Fences – Harbor Cay (Gatsby—Flashing Phone), a 2015 Warmblood gelding bred by Elisha Massong, owned by Elizabeth Demars, and ridden by Susan Sisco
Three-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Will Emblazon (Willemoes—Anastazia), a 2016 Oldenburg gelding bred by Hil Cat Farm, owned by Rachelle Goebel, and ridden by Christopher Webb
Three-Year-Old Hunter Hack – Forever Friends (Friend or Foe—Stephanie’s Castle), a 2016 Thoroughbred gelding bred and owned by Phyllis Jones and ridden by Olin Armstrong
Cambria (Riverman—Capella), Amy Concha’s two-year-old Holsteiner filly, was named Best Young Horse in the West Coast competition. Concha (Carlsbad, Calif.) bred Cambria, and Carleton Brooks (Encinitas, Calif.) handled the filly to win the championship, as well as the Two-Year-Old Fillies class. The West Coast Reserve Best Young Horse title went to Glorious (Artrageous—Laced in Krymsun), Joann Niffenegger's three-year-old Appendix Quarter Horse filly, handled by Kim Tasker (Tunjunga, Calif.). Glorious also won the Three-Year-Old Fillies and Amateur/Junior Handler classes.
Additional West Coast Champions
Three-Year-Old Colt/Gelding – Embelished (Artrageous—Laced in Krymsun), a 2016 Appendix Quarter Horse stallion bred and owned by Joann Niffenegger, handled by Kim Tasker
Four-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Wylar PF (Wellesley—Mercedes), a 2015 Hanoverian stallion owned by Jan Say and bred and ridden by Ryan Pedigo
Four-Year-Old Conformation Over Fences – Hendrix (Cascarillo—Urieliana), a 2015 KWPN gelding owned by Theresa Bouchar and ridden by Emily Esau-Williams
Three-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Best Man (Bon Coeur—Diamond E), a 2016 Hanoverian gelding bred by Hanke Eits, owned by Beth Luth, and ridden by Nick Haness
Three-Year-Old Hunter Hack – Best Man (Bon Coeur—Diamond E), a 2016 Hanoverian gelding bred by Hanke Eits, owned by Beth Luth, and ridden by Nick Haness
Learn more about the Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championship presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare.
Follow USHJA and US Equestrian
Find out more about hunters and all of US Equestrian’s 29 recognized breeds and disciplines in this Learning Center video. Stay up to date with the hunter discipline by following the USHJA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Use #JoinTheJoy.