Harrisburg, PA – Scott Stewart rode Jordan, owned by Sophie Gochman, to the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Grand Hunter Championship on Tuesday, October 18, in Harrisburg, PA.
Stewart and the 9-year-old Selle Français gelding claimed two wins and a third place over fences, a win under saddle and a second-place finish in the model on their way to the Green Conformation Hunter division championship, sponsored by Caroline Moran & Goshen Hill. For the division championship, Stewart was presented with the Wild Air Farms Challenge Trophy, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Sylvester Johnson, Jr. and returned to competition by Mrs. Haywood Nelms, Jr. Finishing as the Green Conformation Hunter reserve champion was another of Stewart’s mounts, Whimsical, owned by Gochman Sport Horse LLC.
In addition to the Grand Hunter Championship, Stewart and Jordan also earned the Grand Green Hunter Championship, for which they were presented with the Kimberton Hills Challenge Trophy, donated by Mrs. H.A.W. Myrin.
“It means a lot because we work all year long to come here and compete against the best riders and horses,” said Stewart, of Wellington, FL. “I’ve come here every year since 1980. It’s a very special place for tradition and all of the trophies.”
For the Grand Hunter Championship, Stewart was presented with another of those trophies, the Beaufort Hunt Perpetual Trophy, donated by the late COL. and Mrs. J.B. Hollis, Jr. Stewart’s top results also earned him the Leading Hunter Rider title, for which he was presented with the Elizabeth M. Solter Memorial Perpetual Trophy and a Vibershield gift card.
Stewart’s great success with Jordan is even more impressive considering the length of their partnership. Stewart has had the ride on Jordan only since August when the horse was initially purchased by Gochman, and the pair has already been division champion two out of their three times out.
“Amanda Steege brought him along and did a great job,” explained Stewart. “He’s not very big, but he has a big stride and a great jump. He’s really sweet and tries to do the right thing. Sometimes he tries a little too hard, but especially today he felt really relaxed and very comfortable.”
Along with earning an array of tricolors with Jordan, Stewart also rode Nottingham, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker, to a score of 93 in the Green Hunter 3’9” division to earn the EMO Agency Professional Hunter High Five Award for the highest score in the professional hunter divisions.
In the High Performance Hunter division, the championship went to last year’s Grand Hunter Champion, Cannon Creek, ridden by Hunt Tosh and owned by the Wheeler Family. Taking the reserve championship were John French and Milagro, owned by Kent Farrington LLC.
“Every time we ask him to be phenomenal, he is,” said Tosh of the 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “He came here last year and was spectacular. He did it again this year. He’s a superstar.
Tosh continued, “The whole horse show has been fantastic. All the new upgrades and revamping everything; the venue’s fabulous. They gave us another ring this year which really made it so much easier, even with the equitation going on Sunday, it gave us a place to ride. You can’t say enough good things about what [show manager] Pat [Boyle] and his crew have done.”
The High Performance Conformation Hunter division championship went to Can Can, ridden by Christopher Payne and owned by Stephanie Ring. Taking the reserve championship were Nick Haness and Estimated Prophet, owned by Roaring Fork Farms LLC.
Haness and the 8-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding also earned the division championship tricolor in the Green Hunter 3’9”, for which they were presented with the John R. Sterling Memorial Perpetual Trophy, donated by the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. The reserve championship went to Stewart and Nottingham.
Earning the Green Hunter 3’6” division championship, sponsored by the Lannie Lipson Foundation, and the Frances Newbill Rowe Challenge Trophy were Daniel Geitner and Mr. Manhattan, owned by Martin Schlaeppi. The reserve championship was presented to Jennifer Bauersachs and Alistaire, owned by Lannie Lipson.
With nearly 40 entries accepted in the Green Hunter 3’, the division was split into Section A and B. The Section A championship title went to Daniel Geitner and Harbormaster, owned by Scharme Prevost, and the Section B championship went to Geoffrey Hesslink and Kyoto, owned by Brendan Williams. Taking the reserve championships were Holly Orlando on Golden Goose and Geitner on Kodiak, respectively.
The Green Hunter 3’3” similarly saw more than 30 entries accepted into two sections. It was again Geitner who took the Section A championship in the Keystone Arena, this time aboard Walk the Tides, owned by Lynn Seithel. The Section A reserve championship went to Nick Haness and Kuba Libre, owned by Jaime Auletto. In Section B, the championship went to Holly Orlando and Delancey, owned by Privet Farm, LLC, and the reserve championship was awarded to Abby Jorgensen and Chapeau.
All of the champions and reserve champions in the Green Hunter and High Performance Hunter divisions each received gifts from Springtime Supplements, and all of the championship-winning grooms received backpacks from FarmVet.
Tuesday at the PNHS also featured three $10,000 Winners Stake classes for those who placed in the top six of the professional hunter divisions. Taking the win in the $10,000 Professional Division 3’6″ – 4′ Winners Stake, sponsored by the Ingram Family, were Greg Crolick and Chappy, owned by Carole Chase. In the $10,000 Green Hunter 3’0” Winners Stake, the win went to John French and Luxor, owned by Robinson Ridge LLC, and Haness and Kuba Libre, owned by Jaime Auletto, earned the win in the $10,000 Green Hunter 3’3” Stake Class.
For full results from all of the 2022 professional hunter divisions at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, click here.
From October 13-22, the 76th Pennsylvania National Horse Show hosts more than 1,200 of the best hunter, jumper and equitation horses and riders from across the nation. The 10 days of competition will culminate in the $100,000 Grand Prix de Penn National on Saturday, October 22. To learn more, visit www.PAnational.org.
