Harrisburg, PA -  There was excitement in the air at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show today as the Junior Hunter riders donned their formal shadbelly coats to compete in the Championship classes. The day was made even more special as a record was broken and history was made.

 

Victoria Colvin and Ovation make history (c) Al Cook

Mckayla Langmeier of East Granby, CT, and Linda Langmeier's MARASCHINO were the first of the day to be crowned Champions as they claimed the Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under Championship and the Gabriel/Night Owl Challenge Trophy out of a field of 30, while Hunter Holloway of Topeka, KS and Hays Investment Corp.'s LYONS CREK BELLINI took Reserve Champion.  Jesus "Chuy" Villalon, who looks after MARASCHINO received the Grooms Award.

 

"It's such an honor to win here!" grinned Langmeier. "My mare was great. She is really fun to ride and she's very scopey."

 

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show record books were re-written as Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, and Dr. Betsee Parker's OVATION won the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 Championship and the Tindle Perpetual Trophy. With today's win, the pair are the first to win four consecutive Small Junior Hunter Championship titles (Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under Champions 2010-2013) at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Vivan Yowan of Lexington, KY, also put in a fantastic performance out of a field of 27, and took Reserve Champion with Saddle Ridge LLC's RANSOM.  OVATION'S groom Marco Delara won the Grooms Award.

 

"He is an AMAZING horse and he deserves it!" beamed Colvin about the 14 year-old bay gelding.

 

Bergen Sanderford and Happenstance win the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under Championship (c) Al Cook

 

OVATION also won the EMO Agency Junior Hunter High Five Award which was presented to the horse earning the highest numerical score throughout the junior hunter division.

 

OVATION's owner Dr. Betsee Parker was filled with emotion about her horse. "It's a thrill for us to have 'the one' that distinguished himself at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. That's a wonderful, wonderful feeling, and I can't even describe it," said Parker. "Whoever imagined it - even in your childhood dreams!  'Tori' does such an amazing job of piloting him around. We would not be standing here if I had given that ride to anyone else."

 

In the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under Championship it was Bergen Sanderford of Santa Rosa Beach, FL, and her own horse HAPPENSTANCE that were crowned Champions from a field of 28 competitors and took home the Irene L. Armstrong Memorial Perpetual Trophy. Lilli Hymowitz of New York, NY, and Rose Hills Farm's TIFFANI were Reserve Champions. Rosilio Chavez received the Grooms Award for looking after HAPPENSTANCE.

 

"It's the most amazing feeling to even show here, and to rank as one of the highest is out of this world!" said Sanderford. "My horse is my 'main man', and I can rely on him for anything," she said with a grin.

 

It was a familiar face in the prize giving for the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 Championship as Victoria Colvin was crowned Champion and received the John Bryner, Jr. Memorial Perpetural Trophy, this time with Dr. Betsee Parker's INCLUSIVE. Reserve Champion in the 29-strong class was Kerry McCahill from Windermere, FL, and Kerry Anne LLC's IMAGINE. Groom Marco Delara received his second award of the day for keeping INCLUSIVE looking his best.

 

Hunter Holloway and Lyons Creek Bellini win the $5,000 Junior Hunter Winners Stake (c) Al Cook

The $5,000 Junior Hunter Winners Stake was very competitive as the top placing riders competed in the culminating junior hunter class. Hunter Holloway and LYONS CREEK BELLINI claimed victory and received the Plain Brown Wrapper Challenge Trophy as well as the $1,500 first place prize money.

 

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS) is one of the largest indoor horse shows in the U.S., hosting horses and competitors from across the country with 20,000 spectators attending from the Mid-Atlantic region. With over 1,400 qualified horses competing for $485,000 in prize money, the show features national Hunter and Jumper competition and is the site of the Pessoa/USEF National Hunter Seat Medal Final, the Randolph College/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships, North American League (NAL) National Finals and the $85,000 Grand Prix de Penn National.

 

In addition to world-class equestrian competition, the horse show offers a unique shopping experience with boutique vendors showcasing one-of-a-kind, equine inspired products including jewelry, fun fashion and accessories.

The 10-day event is being held from October 9th to 18th at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, PA. Proceeds from the event benefit community equine and youth programs. Since its inception in 1945, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation has donated nearly $2 million to charitable entities.

 

Live coverage of the competition, scoring results and more details on the show are all available at www.PAnational.org.