Lady Issay Leads Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championships, Presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare, as Overall Grand Champion Best Young Horse

Lexington, Ky.—Sept. 19, 2022—The Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championships, presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare, concluded the year's competition by naming Lady Issay, a 2020 Westphalian mare by Lord Ferragamo and out of Icca, the Overall Grand Champion Best Young Horse. Bred, owned and handled by Alaina Brooks, of Hayesville, North Carolina, Lady Issay earned the honor after judges evaluated horses on the East Coast and in the Central region, choosing the best horse of both competitions to be awarded the title and the Dave Kelley Perpetual Trophy.

"For me personally, it's really an honor to have a horse that you bred and raised yourself, take them to the horse show and they do so well. She’s bred for a performance career—that was her intention, she wasn’t bred just to show on the line—so it's been really rewarding for a horse that we bred for a performance career to go compete and do so well in the conformation and the in-hand. That kind of further confirms the breeding; that it's successful and not just in one area," said Brooks. "I thought we had a wonderful turnout, and I thought everyone was really supportive of each other this year. I am happy to be a part of the Hunter Breeding world."

The Central competition's Caparo, a 2021 Hanoverian gelding by Caberdino and out of Obora’s Gizelle was named the Overall Reserve Grand Champion. The gelding owned and bred by Maribeth Jezek of CHCR Equine was led to the honor by Rob Moyar, of Stagecoach, Texas.

Held on August 27 at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia, judges Sue Ashe and Linda Andrisani saw the East Coast competition first. Lady Issay quickly stood out and topped the 2-Year-Old Filly class under Brooks' guidance. The mare then took to the Best Young Horse class alongside the day's 11 other class leaders and reserves. In the end, she took the East Coast title and Masquerade’s Cover Perpetual Trophy, as well as the East Coast High Score Filly honor.

"She is a primadonna. What is really interesting is that if you don’t know her and you just see her in the ring, you'd think that she is a very showy horse because she always has a 'vouge look' as I like to say. But she really likes to show. As soon as she goes into the ring, she knows that she's in the show ring and she turns it on," Brooks said of Lady Issay.

Bewitched (Bliss MF x Run Lucy Run), a 2019 Oldenburg mare bred by Ashley Martindale and owned by Audry Giles Gates, claimed the Reserve Best Young Horse title. Handled by Leading East Handler Emily Anne Belin McDonnell, of Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, the mare took second in the 3-Year-Old Filly class to earn her contention in the Best Young Horse class as well as the Best Texas Bred Award.

New this year, the Central competition took to Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas, on September 16. After topping the Yearling Colt/Gelding class, Caparo went on to win the Central Best Young Horse title and later, the Overall Reserve Grand honor. During special award presentations, Moyar was named the Leading Central Handler while Caparo earned the American Hanoverian Society High Point Breed Award and Best Texas Bred Award.

"For us to show all year and then to have such large company with everybody in the region and be able to come out in that spot is very overwhelming. Just to have so many horses there—we are very lucky to have it in Texas and be Central—to have such a large turnout and the fact that it is a well-known prestigious event, that was a great honor," said Moyar.

"I think the [Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championship] is a great space to bring young horses," he continued. "I think that there is definitely room for more horse shows like it and certainly we are thrilled to be a part of it."

Earning the Reserve Best Young Horse honor at the Central competition was Magneto (Montaro OHF x Tarilla), handled by Sharon Soderquist, of Thompsons, Texas. A 2019 Westfalen NA gelding owned and bred by Vicki Hunton of Olde Oaks Farm, Magneto won the 3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding class before earning the reserve title as well as the Westfalen High Point Breed Award.

