San Juan Capistrano, CA – September 16, 2023 – The 2023 California Professional Horsemen’s Association West Coast Green Hunter Incentive Championships offered more than $37,000 in prize money, and Katrina Pattinson and Leslie Steele rode away with the lion’s share on Friday, September 15, at the Blenheim Fall Tournament in San Juan Capistrano, CA.
Pattinson piloted Con Glassa, owned by Patricia Tondorf, to the win in the $23,425 CPHA 3’/3’3” Green Hunter Incentive Championship, while Steele topped the $13,775 CPHA 3’6”/3’9” Green Hunter Incentive Championship with No Reservations, owned by Curtis Holdings Inc.
The championship classes marked this year’s finale to the season-long Green Hunter Incentive Program, offered by Blenheim EquiSports and the CPHA to reward top green hunters. For 2023, 59 horses were enrolled in the program, and 90 percent of each enrollment fee was added directly to the $25,000 in prize money provided by Blenheim EquiSports for the culminating championships.
“You get a lot out of the program, both experience-wise and then also financially,” said Pattinson, who has competed Con Glassa in the CPHA Green Incentive classes throughout the past two years. “It’s great prize money every week, so the owner feels like they’re really coming away with something, and then, to have something like this championship for these young horses is unique and special. I feel like my horse has grown so much by doing the Green Incentive Program, and being able to cap it off with the championship win was a very special way to end the year for him!”
On their way to Friday’s championship victory, Pattinson and Con Glassa earned a score of 85 for their first round over the course designed by Kerry Kocher. All riders then returned to jump the same course a second time, with judges Geoff Case and Heidi D’Angelo awarding Con Glassa a second-round score of 88 for a winning 86.5 average.
Second place with an average score of 86.25 went to Steele and Casalluno, owned by Karle Dickerson, and Natalie Rae Sibert and her own Sligo finished in third with an average score of 85.5.
“Especially our second round was one of the best rounds that we ever had!” said Pattinson of Con Glassa’s performance on Friday. “He almost jumped better in the second round, which you don’t usually have, especially jumping the same jumps again. After the first jump, I was like, ‘Wow, I think he’s going to do this even better!’ I thought that I better just give him the ride that he deserves if he’s going to go around like that!”
Pattinson has been partnered with 9-year-old Con Glassa since last summer and has poured time and effort into developing the Holsteiner gelding to where he is now.
“We imported him from Europe last April, and he came as an 8-year-old who was a dressage horse,” explained Pattinson. “He’d jumped a little bit in Europe, and that was kind of how we knew that he had this fantastic style. Basically, when we brought him here, he didn’t really have much jumping experience – or at least not as much as we’re used to the horses having, especially as an 8-year-old. He’s really come into his own, and he’s really special.”
When Con Glassa is not competing in the professional divisions, he can be found in the 2’6” and 2’9” hunter and equitation divisions with his owner, Tondorf.
“I’d think it was kind of funny for the judges that judged him in the championship to then see [Con Glassa] do the Limit Equitation with [Patricia Tondorf] after!” said Pattinson. “He’s very versatile. He’s just so sweet. You can snuggle with him in the stall too, which is my favorite part.”
Steele’s winning mount in the $13,775 CPHA 3’6”/3’9” Green Hunter Incentive Championship, No Reservations, is another horse competing successfully in both the professional and amateur divisions this week at the Blenheim Fall Tournament.
Before taking on the Amateur-Owner 18-35 Hunters 3’3” with owner Casey Curtis, No Reservations jumped to scores of 84 and 87 to win the 3’6”/3’9” championship with an 85.5 average.
“He is just a horse that is a steady Eddie,” said Steele of the 9-year-old Selle Français gelding. “He comes to the horse shows, and he just always puts out 150 percent. He always does what you want him to do. He doesn’t rub the jumps. He wants to be careful; he wants to jump well. He’s sweet. He’s a delightful animal, and that’s what makes him such a good amateur-owner hunter too.”
Steele continued, “There were some really good horses in the class. He had to be at the top of his game to beat some of these guys, and this is a big feather in his cap. Out here in California, we don’t necessarily have the numbers, but we have the quality. It was nice to have him jump up with some really nice horses and prove that he could hold his own. It makes me really excited to take him east to do the fall indoor shows.”
Finishing in second place in the $13,775 CPHA 3’6”/3’9” Green Hunter Incentive Championship with an average score of 84 were Nick Haness and Walland, owned by B R Farms LLC. Rounding out the top three was Nina Alario who rode Sonja Petri’s Lyrical to an average score of 80.5.
For their wins, Pattinson and Steele each received coolers from Da Moor’s Feed & Tack, flowers, CPHA hats, sashes, CPHA keeper trophies, saddle pads and $50 Topline Designs Ribbon Wreaths gift certificates and custom picture frames, donated by Blenheim EquiSports.
The CPHA also recognized the leading horses and riders of the 2023 CPHA Green Hunter Incentive Program series. Topping the rider standings in the 3’/3’3” division are:
- Mitch Endicott – 329 points
- John Zambrano – 256 points
- Nick Haness – 243 points
The top three horses in the 3’/3’3” division are:
- East End – 187 points
- Hush Money – 173 points
- Valor – 129 points
In the 3’6”/3’9” division, the top three riders are:
- Nick Haness – 276 points
- Leslie Steele – 110 points
- Alexis Taylor – 96 points
The top three horses in the division are:
- McQueen – 130 points
- No Reservations – 110 points
- Day One – 105 points
To learn more about the CPHA Green Hunter Incentive Championships, visit www.CPHA.org, and for full results of the CPHA West Coast Green Hunter Incentive Championships, head to blenheim.showgroundslive.com.
