HARRISBURG, Pa.--Scott Stewart on Jordan, owned by Sophie Gochman, won the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Grand Hunter Championship on Tuesday, Oct.18.
Scott Stewart on Jordon (Photo by Andrew Ryback Photography)Stewart on the 9-year-old Selle Français gelding had two wins and a third place over fences, a win under saddle and a second-place finish in the model to win the Green Conformation Hunter division championship.
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.
“It means a lot because we work all year long to come here and compete against the best riders and horses,” said Stewart, of Flemington, N.J. “I've come here every year since 1980. It's a very special place for tradition and all of the trophies.”
Stewart was the Leading Hunter Rider.
STEWART has only ridden Jordan since August when the horse was initially purchased by Gochman, and he has already been division champion two out of their three times.
“Amanda Steege brought him along and did a great job,” said 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.”
Stewart also rode Nottingham to a score of 93 in the Green Hunter 3’9” division to earn the 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, with John French on Milagro, owned by Kent Farrington LLC, reserve champion..
"Every time we ask him to be phenomenal, he is,” said Tosh. “He came here last year and was spectacular. He did it again this year. He’s a superstar.
“The whole horse show has been fantastic," saidTosh. "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 reserve was Nick Haness on Estimated Prophet, owned by Roaring Fork Farms LLC.
Haness on Can Can was also champion in Green Hunter 3’9”, , and reserve was Stewart on Nottingham.
Daniel Geitner on Mr. Manhattan was the Green Hunter 3’6” championship, and reserve was Jennifer Bauersachs on Alistaire.
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 Geitner on Harbormaster, and the Section B championship went to Geoffrey Hesslink on Kyoto, with the reserves were Holly Orlando on Golden Goose and Geitner on Kodiak, respectively.
The Green Hunter 3’3” also had more than 30 entries in two sections.
It was again Geitner who took the Section A championship in the Keystone Arena on Walk the Tides,and the Section A reserve championship went to Haness on Kuba Libra..
In Section B, the championship went to Holly Orlando and Delancey, and the reserve championship was awarded to Abby Jorgensen on Chapeau.
There were three $10,000 Winners Stake classes for those who placed in the top six of the professional hunter divisions.
Winning in the $10,000 Professional Division 3'6" - 4' Winners Stake, was Greg Crolick on Chappy,.
In the $10,000 Green Hunter 3’0” Winners Stake, the win went to John French on Luxor, and Haness on Kuba Libre won the $10,000 Green Hunter 3’3” Stake Class.
