For Immediate Release: March 17, 2024

Gulfport, Mississippi

Michael Kocher of Lynn, North Carolina and his own Gina V, won the $50,000 Harrah’s Gulf Coast Grand Prix, besting a field of twenty-three horse and rider teams.

The grand prix was moved to Saturday in view of the St. Patty’s Day inclement weather forecast. According to Kocher, "The weather is torrential today, so they made the right call for sure."

With a first round set at 90 seconds, eleven would advance to the jump off round.

Holly Shepherd of Grand Bay, Alabama and Loretta Patterson’s HJ Hercules, were the first to tackle the abbreviated course. The pair turned in a fault-free round in 35.193 seconds, well within the 49 seconds time allowed, and set the new time to beat.

Kocher and Gina V followed Shepherd and took the lead with their clear jump off round in a time of 33.115 seconds. 

“In the first round, at the last combination, people had some poles there. It was a short vertical and you had to come in steady. People were coming in with too much horse, and I think that’s why that jump got a few,” he said.

Kocher continued, “In the jump off, fences 8a b were off of a roll back turn and you had to be tidy and respect the turn, keep a good pace, but respect the combination. I tried to angle it so I could give myself some room jumping out and it worked well for us,” he said.

But with nine left to go in the class, it was too soon to predict the win.

Laura Connaway of Little Rock, Arkansas, and her own Ringleader followed in the order of go. The pair earned four jump faults in a time of 35.502 seconds and secured ninth place.

Shepherd and Loretta Patterson’s CHS Krooze were up next. A fault-free round in 34.808 seconds moved them into second place, temporarily.

Penny Brennan of Ocala, Florida and her own Vertigo Delorme, followed Shepherd and CHS Krooze in the order. Despite a lightning-fast round in 30.244 seconds, four jump faults would see them finish in sixth overall.

Kelly Arvidson of Nashville, Tennessee and Ark Partners, LLC’s Oak Groves Celebrity, turned in a four fault jump off round in 35.244 seconds, earning them an eighth-place ribbon.

Shepherd returned to the grand prix field, this time aboard Loretta Patterson’s Warmachine. A fault free round in 33.986 seconds moved them into second place.

Colby Coltrain of Argyle, Texas, and Gianna Aycock’s Conker followed Shepherd and Warmachine. Their fault free, jump off round in a time of 34.264 seconds would see the pair finish in third, moving Shepherd and CHS Krooze into a fourth placing overall.

Jaclynn Downing of Flower Mound, Texas, and L.O.O., LLC’s MTM Fuji, followed Coltrain and Conker. Their four fault round in a time of 37.489 seconds earned them a tenth-place finish.

Katherine Leblanc and David O’Donnell’s MTM Turbojack earned twenty jump faults in their jump off round, and with a time of 45.284 seconds, finished in eleventh place.

Shepherd and Loretta Patterson’s Kensington sat in the enviable last to go position. Four jump faults in a time of 34.172 earned them a seventh place and secured the win for Kocher and Gina V. Shepherd would also finish in second place with Warmachine, fourth with CHS Krooze and fifth with HJ Hercules.  

Kocher commented, “I’ve had her [Gina V] for about a year, and she has had a lot of good results. She’s always been in sort of a ‘Bride’s Maid’ position and yesterday, it all came together for us. We had a plan to put us in a good position to win and we definitely had luck,” he added.

Kocher won his first blue ribbon at the Gulf Coast Winter Classic almost twenty years ago in the Junior Hunters.

Kocher said, “It’s been great here. It’s a very affordable show for the jumpers and it’s not overwhelming here with eighty in a class. The grass field is an amazing arena, and the competition has been good. Show management has done a good job dealing with the weather and making sure the footing and conditions are suitable for the horses.” Kocher will continue at the Gulf Coast Winter Classic for the final week with both his hunters and jumpers.

For more information, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

Harrah’s Gulf Coast Resort Casino is a long-time sponsor of the Gulf Coast Winter Classic and title sponsor of the $50,000 Harrah's Gulf Coast Grand Prix.

