July 22, 2012 – The twentieth anniversary of the Charleston Classic closed yesterday with a bang with the $25,000 KnickerDoodles Pony Hunter Derby. This was the second installment of the largest pony hunter purse in the country and the ponies were out in full force! Twenty five pony and rider combinations tackled the course designed by Allen Rheinheimer and Joe Carnicum which saw Paige Parker riding Champlain Sovereign, owned by The Hill Farm, in the winner’s circle with a combined score of 176 points. In second place was Bergen Sanderford riding Center Ice, owned by Maria Yzerman, with a total score of 162, and third place honors went to Grace Gresset riding her own Daisy Due Blue with a combined effort of 156 points.
“This is only the second time we have offered this class and we were very pleased with the turnout. It was a great way to celebrate our twentieth anniversary of the Classic Company,” said Bob Bell, President of Classic Company.
John Mastriano, trainer at Tustin Farm of Hainesport, New Jersey, trains Paige Parker, the celebrated junior rider who added the prestigious win of the $25,000 KnickerDoodles Pony Hunter Derby to her resume. “Paige has been riding with us since she was 9 years old,” said Mastriano. “She’s heading off to Baylor in the fall, so it was great to see her ride so well her last year as a junior in Charleston,” he added. “This is our fourth year at Mullet Hall,” said Mastriano. “We go every year because our customers just love it and it’s a nice vacation for the entire family. Some go to the beach, some golf, some fish, but there is always something to do for everyone and the breeze is so lovely at the show grounds, it was actually cooler there last week than it was in New Jersey!” he added.
When commenting on the $25,000 KnickerDoodles Pony Hunter Derby, Mastriano said, “It was a great course. There were a lot of challenges and options for all the sizes which was nice. For instance, there were three jumps in a row with a small, medium and large size followed by a single oxer, which gave them all a level playing field because they could ride the oxer off their eye.”
Thursday’s $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby saw twenty five horse and rider teams take to the course and it was Julie Curtin of Woodstock, Georgia in the irons aboard Blackmail owned by Davis Equine, LTD who won the class.
The opening week of the Charleston Classic closed out last Sunday and awarded the coveted Supreme Kahuna Pony Classic Championship to the top ponies in the Small, Medium and Large Divisions as well as the Small, Medium and Large Green Ponies. Champions were earned by competitors accumulating points in the Pony Model classes, Pony under Saddle and the two Classics. Each Champion received an Essex Classic shirt and the Most Supreme Grand Kahuna Pony Rider Champion was awarded to Eyes Up, ridden by Sarah Hanks who received a special cooler and a congratulatory advertisement in the Chronicle of the Horse.
The Champions were awarded as follows:
- Small Pony Grand Kahuna – Rockefeller, ridden by Stella Posey
- Medium Pony Grand Kahuna – Falling Moon Celebration, ridden by Samantha Posey
- Large Pony Grand Kahuna – Eyes Up, ridden by Sarah Hanks
- Small /Med Green Kahuna – Falling Moon Celebration, ridden by Samantha Posey
- Large Green Kahuna – Kind Midas, ridden by Isabel Coleman
Both inside the ring and outside the ring, all celebrated the Classic Company’s twentieth anniversary of the Charleston Classic. Besides a packed week of parties Week I, the festivities continued through the second week of the Charleston Classic and featured exhibitor parties Wednesday through Saturday from the ringside to the annual “Unbridled Affair” at the stately Seabrook Club. Classic Company exhibitor parties always feature excellent food, an open bar and quite often, a live band. Most importantly, they are always complimentary for all horse show guests. “We love our customers! I really enjoy providing the best horse show competition as well as the best social scene at our shows. People who compete with us not only are serious riders, but they seriously enjoy life as well!” said Bell.
“We were really pleased with the turnout here in Charleston and enjoyed celebrating our twentieth anniversary with everyone. We are grateful to the community, our customers and the people that make the Charleston Classic a success each year,” said Bell. “We are even happier to report that everyone can expect a Grand Prix here next year and anticipate that the show will be even better than ever!” he added.
Trainer John Mastriano said, “We love the Classic Company horse shows. We have a choice where to compete and they are one of the only show companies that truly appreciate their customers. People like to be treated nicely and no one does it better than Bob and his team at Classic Company. Being in New Jersey, we have a lot of choices as to where to show and we choose Classic Company,” he stated.
The coveted Grand Champions Awards at the Charleston Classic are steeped in tradition and recipients of these prestigious awards join the ranks of the leading equestrians in the country. This year’s winners are:
- Grand Hunter Champion, The James Vaughn Perpetual Trophy presented to Zazou, owned by Doreen Toben and ridden by Quinn Larimer
- Grand Hunter Champion, The Seabrook Perpetual Trophy presented to Fern Gully, owned and ridden by Stephanie Zimmerman
- Grand Junior Hunter Champion, The Hummel Perpetual Trophy presented to Mystical, owned by Sylvia Reitman and ridden by Paige Parker
- Grand Large Junior Hunter Champion, The Rave Perpetual Trophy presented to Mystical, owned by Sylvia Reitman and ridden by Paige Parker
- Grand Small Junior Hunter Champion, Sweet Surprise Perpetual Trophy presented to Concierge, owned by Nestledown Equine Services, LLC and ridden by Quinn Larimer
- Grand Pony Champion, The Keith R. Nichols Memorial Perpetual Trophy presented to Keep Dreamin’, owned by Katie Dinan, LLC and ridden by Bergen Sanderford
- Grand Children’s Hunter Champion, The Trick or Treat Memorial Trophy presented to Rubicon, owned and ridden by Emily Drewery
- Grand Adult Amateur Hunter Champion, the Hillbright Farm Trophy presented to Geddaway, owned by Geddaway Farm and ridden by Sherri Geddes
- Grand High Performance Regular Working Hunter Champion, The Marie Reynolds Memorial Perpetual Trophy presented to Casalo, owned by Erin McGuire and ridden by Elizabeth Boyd
- Grand Green Working Hunter Champion, the Sit-Down Perpetual Trophy presented to Zazou, owned by Doreen Tobin and ridden by Quinn Larimer
- Grand Pre-Green Champion, The Beverly Finkle Memorial Trophy presented to Goodman, owned by Kathryn Coster and ridden by Drew Coster.
After a summer break, Classic Company will welcome all to the first annual Southeast Medal Finals at the Jacksonville Equestrian Center. The competition will be fantastic and some of the top trainers and riders have already committed to the event.
Then, it’s off to Atlanta for the season finale and the debut of the Adequan Pre-Green Classic Sweepstakes. The entry fees from the Pre-Green Classics for the year will be returned as winnings and matched by Classic Company! You won’t want to miss this event!
The Classic Company is a USHJA’s Members Choice Award winner, recognized for producing top quality show jumping events in the United States. For more information on Classic Company and its exhibitor- friendly, top quality hunter jumper events, please visit them at www.ClassicCompany.com.
See you at the rings,
Bob Bell
The Classic Company, Ltd.
www.ClassicCompany.com
Phone/FAX: (843) 768-5503
Post Office Box 1311 Johns Island SC 29457