2008 Dallas Harvest Horse Show Wrap-Up
RELEASE: November 12, 2008
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Jenny Underwood
The 2008 Dallas Harvest Horse Show, held at the Texas Rose Horse Park, was a huge success. The sold-out event played host to more than 400 horse-and-rider teams during the five-day competition. Unsurpassed hospitality, plenty of prize money, specialty classes and fundraisers for Habitat for Horses were just a few of the things that made the show so spectacular.
In the grand prix ring, a Sunday Grand Prix Brunch kicked off the $25,000 Harvest Grand Prix. The grand prix was sponsored by October Hill Farm and the Davis Family.
For the second year in a row, the winner of the $25,000 Harvest Grand Prix was Tracy Fenney and horse MTM Timon. This is Fenney's seventh grand prix win at the Dallas Harvest Horse Show. She was also riding in front of a home crowd.
While everyone was watching Fenney and MTM Timon's every move in the jump-off, many people did not notice what happened at the last fence. "At the last jump, he just sailed it and he went one way and I went one way. I thought we were going to part company. I was just hoping that if we parted ways that it was going to be after the timers," laughed Fenney.
Fenney trains with Mike McCormick. The horse she won on, MTM Timon, is owned by MTM Farm. This is a horse that Fenney thinks has major potential, and hopes she has a long future ahead of her with this horse.
Fenney has been a frequent visitor to the winner's circle for this particular grand prix. For her, winning in front of a home crowd has special meaning to her. Fenney said that it is special to have a nice horse show to attend in Texas because there are not that many that contain the same level of quality as the Dallas Harvest Horse Show.
Jumper ResultsIn the Level 5 Jumpers, Trapp O'Neal took home the blue ribbon aboard Al Cantaro, owned by Isabelle Potts. O'Neal piloted Al Cantaro to a quick first-round time of 70.880. The class was run according to Table II 2b; if a rider went clear, they would immediately begin their jump-off round. O'Neal clocked in at 31.358 seconds in the jump-off with no faults. This is only his second time showing Al Cantaro.
O'Neal resides near Fort Worth, TX, and just recently started his own training and sales barn with his girlfriend called TKO Sport Horses.
Following the Level 5 Jumpers were the Level 6 Jumpers. Run according to Table II 2b, riders followed the same format as the other jumper classes earlier in the day. Winning the Level 6 Jumper class was Fenney on Sarah Busbice's horse Tenfold. She beat the rest of the field with a blazing fast jump-off time of 31.267 with no jumping faults.
The largest money class on Thursday was the $3,000 Nordic Lights Farm/Bruheim Family Welcome Stake. Nordic Lights Farm is a newer facility, but has already developed a reputation for having the highest-quality hunters and jumpers.
Galloping to victory in the class was Mike McCormick and his horse MTM Remington. Only three horses made it to the jump-off, and McCormick was the fastest with a jump-off time of 34.847 with no faults. Anthony D'Ambroiso's course definitely separated the class of riders as many accrued time faults and jumping faults. McCormick is a big fan of horse show manager Patrick Rodes and the shows he puts on. He had nothing but good things to say about the show grounds and all the upgrades that have been put in to place over the past year.
In the Level 4 Jumper class, the winner was Katherine Le Blanc and mount Tumba. She was the fastest of the three riders who made it to the second round. Louisiana-based Le Blanc purchased her horse last winter while in Gulfport. Even with a wet ring, riders were still complimenting the fantastic footing that is new to the grand prix ring this year. In the jump-off, Le Blanc was the only one to go clean with a time of 40.039.
Le Blanc has been to the Dallas Harvest Horse Show when it was still in Dallas, but she has not experience