For Immediate Release: February 26, 2017
Gulfport, Mississippi
The action kicked off with the overwhelmingly popular
Sidelines Green Hunter 3' and 3'3" Divisions, which are offered for only $5, thanks to sponsor Sidelines Magazine!
Twenty two horse and rider teams competed in the 3' Division and eight in the 3'3" Division.
Tom Brennan and Olivia Falkenberry's Notes from the Underground took the Championship in the 3'3" Division and Julie Curtin of Woodstock, Georgia and Rebekah Warren's Cassico were Reserve.
Courtney Calcagnini and Lori Mathews' Sidenote won the Sidelines 3' Green Hunter Division Week III [Photo Credit:
Alison Hartwell Photography]
Courtney Calcagnini and Lori Mathews'
Sidenote were champions in the 3' Division and Tom Brennan and Riley King's
Refined were awarded Reserve Champion.
Trainer Tom Brennan commented, "The division formerly known as Pre-Green, now currently Green, are the most important divisions for horse shows to pay attention to. The pressure in our sport is to focus on the age of our horses, the young horses. When in fact, we need to focus on good horses. They need a place to develop and this development process costs money. If you can 'incentivize' the people with a $5 entry fee, this is good for the future Juniors and Amateurs who will own these horses." Brennan continued, "All of the owners I've had, have noticed the discounted entry fee and it hasn't gone unappreciated. If the class doesn't go well, it's easy to laugh it off and say, 'well it was only a dollar,'" he laughed.
"My mission is to save the Green Hunters," said Brennan. "The best thing about the Green Hunters is that those divisions allow the trainers of the horses the flexibility to decide what the horse is ready for. Maybe this is a second career horse, maybe it hadn't been discovered, and maybe it was doing dressage! The pace we bring them along is more important than some specification in a division like age or something that dictates what height they should be jumping," he said. "It's the trainer's job to decide what that horse is ready to do and the Green Hunters provide that flexibility," he said.
Julie Curtin commented, "The $5 Sidelines Green Hunter Division is awesome. I have a couple of sale horses and it can get really expensive campaigning them. This Division gives me the opportunity to get them mileage."
Sidelines Magazine is the premier equestrian magazine focused on the people in the equestrian world. From beautiful photography to award winning editorial, Sidelines Magazine is distributed each month to 49 states throughout North America and can be found at the most prestigious equestrian events in the country. Celebrating 29 years as the leading equestrian magazine, Sidelines Magazine embraces the equestrian lifestyle and transports it's readers from the sidelines to center ring. Pick up your complimentary copy in the office or view it online for free.
The $2,000 Sidelines Green Hunters is scheduled every week of the Gulf Coast Winter Classic Circuit and costs only $5 to enter. Yes, Five Dollars! Earn valuable mileage and cash in this generous offering made possible by Sidelines Magazine.
BIG NUMBERS IN THE $2,500 USHJA NATIONAL HUNTER DERBY
Julie Curtin pilots Fairfax to the win in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by KCR [Photo Credit: Alison Hartwell Photography]
The hunter action continued Friday with the $2,500
USHJA National Hunter Derby, presented by
Kruse Cushion Ride [KCR] on Friday and thirty three horse and rider teams went on the hunt for the blue.
Julie Curtin and Liz Hudspeth's
Fairfax bested the field of 33 and took the win. "I actually wasn't even going to ride him that day," she said. "Liz was going to ride him, but the scores were really high and last minute I ended up riding. There were a lot of single jumps and I thought the judges were looking for a bold ride. So, I just picked up a gallop and approached them that way," she said.
Curtin and
Fairfax earned a first round score of 90 and a Handy score of 93 for a combined 181 which won the class. Second place finisher
Jade, owned by Shaw Johnson Price and ridden by Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama earned a first round score of 91 and a second round score of 87.5 for a combined 178.5.
G.K Cassio, owned by Erin Mulloy and ridden by Megan Young of Jacksonville, Florida, was awarded a third place ribbon after earning a first round score of 88 and Handy score of 89 for a combined score of 177.
Shepherd picked up a fourth place ribbon in the irons of Micaela Kennedy's
Magnus Jaque Mate Mail for their combined score of 176 and fifth place went to Helen Gilbert's
Primera, ridden by Sarah Young of Spring Hill, Kansas for their score of 174.5.