Located on the beaches of the Mississippi Gulf Coast in nearby Biloxi, Harrah’s Gulf Coast is the Gulf Coast Winter Classic’s Official Resort and Casino. A Caesars Entertainment destination location, Harrah’s Gulf Coast boasts rooms that can include breathtaking views of the Gulf of Mexico. With the choice of room options available, there is something that will fit your personal needs, including onsite restaurants, bars, and gaming opportunities!

For more information, please visit Harrah's Gulf Coast online.

The Clothes Horse is an Official Awards Sponsor of the Gulf Coast Winter Classic. The Clothes Horse has been manufacturing custom made horse blankets, tack room drapes, and trunk covers since 1972.  

The Clothes Horse now makes items for some of the most prestigious show barns and horse shows in the country, as well as for private horse owners nationwide. The Clothes Horse has grown to be the manufacturer of the most elegant and well-crafted horse products available. Visit them online for more information.

Twenty-three horse and rider teams tackled the $7,500 PERFORMEQ Welcome Class and it was Dalman Show Jumping’s Con Sorpresa H, piloted by Gianna Aycock, who took home first-place honors.

Course designer Paul Jewell set the first-round time allowed at 79 seconds. According to Aycock, “You can always tell if a course is going to be more suited to your strengths or weaknesses. I was hoping I would go clear in the first round, because I knew that the second round course would play to our strengths. The second round was more about precision than scope. Sneaks [Con Sorpresa H] can be really precise. She’s only 15.3 h when she stands up tall, so she doesn’t have a lot of scope, but I knew that if I came up with a great strategy for the second round, I’d be on top,” she said.

Eighteen advanced to a second-round opportunity with a time allowed set at 49 seconds.

Penny Brennan and her own Vertigo Delorme were the first to go clear in the second round and set a new time to beat at 29.116 seconds.

Natalee Hagan and Bernadette Mulliken’s Fair Play followed Brennan with their own clear second round, but their time of 33.728 seconds would see them finish in eleventh overall.

Holly Shepherd and Loretta Patterson’s Kensington were up next. Their second-round fault free time of 33.190 would earn them an eighth placing.

Leah Curtiss and Oakside, LLC’s Fortuna joined the horse race, but their fault free second round in 34.149 seconds would earn them a twelfth place.

Tenth in the order of go, Aycock and Con Sorpresa H entered the ring. She commented, “Fence 7 was four strides downhill to the liverpool. That rode great for me because my horse is tiny and has the heart of a lion. She really doesn’t care about liverpools. There was a long gallop between fences nine and ten and there was a little bit of a blind turn heading toward the biggest oxer on the course. I think that got a lot of people because the horses weren’t expecting it.”

Aycock and Con Sorpressa H finished, fault free, in a time of 28.564 seconds and took the lead. “The footing was really good today and my horse jumped great,” said Aycock.

Aycock added, “Week 3, Holly [Shepherd] beat me by a tenth of a second. When we went back and watched her round and my round, she did a total of 8 less strides than I did in that jump off, and she still only beat me by a tenth of a second. So, I really like the precision jump offs better than the step and the scope jump offs.”

“If some day, I have a horse with step and scope, I’ll be good to go,” she laughed. “I have two nice five year olds coming up and they look like they’ll have more step and scope than my tiny rocket. Fingers crossed!” she laughed.

Adam Sklansky and Ellen Walker’s Emerald’s Doube Down, followed Aycock. Their fault free second round 33.586 would earn them a tenth place finish.

The next clear second round was Olivia Brust and her own Dollar Cash. The pair finished with a second round time in 30.417 seconds and secured fifth place.

Avery Wegmann and her own Chacco Brown posted a clear second round in a time of 29.911 seconds and took home fourth place.

Colby Coltrain and Gianna Aycock’s Conker followed and advanced to a second round. Their fault free time in 32.356 seconds secured ninth place.

Kianna Luscher and Susan Cline-Wilkinson’s Identiek, were the next to turn in a fault free second round and their time of 32.256 earned them a seventh place.

Sklansky returned to the grand prix field, this time in the irons of Ellen Walker’s Hakini. Despite a fault free second round, their time of 28.641 seconds was not fast enough to catch Aycock, and they would take home second place honors.

