TOUGH GUYS - and Gals - wear p nk By CONNie LeCHLeitNeR Everywhere you looked at Roberts Arena in Wilmington, Ohio, September 19-21, there were shades of pink. It was the first clue that this was not your everyday horse show. The eighth annual Tough Enough To Wear Pink show offered a class for everyone, including a Trainer Challenge that encouraged trainers to show off their best shades of pink. The show is a fundraiser for the Stephanie Spielman Fund for Patient Assistance. The National Snaffle Bit Association is a sponsor of the show. The Tough Enough To Wear Pink horse show raised a record $70,500 from its 2014 show. Coming into the show we were already up in stalls from last year, said Jackson. We love that everyone is so supportive of this show each year. Since it began, the Tough Enough To Wear Pink horse show has now raised more than $285,000 for cancer research and patient assistance. The horse show began on Friday, September 19, with Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure, Longe Line and Barrel Racing classes. On Saturday, exhibitors competed in Halter, Showmanship, Hunter Under 90 THE WAY TO GO
Rocked N Red, owned by Audrey Baker, won the $1,000 Non-Pro Western Pleasure and the $2,000 Open Western Pleasure with Karen Hornick aboard. (Photo by Whoo Hoo, owned by Laura and todd Salome and shown by Nicole Giumenti, won the $1,000 Open Hunter Under Saddle (Photo by Connie Lechleitner) Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation, as well as a Versatility class prior to four signature classes in Non-Pro and Open Hunter Under Saddle and Non-Pro and Open Western Pleasure. Sunday saw Horsemanship and Western Pleasure classes as well as the Cancer Survivors Walk Trot and the Loni Grice Memorial Walk Trot, as well as Heather and Stephanie s Pink Egg and Spoon class. The show paid out more than $12,000 in added money. Four NSBA bronze trophies were presented during the JD Equipment $5,000 Fall Classic on Saturday evening. Rocked N Red brought home two trophies and the largest paychecks of the night for owner Audrey Baker. The gelding by HH Redrock was raised by the Baker family and piloted by Audrey Baker to win the $1,000 Non-Pro Western Pleasure and by Karen Hornick to win the $2,000 Open Western Pleasure class. Baker also added to the pair s awards by winning the NSBA plaque in Novice Youth Horsemanship, Open Western Pleasure and Youth Western Pleasure 14-18. He s always got to be doing something, said Baker said of her mount. And he loves attention. He ll take attention even over eating. He s one of those horses that is easy to prepare, added Hornick. You don t have to put him together Above: Audrey Baker holds one of two NSBA bronze trophies won by her horse Rocked N Red. the gelding won the $1,000 Non-Pro Western Pleasure with Baker and the $2,000 Open Western Pleasure with Karen Hornick showing. (Photo by Connie Lechleitner) NOVEMBER 2014 91
Above: Kelly McWhinney and Al Wanna Be First took the bronze trophy in the $1,000 Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle. (Photo by he just comes out loping. He gives you a great top line, and once you see that, you know everything else is in place. And he has a ton of personality. In the $1,000 Open Hunter Under Saddle, a cheer for Whoo Hoo was in order for Nicole Giumenti, who rode the gelding to win the class for Laura and Todd Salome. This horse picked me, said Laura Salome. We had brought him to our farm to just get some training started, and when he got off the trailer he just cuddled up to me. Salome also won the Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle earlier in the show. Giumenti quickly changed from a Hunt coat to western attire for a later class, and didn t even realize she had won the JD Equipment class. I came back from changing and saw Laura holding the NSBA bronze, and couldn t believe it, she said. It was the first bronze for Horton or me! Kelly McWhinney and Al Wanna Be First took the bronze trophy in the $1,000 added Non- Pro Hunter Under Saddle. Several NSBA plaques were awarded for $500 classes throughout the show. Among the NSBA winners were CM Notice Me and Jody Prime, riding for Margaret Carter, Green Hunter Under Saddle; Uwishucoulddance, Morgan Shafley, Three Year Old Hunter Under Saddle; Signing In, Kelsey Sybert for Robin Sybert, Novice Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle; Jennifer Paul and EBG Groovy Affair, Open Hunter Under Saddle; Tristin Ford and A Stylish Invitation, Novice Youth Western Pleasure; and My Sweet Addiction, Whitney Karr, Novice Non-Pro Western Pleasure. Simply Too Zippin Good and Kenny Hoffman earned an NSBA plaque in Yearling Longe Line. Bethany Valentine took home five NSBA plaques Right: Simply too Zippin Good and Kenny Hoffman won yearling Longe Line. (Photo by Left: CM Notice Me and Jody Prime, riding for Margaret Carter, won the Green Hunter Under Saddle. (Photo by Above: Morgan Shafley showed Uwishucoulddance to win the three year Old Hunter Under Saddle. (Photo by Left: My Sweet Addiction and Whitney Karr won Novice Non-Pro Western Pleasure. (Photo by Fairfield Photography) 92 THE WAY TO GO
