Ocala, FL – The $50,000 NSBA Junior Trail & $5,000 Limited Rider Junior Trail Bonuses and L2/L3 AQHA was the highly anticipated featured class on day four of The Championship Show 2024. Twenty-six horse-and-rider pairs tackled an intricate course designed by Tim Kimura, but it was Blake Weis aboard Dark Ladie, owned by Mary Alice Nielson, who came out on top, claiming the lion’s share of the prize money and the coveted NSBA trophy.
Weis spoke about Dark Ladie, a 2020 mare by Mr Sherlock Holmes x I Caught You Lookin. “We purchased her last year from Haley Purkapile who was with Shannon Curl [Holbin]. She just started showing in Trail the first of the year, but she’s been great,” Weis shared.
Excited about the high-stakes competition, Weis added, “When we saw the prize money, we knew we had to support this because you don’t see anything like it, especially in trail. This is where the sport needs to head.”
Looking ahead, Weis plans to enter Dark Ladie in the $100,000 NSBA Senior Trail Finals on Saturday, September 14. Her owner will also take the reins later in the week in the Non-Pro Trail. Praising the mare’s versatility, Weis said, “Trail seems to be her calling, but she’s capable of so much more.” Weis, who will be competing with four horses in Saturday’s event, expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’m so thankful to be competing for this much prize money, and I want to thank World Equestrian Center – Ocala for making it happen.”
Eugene Spagnola and Daniel Carlson’s 2019 mare Makingem Great Again (Machine Made x Promote Miss Chip) won the $5,000 Limited Rider Junior Trail Bonus.
$50,000 NSBA Junior Trail Top Three Results:
1 Dark Ladie, Blake Weis, Mary Alice Nielson
2 Straight Line Breeze, Nick Mayabb, Nancy G Chapman Ttee Ngc Trust
3 RV Not For Hire, Blake Weis, Evon M Wener
$5,000 Limited Rider Junior Trail Bonus Top Three Results:
1 Makingem Great Again, Eugene Spagnola, Daniel Carlson
2 South Beech, Becky George, Kate Upton
3 Made U Look Again, Samantha Gately, Sabrina M Turner