Jaelynn Downing and L.O.O. LLC’s MTM Fuji also turned in a fault free second round, but their time of 36.953 seconds would see them finish in thirteenth place.

Haggan and MTM Farm’s MTM Hyperion Z sat in the last to go position. Their fault free time in 30.937 seconds earned them a sixth place overall and secured the win for Aycock and Con Sorpresa H.

For more information, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

Gianna Aycock and her fiancé, Colby Coltrain, are planning to ride in the Mongol Derby. This equestrian endurance race is the world's longest horse race, spanning 620 miles over ten days. The couple went on an adventure trip last September as a sort of ‘test run’ so they could try out their gear, try some of the horses, evaluate hotels, determine how long it would take for them to acclimate to the climate, figure out how long it would take to recover from jet lag, and use the trip to figure out what they would need to do to be ready “It was like going to a schooling show before the Olympics,” Aycock laughed. 

She continued, "This way we wouldn’t just show up for the first time ever in Mongolia to have the hardest ten days of our lives,” she laughed. “The horses we rode on during this trip will not be the same ones used for the race. We will end up riding about twenty-eight different horses, but we got to ride in the saddles that we will use during the race." 

According to Aycock, the Mongol Derby helps boost the livelihood of the herder families and nomadic people there. "One of the women told me that because of people like us, who now visit the area because of this race, have transformed and bettered their lives. She was incredibly grateful," said Aycock.

We wish them the best of luck!

PERFORMEQ offers a collection of tack, gear, and apparel curated for high performance equestrian sport.

PERFORMEQ specializes in properly fitting performance gear to horses and riders, encouraging peak performance and horsemanship.

PERFORMEQ is onsite all weeks of the Gulf Coast Winter Classic and invites everyone to stop by their mobile unit near the show office.

Michael Kocher and Ellickson Equestrian, LLC’s Ellickson LLC Kannan Cavalier [Jack] rode away with the win in the Week 5 $5,000 Schneiders Saddlery 1.25 m Open Jumper Classic, besting a field of fifteen horse and riders.

Ten would advance to a second-round opportunity with a time allowed set at 47 seconds. 

Meagan Nusz of Starkville, Mississippi, and her own Sedrick were the first pair to post double clear rounds and their second-round time of 34.467 seconds set the new time to beat.

Happy Comly of Sachse, Texas, and Emory Simpson’s Kalito followed in the order, but four jump faults in 33.516 seconds would earn them a fifth-place ribbon.

Stephanie Tropia of Magnolia, Texas, and her own CR Dazzling followed in the order and also earned four jump faults. Their time of 35.711 seconds earned them a sixth place.

Kocher and Ellickson LLC Kannan Cavalier were up next. Their fault free second round time in 33.423 seconds took the lead and set the new time to beat.

According to Kocher, he just started riding him last week. “I think Jack [Ellickson LLC Kannan Cavalier] is really talented. He tends to get more careful in the jump off. I knew I could challenge him a bit and he got brighter and sharper and I’m excited to keep developing him,” he said.

Julie Cleveland Beam, of Argyle, Texas, and her own Special Effects L, followed Kocher in the order and earned four jump faults. With their second-round time of 36.062 seconds, they would finish in seventh overall.

Holly Shepherd and Loretta Patterson’s Quabouche Z were up next. Despite a fault free second round, their time of 33.912 seconds would keep them from the blue ribbon and see them finish in second place.

Tropia returned to the arena, this time aboard her own CR Voila, and posted double clear rounds with a second-round time of 35.955 seconds, securing them a fourth-place ribbon.

The final horse and rider pair to advance to a second round was Stephanie Kasbrick of Columbia, Tennessee and her own Passe Partout. The pair earned four jump faults and with their second-round time of 36.860 seconds, earned an eighth-place ribbon.

For more information, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

Schneider’s Saddlery is an official awards sponsor and title sponsor of the $5,000 Schneiders Saddlery 1.25 m Jumper Classic.

At Schneider’s, their family-owned company has maintained a dedication to value, product quality, innovation, customer service, and a love and commitment to the equestrian industry. Visit them online at sstack.com.

