We kicked off two weeks of Midwest Indoors shows last week with plenty of feature jumper and hunter classes as well as two highly anticipated OHJA Classics. The sold out show also saw plenty of family friendly fun from elegant buffet dinners throughout the weekend to a dog race on Saturday night after the Grand Prix. Heart-filled wins were the name of the game this week. From new mounts taking wins to a professional’s personal mount stealing the blue, there were plenty of smiles and congratulations to go around.
The week began with thrilling jumper action on Thursday in the Sanctuary Arena for the $5,000 Welcome Stake 1.35m sponsored by CWD Sellier. Just two-tenths of a second separated the top two placings but it was David Beisel and his own Essince W (Chacco Blue x Rossan) that blazed through the timers to take the blue ribbon. The pair were first to contest the course and remained atop the leader board for the entire class. Beisel and the ten year old KWPN gelding navigated a foot-perfect first round in 79.003 seconds, well within the time allowed of 84 seconds. The pair continued straight to the jump off of the Table II 2b event with Essince W clearing each fence with room to spare in his signature style. The pair stopped the clock at 34.048 seconds, setting the unbeatable pace for the remaining entries.
Friday featured both the Open and Non Pro OHJA Hunter Classics where prizes included World Equestrian Center sponsored items including a customized Yeti Roadie cooler. The Open OHJA Hunter Classic saw Michaella Gerlacher, recent recipient of the 2019 EquiJet Leading Young Professional Rider Award, dominated the class taking first, second and fourth with her own Dalliance (Surfside x Champagne Kisses), Chuck Waters’ Shining Hour (Cento x Marie 68) and Ashley Maul’s Cedric Diggory (Lucky Boy x Talita), respectively. Gerlacher and Dalliance earned a pair of 83 scores for the win while Gerlacher and Shining Hour earned scores of 78 and 80 for second place.
The Non Pro OHJA Hunter Classic followed with a fantastic win by Madison Weaver and her own Commander B (Casino x Odessa XXXI). The pair bested thirty entries for the win, earning impressive scores of 85 and 88. Weaver commented that she was trilled with her rounds aboard Commander B. The pair are a new match and Commander B hasn’t had much hunter ring experience, but the pair looked like veteran classic competitors as they rode to the win.
Saturday evening we switched back to feature jumper action with Lauren Hester taking the win in the $25,000 World Equestrian Center Grand Prix aboard Hester Equestrian LLC’s Happy Feet B (Zacherov x Daronka). Hester and the seven year old Dutch Warmblood mare found a clear first round with ease, jumping clear in a time of 73.819 seconds. The pair returned for the jump off blazing through the short course at 34.702 seconds and leaving all the rails up to capture the win.
The evening also saw an exciting win for David Beisel and Harlow Investment Enterprises, LLC’s For Sunday (For Pleasure x Patoile T.H.) in the $7,500 Futures Prix 1.30m sponsored by Voltaire Design. The pair had taken top honors in the Futures Prix at World Equestrian Center just one month ago and returned on Saturday to reclaim victory. Beisel and the nine year old Dutch Warmblood mare contested the course near the top of the order jumping a clear first round in 69.318 seconds then continued straight to the jump off for a second clear round in 33.757 seconds, a time which would prove untouchable for the remainder of the class.
Sunday morning brought hunter action back to the R+L Arena for the Open and Non Pro $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derbies. The Open Derby was first to try their hand at the course with Colleen Holton and her own Udefix (Uccello x Contendra) taking top honors. Holton, who just started her business Carraway Hill in March, was more than pleased with the six year old Hanoverian gelding’s scores of 86 and 81, commenting that this was just the third derby that the handsome chestnut gelding has contested.
The Non Pro $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby followed with a highly competitive field of sixteen entries. Scores reached into the nineties, but none could best Jacquelynn Christenson and Brenda Christenson’s All In. The pair delivered two foot-perfect rounds for scores of 90 and 87 to take the blue. Christenson was proud of All In, a horse that was meant to be her mother’s mount but had become her own. The love Christenson has for her horse was apparent both in and out of the ring as she raved about what a kind, talented horse he is.
Join us this week for the second Midwest Indoor show at World Equestrian Center. Jumper highlights include a $5,000 Welcome Stake on Thursday and a $7,500 Futures Prix as well as a $25,000 World Equestrian Center Grand Prix on Saturday. Hunter highlights feature both an Open and Non Pro $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby on Sunday. Don’t miss the exciting OHJA Medal Finals on both Friday and Saturday where we’ll be serving up ringside buffet-style dinners during the exhibitor parties.
***Exhibitors should note that some stalls have opened up at our December shows – if you are interested in showing with us in December, go online to horseshowing.com to reserve your stalls now.***