The USHJA congratulates the following winners at the 2022 events:

East Coast

Best Young Horse

Champion – Lady Issay (Lord Ferragamo x Icca), a 2020 Westphalian mare owned, bred and handled by Alaina Brooks
Reserve – Bewitched (Bliss MF x Run Lucy Run), a 2019 Oldenburg mare owned by Audry Giles Gates, bred by Ashley Martindale and handled by Emily Anne Belin-McDonnell

Class Champions

Yearling Colt/Gelding – The Rainmaker (Con Capilot x Brown Eyed Girl), a 2021 KWPN gelding owned by Kathryn Meadows, bred by Dr. Erica Feiste and handled by Emily Anne Belin McDonnell
Yearling Filly – Foe What Its Worth (Friend or Foe x Bertoni’s Reign), a 2021 Thoroughbred mare owned and bred by William Howland, Jr. and handled by Drew Taylor
2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding – Quimby Lane (Quateback x Florencia), a 2020 Oldenburg gelding owned and bred by Casey Papp and handled by Emily Anne Belin McDonnell
2-Year-Old Filly – Lady Issay
3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding – Bunker Hill (Nob Hill x Concertina), a 2019 stallion owned and bred by Diana Dodge and handled by William Howland, Jr
3-Year-Old Filly – Layla (Liberty Gold x Magical Girl), a 2019 Hanoverian mare owned by Kerry Moody, bred by Ashley Holsinger and handled by Drew Taylor
3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Visionary HM (Viscount 22 x Sylvia 59), a 2019 Belgian Warmblood mare owned and ridden by Whitney Brooks and bred by Kimmy Risser/Hickory Manor Farm
3-Year-Old Hunter Hack – Visionary HM
4-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Revoir BR (Rosenthal x C’Est La Vie), a 2018 Oldenburg gelding owned by Lucy Coll, bred by High Point Hanoverians and ridden by Elizabeth Fitzgerald
4-Year-Old Hunter Hack – Revoir BR
4-Year-Old Conformation Over Fences – Revoir BR
Amateur Handler – Layla handled by Kerry Moody
Junior Handler – Covenant SomethingRoyal (Telynau Royal Anthem x Tiffany's Secret Lacy), a 2018 Welsh cross gelding owned by Melinda Snyder, bred by Susan Shotwell and handled by Eamon Snyder

Special Awards

Leading East Handler – Emily Anne Belin McDonnell
Leading East Owner – Diana Dodge
Leading East Thoroughbred – Foe What Its Worth
Leading East Breeder – Exquisite Sport Horses – Charlotte Simmons
East Coast High Score Filly – Lady Issay

Breed Awards

American Hanoverian Society – Carbone (Caberdino x For Sure), a 2021 Hanoverian gelding owned and bred by Sally Culhane and handled by Jay Raach
AQHA – Slushie (Impulsation x Has Alotta Potential), a 2019 AQHA gelding owned and handled by Adison Nix and bred by Bruce Brown
Belgian Warmblood (BWP-NAD) – Visionary HM
ISR-Oldenburg NA – Classic Love (Carrico x Tainted Love), a 2019 Oldenburg mare owned and bred by Catherine Marcks and handled by Emily Ann Belin McDonnell
KWPN – The Rainmaker
Oldenburg OHBS – Renaldi (Rosenthal x Feurstin), a 2019 Oldenburg gelding owned by Sue Tice-Grossman, bred by High Point Hanoverians and handled by Drew Taylor
Westfalen Verband – Lady Issay
USSHBA – Lady Issay
Zangersheide – Escona Z (El Salvador x Quality Cona Z), a 2020 Zangersheide mare owned, bred and handled by Nicole Marin
Holsteiner Verband - Camber (Cunningham x A-You Might Wonder), a 2020 Holsteiner gelding owned, bred and handled by Anderson Djuric
Irish Draught Society of North America – Whiskey At Midnight (Gemstone Clover x Midnight Passion), a 2021 Irish Draught mare owned, bred and handled by Kerry Lammerding
$1000 Best Virginia Bred – Foe What Its Worth
$1000 Best Texas Bred - Bewitched

Central

Best Young Horse

Champion – Caparo (Caberdino x Obora’s Gizelle), a 2021 Hanoverian gelding owned and bred by Maribeth Jezek of CHCR Equine and handled by Rob Moyar
Reserve – Magneto (Montaro OHF x Tarilla), a 2019 Westfalen NA gelding owned and bred by Vicki Hunton of Olde Oaks Farm and handled by Sharon Soderquist