Mardi Gras, owned by Bernadette Mulliken and ridden by Natalee Haggan of Argyle, Texas, won the $10,000 Open Hunter Classic, besting a field of thirteen horse and rider teams.

“I love Mardi,” said Haggan. “He is so fun to ride, is such a character, and loves his job. He has such a good expression, and you can feel that when he goes around the ring. It is such a privilege to ride him,” she said.

“I had never done this derby before. It was run like two classic rounds. It was a nice surprise because I don’t get to do it that much, I guess. I love handy rounds, but to be able to do two normal trips was different for me and fun.”

Haggan started riding ‘Mardi’ last fall. According to Haggan, he has shown throughout the Pre-Greens and was very successful doing that. “I just happened to get lucky getting him as a ride. Bernadette moved very close to the farm that I work out of, and I just got lucky to be the ride on a horse that nice. I am so fortunate to ride for Bernadette,” she said.

Haggan continued, “Bernadette loves to be involved, and loves her horses. She’s a great rider, and fun to teach. She does a great job."

“I love the Gulf Coast horse show. I showed here about ten years ago, and just got to return again last year. It is so much fun and so nice. Everyone at our barn had so much fun, we can’t wait to come back,” she added.

Second place was EMO Stables’ Sidenote, ridden by Holly Shepherd. Stevie Ray, owned by Alexis Liles and ridden by Julie Cleveland Beam of Argyle, Texas, earned a third placing.

Marseille, owned by Margaret Snyder and ridden by Adrianne Gamboa of Houston, Texas, finished in fourth place. EMO Stables’ Avila, ridden by Shepherd, finished in fifth place overall and Dynasty, owned by Castlemaine, LLC and ridden by Francesca Senior of Jackson, Mississippi, took home a sixth place.

Penelope, owned by Alicia Powell and ridden by Mary Mielenz, earned a seventh place and CR Diaconcello ES, owned and ridden by Adrianne Gamboa, finished in eighth.

Ninth was awarded to St. Elmo’s Fire, owned by Sydney Mannon and ridden by Jamie Rardin and MTM Manhattan, owned and ridden by Kaitlyn Arnold, earned tenth. The pair also won the $500 Non-Pro Rider Bonus.

Olivia Pharr piloted her own Visconti to an eleventh placing and the $300 Non-Pro Rider Bonus, and Classic Blue, owned by Margaret Snyder and ridden by Adrianne Gamboa, finished in twelfth overall. Jet Rusidovski, aboard Riley Townsley’s Sir Hansel, earned the $200 Non-Pro Rider Bonus.

For complete results, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

Thirty-one horse and rider teams competed in the Week 5 $5,000 Marshall & Sterling Classic Hunter Derby, including Non-Pro Rider Bonuses, and Snow Patrol, owned by August Pines Farm and ridden by Alexandra Ansteth of Magnolia, Texas, won top honors. This was the second win for the pair, having won the Week 2 $5,000 Marshall & Sterling Classic Hunter Derby.

“Snow Patrol is wonderful,” said Ansteth. “He’s really been enjoying these classes at the Gulf,” she added.

“He finds the Derbies interesting and he’s always stronger in the division classes after competing in the Marshall & Sterling Classic Hunter Derby,” commented Ansteth. “I feel the same way as a rider. I love to Derby and am always a better partner for my horses after doing these classes. I especially like the Handy portion of the class, and fortunately for me, Snow Patrol seems to really like that part too,” she added.

Canabis I, owned by Larry Antonini and ridden by Sarah Young of Spring Hill, Kansas, earned second place. EMO Stables’ Curious George, ridden by Holly Shepherd, finished in third overall, and Absolutely, owned by Lynn Rice and ridden by Tracy Brennan of Charles Town, West Virginia, finished in fourth place.

Storyville, owned by Leslie Kramer and ridden by Jeremy Sims of Magnolia, Texas, finished in fifth and Soul Food, owned by Emily Smith and ridden by Alexandra Ansteth, earned a sixth placing.

