Listen: McLain Ward talks about being the new national champion.
You know it takes a long time to make a Grand Prix horse and very often we don't see them until they're at the stage where they're on their way to being veterans.
But the international Young Horse Championships at the National show off these mounts in the developing stages, and it was pretty impressive.
Laura Kraut took the five-year-old title with Uno, a sale mount on which it is likely she won't keep the ride.
"He's such a sweet horse. He hasn't been to a show since July," said Laura of the Dutchbred owned by Mary Moricoli. "I hadn't ridden him since March. Mary spent the whole spring and summer getting him broke. He rides around like a 12-year-old now. I think he has such a great future. Who's to say, but whatever he does, he's going to be really good at."
The six-year-old honors went to Sandhya from the Mill Creek stables of Canada, ridden by Sergio Campos, a Florida-based native of Brazil.
"Sandhya is very fast, she can do those tight turns like no other horse," Sergio observed about the chestnut mare.
-
- Bob Kraut and Accordion, champions in the 7-8 year-old Young Jumpers
- © 2006 by Nancy Jaffer
In the seven- and eight-year-old category, the honors went to the aptly named Accordion, who looked very adjustable as he extended over the fences and collected between them when asked.
The bay gelding was ridden by Bob Kraut, who turned professional last spring. (He is Laura Kraut's husband, but the couple is divorcing.) The horse, owned by Happy Hill Farm and Peter Wetherill, is turning eight next year, and Bob sees the Dutchbred gelding as his potential grand prix mount.
"He's been in this jumper program since he was a five-year-old," Bob said. "I want to keep his sights set high; I love him. He's super scopey, very fast and very brave."
I'd like to give you a positive update on the squabble over the future of Stadium Jumping competitions at the showgrounds here after the organization's lease ends in 2008, but there isn't one yet.
Scenarios I'm hearing run the gamut from the folks who believe that the differences between Stadium Jumping Inc. and Wellington Equestrian Partners (who are buying the facility) will be settled and life as we know it here will go on, to the very real possibility that a new, larger showgrounds will be developed nearby by Stadium Jumping and the current grounds will be used for other shows or perhaps special, smaller competitions than the sprawling Winter Equestrian Festival. However it shakes out, I'm sure there still will be plenty of shows in Palm Beach County.
This is my last postcard for the year, so I'm ending with a wish to all of you and your horses for much happiness in the festive season and a wonderful 2007 that fulfills all your dreams, equestrian and otherwise.