Class Champions

Yearling Colt/Gelding – Caparo
Yearling Filly – Avance FM (Carry On MF x Anastasia), a 2021 Oldenburg mare owned and handled by Amy Frenzel and bred by FM Sporthorses LLC
2-Year-Old Colt/Gelding – Seeker (Sagar x Leviosa), a 2020 Westfalen gelding owned, bred, and handled by Kayla Larson
2-Year-Old Filly – Shine A Light (Shine (Alesi) x Taxi), a 2020 Oldenburg mare owned, bred, and handled by Vicki Hunton
3-Year-Old Colt/Gelding – Magneto
3-Year-Old Filly – Cordelia (Westporte x Coriana), a 2019 Oldenburg mare owned and bred by Barbara Bailey and handled by Abby Jeter
3-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Take It Easy (Standing Ovation x Hall of Jewels xx), a 2019 Belgian Warmblood gelding owned and bred by Barbara Bailey and ridden by Phillipe Creuzot
3-Year-Old Hunter Hack – Starlord (Lordship x Goszcip), a 2019 Westfalen stallion owned, bred, and ridden by Janine Weatherby
4-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle – Cozimi WH (Vindication S x Cassiopeia WH), a 2018 Oldenburg mare owned and ridden by Jordan Mallard and bred by Whitehedge Farm
4-Year-Old Hunter Hack – Aerodynamik PF (Aloha x I’Full Storm), a 2018 warmblood mare owned, bred, and ridden by Candice Reece
Amateur/Junior Handler – Seven Wonders (Casander x Czech Me Out), a 2019 Holsteiner gelding owned and handled by Amy Clemson and bred by Jocelyn Gibson

Special Awards

Leading Central Handler – Rob Moyar
Leading Central Owner – Olde Oaks Farm – Vicki Hunton
Leading Central Breeder – Whitehedge Farm – Anne Hedge

Breed Awards

American Hanoverian Society – Caparo
Belgian Warmblood (BWP-NAD) – Take it Easy
ISR-Oldenburg NA – Cordelia
Oldenburg OHBS – Avance FM
Westfalen Verband – Magneto
USSHBA – Fallon WH (Fabriano VDL x Cassiopeia WH), a 2021 Oldenburg gelding owned by Becky Brothers, bred by Whitehedge Farm and handled by Macy White
Holsteiner Verband- Maricoba (Diamante Fino x Up The River), a 2019 Holsteiner mare owned, bred, and handled by Kristen Stinson
North American Studbook – Cabocci NA (Cabalito x Deeyona), a 2020 North American Sporthorse owned by Rebecca Shostak, bred by Linda Mancini and handled by Anne Hedge
Irish Draught Society of North America – Dorian Grays Lucky Charm (Cappa Irish Charmer x Big Time Ceasar), a 2019 Irish Draught gelding owned by Lilian Sullivan, bred by Leigh Partlow and handled by Melissa Sullivan
AWSSR – Dorian Grays Lucky Charm
$1000 Best Texas Bred – Caparo

Coordinated by the USHJA since 2019, the Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championships aim to increase awareness of the Hunter Breeding sport and provide an arena for handlers, owners and breeders to showcase their talented young horses.

The Championships are open to yearlings, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds of any breed that have a current USEF Horse Recording and are registered with the USHJA. In addition to in-hand classes, other offerings include an Amateur/Junior Handler class, 3-Year-Old or 4-Year-Old Hunter Under Saddle, 3-Year-Old Hunter Hack Classes and 4-Year-Old Conformation Over Fences classes. Horses are judged on athleticism, conformation, way of moving, quality, substance and suitability to become hunters. The same panel of judges officiate at both Championships, then an Overall Champion is named following the final event.

The USHJA extends a special thanks to the Virginia Horse Center Foundation and Texas Rose Horse Park for hosting the Championships and to Presenting Sponsors Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare. The USHJA also thanks Official Sponsors CWD, Exhibitor's, Nutrena, Parlanti and Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital; supporting sponsors Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and SmartPak; and award sponsors Essex Classics and Remarkable Leather Goods.

For more information about the Sallie B. Wheeler/USEF/USHJA Hunter Breeding National Championships, presented by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Oare, visit ushja.org/SallieB.

Photos: SDH Photography, Jerry Mohme Photography and Terisé Cole/USHJA