Curtin returned for a sixth place ribbon in the irons of Wesley Wilson's
Whitny for their combined score of 173.25. Shepherd and Belle Rolfe's
Boure placed seventh with their overall score of 172.75 and Paige Parker of Southampton, New Jersey rode Jane Gaston's
Taken to an eighth place finish with their overall score of 170.5. Ninth was awarded to Riley King's
Refined, ridden by Thomas Brennan of Charles Town, West Virginia for their total score of 154. Lee Cesery's
Candidate placed tenth and Curtin returned for an eleventh place ribbon in the irons of Rebekah Warren's
Cassico.
Whiskey Tango, owned by Lee Cesery and ridden by Jason Berry of Verona, Virginia wrapped up the class with twelfth place. For more information, visit
horseshowsonline.com.
"The footing is great in this arena," said Curtin. "The horses go very well and land just beautifully with this footing," she said. "Although the weather here has been great, if it rains, the footing is seriously all weather, holds really well and there's no slipping at all," she added. "The size of the main hunter arena is great. It's really large and so nice to ride in," she added.
Brennan commented, "We love this show circuit. It improves every year-every time. I like the Hunter Arena and I think the best thing about it is that they religiously work the footing. We had some rain earlier in the week and then some dry weather and the footing was fine," he said.
PONIES PONIES PONIES!
The pony rings expanded and the course was built for the $1,500 USHJA Pony Hunter Derby Week III and Lauren Reid of Nazareth, Pennsylvania brought home both the first and second ribbons with Good Reason, owned by Capstone Farm, LLC and Annabelle Brown's Sunbeam.
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Lauren Reid and Good Reason [Photo Credit: Alison Hartwell]
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Third place was awarded to David Dowler's
Cherrybrook Deblue, ridden by Kaitlyn Williams of Wayne, Pennsylvania and fourth and fifth was awarded to
Stars Above and
Cherrybrook Just
Blue In, respectively, both owned and ridden by Erica Van Dyken of Moorestown, New Jersey.
Mr. Hollywood, owned and ridden by Nicolette Perry of Milford, New Jersey placed sixth and Competition Equstrian's
Ontario, ridden by Valerie Staniloff of Setauket, New York earned a seventh place ribbon. Eighth was awarded to
Hidden Springs Woodstar, owned and ridden by Gabrielle Roderick of Spring Hill, Kansas and ninth went to
Tangled Up in Blue, owned and ridden by Hailey Hurst of Zionsville, Indiana.
Brownland Miss Kimmy
, owned and ridden by Calder Trotz of Memphis, Tennessee placed tenth and Wind Haven Farm's
Brownland's Millenium
, ridden by James Rheinheimer of Zionsville, Indiana earned eleventh place.
Ever After
, owned and ridden by Gabrielle Sokolow of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, wrapped up the class with twelfth place. For more information, please visit
horseshowsonline.com
.
Gulf Coast Classic President Bob Bell and his dog Ellie, along with Drew Coster greet Lauren Reid and Good Reason in the winner's circle
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!
The Friday night Gulf Coast Classic Exhibitor Appreciation Party and Movie night was a huge hit! A golf cart parade, decorated in the spirit of Mardi Gras cruised up Vendor Row. "The beads were flying and everyone had a great time," commented Janet McCarroll, Gulf Coast Classic Show Coordinator. Everyone enjoyed some refreshments and a fried chicken dinner while watching a movie.
While many are heading to New Orleans tonight to partake in the annual festivities, you'll find Tom Brennan and his barn staying local. "There are some great parades here in Biloxi and Gulfport and we'll go to those. We will head to New Orleans later on and enjoy some 'Post Mardi Gras', but the big mayhem is not quite for me," he laughed.
VIP
The VIP is open for service on Sundays during the Grand Prix and for only $35.00, you can purchase a ticket to the best seats in the house! Wine, champagne and soft drinks with light snacks will accompany your outstanding ringside views. There are limited seats, so
email Grace today and reserve.
THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE GULF COAST
The Classic and Gulf Coast Classic Companies' philosophy is to offer an event for every level of rider and horse. From lead line to Olympic level grand prix competition, from seasoned veteran horse and rider team to a first time horse show experience, the Classic and Gulf Coast Classic Companies offer competition that provides the competitor substantial prize money, award-winning facilities and courses, quality competition and the best customer service in the industry.
Service is what sets the Classic and Gulf Coast Classic Company apart from other horse show companies. Consistently awarded the
USHJA's Member Choice Award for providing excellent customer-friendly competitions, the Classic and Gulf Coast Classic Companies provide champion service from in-gates to show office at all its venues. Top competition with an emphasis on southern hospitality is their hallmark and the reason thousands prefer to compete at Classic and Gulf Coast Classic Company produced events each year.
All sponsorship and media inquiries should be directed to
Lisa Engel.
All show program advertising inquiries should be directed to
Drew Coster.
