By Emily Randolph/RandolphPR
Harrisburg, PA – Kelly Tropin on Chablis and Lee Kellogg Sadrian on Blink rode away with the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6” and 3’3” Championships, respectively, on Thursday, October 21, at the 75th Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA.
On their way to the 3’6” grand championship, Tropin and Chablis earned two wins over fences and the Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’6”, 18-35 division championship, marking the third time that Tropin and the 13-year-old Württemberg gelding, owned by Libertas Farm LLC, have earned the honor.
“[Chablis]’s been in our barn since he was 4 years old, and I’ve had him since he was 6,” said Tropin, who was presented with the Wintarra Ring Perpetual Trophy, donated by Mary Lisa Nicholson and Rolling Acres Farm, for the division championship, as well as the Legend Has It Perpetual Trophy for the grand championship.
“I’m really, really proud of his results today,” continued Tropin, of New Canaan, CT. “It’s his third time being champion here, and he’s been reserve twice. I’m really proud about the longevity of his career and keeping him going.”
Having such a strong track record at the PNHS, Tropin felt the pressure coming into this week’s show at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex.
“We always want to do well at indoors, and Harrisburg is the one that I always prioritize,” said Tropin, who has been showing at the PNHS since she was a junior. “I love this show. [Chablis] goes really well here. When we were here last time in 2019, he won all four jumping classes. He got three 92s and a 94. So, I felt a lot of pressure coming back this year!
“But I knew that it wasn’t going to be a repeat performance because that was going to be really hard to achieve,” continued Tropin. “Then in the first round, we had a rail at the last jump, so that kind of stressed me out a little bit, especially since they removed a jumping class. I was really proud of the handy and that we were able to come back. I was trying to be calm, and we got a 90 and won the class. I was really happy about that, having it go wrong and being able to come back.”
Finishing as the reserve champions in the Amateur-Owner Hunters 3’6”, 18-35 were Caroline Ingalls of Rancho Santa Fe, CA, and her own Concerto.
In the Amateur-Owner Hunters 3’6”, 36 & Over, the championship and the Carlos F. Bodwell Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by Mrs. Carlos F. Bodwell, went to Sadrian and Rafiki, and the reserve championship was awarded to Dorli Burke and Classic.
“[Rafiki] is the best,” said Sadrian of the 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding. “He’s kind of like an old soul; he just knows his job. He wants to be good, so it makes it a little bit easier than some horses. He wants to be a gentleman and do it all right. It’s so nice walking in the ring because he gives you such confidence as an amateur which is really special.”
The championship in the 3’6” was the first of three tricolors for Sadrian, of Summit, NJ, on Thursday. After topping the division with Rafiki, Sadrian went on to do the same in the Amateur-Owner Hunters 3’3”, 36 & Over with Blink.
“I have amazing horses, and I cannot be more excited about this,” said Sadrian of her dual championships and ultimately her grand championship. “This is my first time ever being grand, I think ever, ever, not just here. Blink is amazing. He’s probably the best jumping horse I’ve had.”
For the Amateur-Owner Hunters 3’3”, 36 & Over division championship, Sadrian was presented with the Mae West Perpetual Trophy, donated by Phoebe Loughry Stables, and for the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Championship, Sadrian was awarded the Art Dunphy Perpetual Trophy, donated by Cathy Sacher.
In the Amateur-Owner Hunters 3’3”, 18-35, the championship and the PNHS Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Perpetual Trophy went to Martha Ingram and Airport 48, and the reserve championship was awarded to Eliza Kimball and Vistano.
“This is a bittersweet horse show for us because we’re actually retiring him here,” said Ingram of the 18-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “I hadn’t won a tricolor on him at indoors until this year. So, this is really, really special. He’s a special horse, and he deserves to go out winning. We just love him dearly, and now he gets to go hang out at home with one of our foals that we bred this year and teach him his ways hopefully!”
For full results of the Amateur-Owner Hunters at the PNHS, visit pnhs.showmanagementsystem.com.