Chablis 162, owned and ridden by Khloe McSwain of Gainesville, Georgia, finished in seventh overall and won the Marshall & Sterling 3’ $500 Non-Pro Rider Bonus. Versailles, owned by Allison Wegmann and ridden by Avery Wegmann of Saint Rose, Louisiana, earned an eighth placing and won the Marshall & Sterling 3’3” $500 Non-Pro Rider Bonus.

MTM Saturday Girl, owned by MTM Farm and ridden by Sierra Dance of Lufkin, Texas, finished in ninth place. CR Daybreak Z, owned by Sayer Townsend and ridden by Olivia Brust of Magnolia, Texas, finished in tenth place and also won the Marshall & Sterling 3’3” $300 Non-Pro Rider Bonus.

Lorelei, owned by Heather Garson and ridden by Jamie Rardin of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, placed eleventh and Spotlight, owned and ridden by Khloe McSwain, wrapped up the class with a twelfth. McSwain and Spotlight also won the Marshall & Sterling 3’ $300 Non-Pro Rider Bonus.

Breaking News, owned by Hil Cat Farm and ridden by Catherine Castle of Folsom, Louisiana, earned the Marshall & Sterling 3’ $200 Non-Pro Rider Bonus. Instrumental, owned by Stonebridge Farm and ridden by Sue Takata of Athens, Texas, won the Marshall & Sterling 3’3” $200 Non-Pro Rider Bonus.

Congratulations all!

For more information, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

Marshall & Sterling Insurance is the title sponsor of all Classic Hunter Derbies at all Gulf Coast and Classic shows.

Marshall & Sterling Insurance specializes in personalized plans that encompass a full range of extensive coverage options, uniquely tailored to fit your distinctive needs.

Marshall & Sterling’s Equisport Division was created by insurance professionals to meet the demands of horse owners from competing professionals, dedicated amateurs and those who just plain love horses. With a client service and claims team second to none, one quick call to their office will provide you with instant answers.

Marshall & Sterling Insurance has been around for more than 100 years. Reach out to the company that stands the test of time. For more information visit them on the web. 

Friday honored all of the hardworking grooms at the Gulf Coast Winter Classic, following the $10,000 Hunter Classic.

EMO Stables’ groom, Javier Ayala, won the best groom award for his work with EMO Stables’ Sidenote. Ernie Oare and Betty Oare shared, “Javier came to us about fifteen years ago and has grown into much more than a groom; he is our Barn/Show Manager. The many duties that he brings to the table are important ones that we can no longer do. We had a three person crew in Gulfport that was the best, well-oiled machine I can ever remember,” said Ernie Oare.

Second place honors went to Daniel Silva, groom for Meagan Nusz’s Sedrick.

Madigan Nugent, groom for EMO Stables’ Curious George, earned a third place and Omar Edgar, groom for Heather Torrance-Bak’s Kannstakko, finished in fourth.

Juan Lopez, groom to Sabrina Welch’s HH Moon River, received a fifth placing.

Congratulations to all of the unsung heroes at the horse show! 

For more information, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

Congratulation to Caitlin Burns of Denton, Texas, and her own Fila on winning the $500 NAL WIHS Perfect Products Adult Amateur 18-49 Hunter Classic. 

According to Burns, “Fila is the bomb! I feel lucky that he lets me hang on for the ride. He’s fifteen this year and still loves to show. He actually trots to the trailer when it’s time to go,” she laughed. “I want to give a special thanks to show management for letting us finish our divisions and do our Classics on Saturday with the terrible weather we got today,” she said. 

Horatio, owned and ridden by Laura Packer of Fultondale, Alabama, finished in second place. Mary Ann Bergenty’s Mirabelle, ridden by Kara Bergenty of Fairhope, Alabama, earned a third place. Kesler Bridgforth of Jackson, Mississippi, piloted her own Casuall to a fourth-place finish. Plot Twist, owned and ridden by Ruby Louis of St. Francisville, Louisiana, finished in fifth place and Lady Bird, owned and ridden by Meghan Looney of Dallas, Texas, finished in sixth place.

For more information, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

Will Emblazon, owned and ridden by Rachelle Goebel of Montgomery, Texas, rode away with the blue ribbon in the $500 NAL WIHS Perfect Products Adult Amateur Hunter Classic 50+.