Below: Bethany Valentine won Novice youth Hunter Under Saddle and youth Hunter Under Saddle 14-18 with All i Want is you. (Photo by Above: Signing in shown by Kelsey Sybert for Robin Sybert, won the Novice Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle. (Photo by with three different horses. She won Novice Youth Showmanship and Youth Showmanship 14-18 with Hes Suddenly Handsom, Novice Youth Hunter Under Saddle and Youth Hunter Under Saddle 14-18 with All I Want Is You, and Youth Horsemanship 14-18 with Invitation In Black. Abby Wyrick was the winner of the 10-13 Horsemanship. Emma Gore won the Small Fry Horsemanship with At The Bar For Hours. In other pattern classes, it was Lauren Bussert and Money In Iron winning the Novice Youth Hunt Seat Equitation while Willy Cee A Lady and Elaina McCarthy took the plaque in Hunt Seat Equitation 14-18. The Survivors class, which was open to any rider who had survived any type of cancer, saw 12 entries. Patty Jo Kinsey showed Red Hot Blaze to the win. A very special exhibition and win took place in the Loni Grace Memorial emma Gore won the Small Fry Horsemanship with At the Bar For Hours. (Photo by Fairfield Photography) Bethany Valentine took home five NSBA awards with three different horses, including Novice youth Showmanship and youth Showmanship 14-18 with Hes Suddenly Handsom. (Photo by ebg Groovy Affair and Jennifer Paul won the NSBA Open Hunter Under Saddle. (Photo by Lauren Bussert and Money in iron rode to the win Novice youth Hunt Seat equitation. (Photo by NOVEMBER 2014 93
Left: Four-year-old Cassandra Neher rode as a co-pilot with emily Lloyd Manning aboard invited By Krymsun in memory of Cassandra s mother, Bridget, who died earlier this year from an acute form of leukemia in the Loni Grace Memorial Walk trot. (Photo by Below: Bethany Valentine won youth Horsemanship 14-18 with invitation in Black. (Photo by Walk Trot. Four-year-old Cassandra Neher rode as a co-pilot with Emily Lloyd Manning aboard Invited By Krymsun in memory of Cassandra s mother, Bridget, who died earlier this year from an acute form of leukemia. It was her first time to compete, and the duo bested 51 entries to win the class, which showed in three splits and a final. The fund the horse show benefits, the Stefanie Spielman Fund, was established by Stefanie Spielman, along with her husband, former Ohio State standout and ten year NFL all-pro football player Chris Spielman. Since she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998, Stefanie spoke publicly about the need for research, prevention and treatment of the disease at every opportunity. She and Chris set a goal to raise money and awareness of breast cancer even up until her death in 2009. Her positive spirit was an inspiration to many women who have fought this disease as well as their families. Learn more at http://cancer.osu.edu/waystogive/ about/funds/spielman/pages/index.aspx. The Tough Enough To Wear Pink Committee is looking for additional volunteers to assist in planning next year s event, as well as sponsors. To become a sponsor or obtain additional information about the 2015 Tough Enough To Wear Pink show, please visit the show s website, www.toughenoughtowearpinkhorseshow.com. Right: Willy Cee A Lady and elaina McCarthy won Hunt Seat equitation 14-18. (Photo by 94 THE WAY TO GO
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2 ND ANNUAL 42.5 TRAINER CHALLENGE RAISES $1,800 Eight intrepid trainers and individuals rose to the call for the second annual 42.5 Trainer Challenge, which began as an impromptu fundraiser organized by Ty Hornick at the 2013 show. Guest judges Robin Schoeller, NRHA trainer, and Beth Himes, president of the National Reining Horse Association, had their hands full judging characters that included Denny Mulford s pony drive to kick cancer, an Amish Angel (Melvin Yoder), a mean Bad Boy mower-driving grandpa (Chip Jackson) and decked out entries by Brent Garringer, Jess Haines, Troy Prime and Brigham Turner as well as last year s class champion, Hornick. In the end, Chip Jackson, who is one of the organizers of the annual event, won the contest after execution of flawless 360 s some with no hands on the Bad Boy mower. The Trainer Challenge also included a Calcutta auction that raised $1,800. The proceeds were presented to long-time horse show secretary and Tough Enough to Wear Pink bling hat accessorizor Kay Haines, who is currently undergoing treatment for cancer. 98 THE WAY TO GO
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