According to Goebel, she has owned him since he was 5 months old and when he was three, he was USEF Horse of the Year in Hunter Breeding. “He is now eight and getting him to now do what he was bred to do, taking care of me in the ring, is great.”

This was only the third show Goebel and Will Emblazon have done together. “For me, I just started showing him in the 3’ over these last two shows. It was such an amazing environment to do this. The ring was open and inviting, the courses and footing were great, and it was just a great time.”

Goebel continued, "This week I had two, really nice, consistent rounds and it was really fun. He [Will Emblazon] has a thing for gray horse and ponies, and there was this parade of gray ponies walking by when we were in the ring, and he kept looking at them. I was like, ‘hey buddy, we’re doing a course here,’” she laughed.

“This was my first time showing at the Gulf Coast Winter Classic, and we will be back,” said Goebel. “I was amazed how quickly show management changed the schedule and had everything updated by Friday night. The fact that they got through all of the classes on Saturday to avoid us showing in bad weather was amazing, and a testament to good show management.”

Versailles, owned and ridden by Allison Wegman of St. Rose, Louisiana, finished in second place and Le Diplomate, owned and ridden by Nicole Harris of Memphis, Tennessee, finished in third overall. 

Say Yes, owned and ridden by Elizabeth Bankhead of Flower Mound, Texas placed fourth. 

For complete results, please visit horseshowsonline.com.

Perfect Products is the sponsor of all Adult Amateur Hunter Classics at this year’s Gulf Coast and Classic Company shows.

Perfect Products’ company mission is to offer formulas that help support your horse’s mental focus and athletic potential when it counts. 

Don’t get caught by surprise when you enter the ring! Prepare your horse mentally and physically with Perfect Products’ show safe line of nutraceuticals. 

From the calming support you trust from Perfect Prep, to their effective line of gastric, joint, muscle and soundness solutions, Perfect Products supports your horse’s performance when it counts.

Ask for Perfect Products formulas at horse show retailers or find out more information online at www.PerfectProductsEQ.com perfect products e q dot com. Enter the ring confidently with Perfect Products.Perfect Products, the makers of Perfect Prep EQ™ Calming Formulas, specializes in show safe nutraceutical formulas that support your horse’s optimal performance when it counts.

Explore their entire line of calming, gastric, joint, muscle, metabolic and immune support formulas at www.PerfectProductsEQ.com.

Thank you Accolade for your sponsorship of the Week 5 Exhibitor Party! The Country Cook out was a blast, complete with the best hot dogs shipped from the windy city!

The party was a huge success, and we are thankful for their support!

If you haven’t yet entered, do so now. We are planning for very big weeks ahead and ask you to reserve your stalls today.

When booking your accommodations, please support our Official Lodging Partner, the Hilton Ocala, and book with them. They offer discounted rates for competitors, family and friends! 



Entries, Stall reservations, feed and bedding order forms, golf cart rentals, RV and camper reservations, and discounted lodging partner rates are all available online. Please order your feed and bedding now!

The Gulf Coast Winter Classic is home to the “no entry fee grand prix” and the only winter circuit in the US offering this incredible opportunity. Enter and Pay for the Welcome Stake and get your Grand Prix Entry for FREE.

We are heading into our final week for 2024, and hope you will join us in 2025, Mark your calendars now and see why the grass is greener on the Mississippi Gulf Coast:

FEBRUARY 13- MARCH 23, 2025

The Grass is Greener

at the Gulf Coast Winter Classic

The facility is fantastic and its claim to fame is the beautiful grass grand prix field that rivals Spruce Meadows. The Gulf Coast Winter Classic offers ample stabling, complimentary Riders Lounges, plenty of RV spots and just minutes from the Biloxi Gulfport Airport, the beach and hotels.

The town of Gulfport is situated along the pristine beaches of the Gulf of Mexico with fun waterfront towns, fine dining and shopping. If you're craving entertainment, take the short drive to neighboring Biloxi or head to New Orleans. 

Exciting sponsorship and vending opportunities are still available for our 2024 Classic Company show season. Email or call Lisa Davis Engel at 908-310-6248 for more information.