by Jennifer Condren

The Kirkwood Equestrian Center, on the campus of Kirkwood College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa was the setting for the Corn Belt Walking Horse Association Fall Classic October 16 - 18. You could not ask for a better facility in which to have a horse show. The show ring, warm-up arena and stalls are all located under one roof that is climate controlled for year around availability. Bryant Fly made the trip from Columbia, Tenn., to judge the 70-class event.

The four-performance event hosted 210 entries from Iowa and surrounding states. The conclusion of the event was, as usual, the Walking Horse Stake. Three top entries made the gait call, and they all worked well throughout the class. The judge’s tie went to Major Monkey Business and Truman Volkart for Truman and Deborah Volkart. Mike Maack and Pride’s Midnight Holiday received the reserve honors for owner Bruce Chrisco. Diamonds And Cash and Jim Huffman made the good ride for the third place tie for Richard and Sarah Mitch. Exhibitors were treated to an exhibitor’s party following the show, which was sponsored by members of the CBWHA.

Huffman Family Stables, under the direction of Jim Huffman, led the blue ribbon tally taking 14 blue ribbons back to Ozark, Mo. Whispering Pines Stable, under the direction of Sandra Huffman of New Sharon, Iowa, earned eight blue ribbons, as did Sue Halvorson of Waterloo, Iowa. Mike Maack Stables was close on their heels taking seven blues home to Polk, Mo. Fair Grove, Missouri’s own Don Bills Stables and the family of Eldon Jenkins of Macon, Mo., earned a total of six blues. Tom Burton Stables of packed up five blues to bring home, as did Truman Volkart. Thursday

The two-year-old walking horses opened the show with the first win of the show going to Extra’s Dark Mist and Don Bills. Tom Burton claimed the second blue of the show with the flashy new stallion Rainbow’s Magic Walker in the Lite-Shod Two-Gait class. The winning combination of Victory Colors and Jim Huffman strutted their stuff to claim the top ribbon in the three-year-old class.

Talk of Texas and Jennifer Condren laid claim to the win in the Amateur Park Pleasure class. Darlene Swaringim and Mark The Time added another title to their lengthy list of wins this season in the Show Pleasure Specialty class. Dark Side’s Star Attraction and Rocky Good received the judge’s nod in the new Pleasure Performance Two-Gait class. Four-year-old specialty winner Jim Huffman and Hydro Generator rode to the crowd’s approval.

Making the victory pass in the Ladies Amateur Specialty class was the new team of Jill Wait and Designed By Dumas. Sue Halvorson and Magic Fashion’s Shadow won their first of many blues, beginning with the Park Pleasure Owned and Trained class. The Aged Mare and Gelding class was won by Jim Huffman and Diamonds And Cash. Darlene Swaringim and Don Bills treated the spectators with their rider-switching ability on Extracy in the Pro-Am class to claim the top award. The three and under lite-shod winners were Just About Right and Ellen Leake. What they lacked in size, they made up for in ability as Tom Burton and Final Touch of Mack K won the three and under park pleasure class.

Truman Volkart and The Juice made the victory pass in the Men’s Amateur Specialty class. Rose’s Threat B and Karen Farris won their first of seven blues in the Lite-Shod Three-Gait class. Pride’s Midnight Holiday and Mike Maack received the judge’s tie in the Open Walking class. Friday

Fashion’s Magic Princess and Kayla Halvorson received the judge’s and crowd’s approval in the Lead Line class. ET’s New Impression and Terry Knockel came out with the blue following the Amateur Owned and Trained Specialty. Shaker’s Mr. Threat and Alisa Zbornik paired up to claim the title in the Juvenile 17 and Under Lite-Shod class. This was a special win for Mike Maack Stables as all are wishing owner Georgia Swicegood a speedy recovery from her recent surgery.

Truman Volkart and Major Monkey Business received top honors in the 15.2 and Under Amateur Specialty class.

Darlene Swaringim and Mark The Time claimed their second blue of the show with a repeat performance in the Amateur Show Pleasure Specialty. Talk Of Texas and Jennifer Condren also received their second blue of the show with their win in the Park Pleasure Two-Gait class. The consistent team of Rose’s Threat B and Karen Farris claimed another win in the Lite-Shod Amateur Two-Gait class. Kristin Buddemeyer couldn’t stop smiling on her victory pass on Severe Storm Warning in the Amateur Specialty class.

Memory Of Shadow, a classic horse, and Travis Wieberg won the Juvenile 17 and Under Park Pleasure class. The two-year-old amateur honors went to Richard Mitch and Lite Jazz. Mitch did back to back duty as he returned to the ring to win the Men’s Amateur class with Diamonds And Cash. Sue Halvorson and Fashion’s Magic Princess earned the top spot in the Park Pleasure Three-Gait class. Alisa Zbornik learned her way to the winner’s circle earlier in the night, but returned this time on Miss Harley in the Juvenile 11 and Under Specialty class.

Major Monkey Business and Truman Volkart returned to the ring for a repeat performance as well in the Open Specialty class. The Lite-Shod Amateur Three-Gait blue was claimed by Rose’s Threat B and Karen Farris. The Lite-Shod Amateur Owned and Trained Specialty winner was Charged by JFK with Tabatha Richards in the irons.

Donna Huffman and Victory Colors made the victory pass in the Three-Year-Old Amateur class. This time it was Huffman’s turn to do a back to back switch as she returned to the ring for another blue ribbon ride on Hydro Generator in the Four-Year-Old Amateur class. Alisa Zbornik made her third blue ribbon ride of the night on Another Great One in the Pleasure Performance Amateur class. Saturday Afternoon

Major Monkey Business won the Model class with Truman Volkart at the rein. Back to back wins went to Marlene Lundgren and her weanling Magic’s Rare Edition. The team claimed both the Iowa Futurity Weanling and the Open Weanling class.

Rainbow’s Magic Walker rode away with the blue in the Spotted Saddle Horse class with Kurt King doing a good job catch riding for Tom Burton. Eldonna Wieberg also did double duty. He won the Iowa Futurity Yearling class and Open Yearling class with That’ll Dume.

Sue Halvorson had a busy afternoon claiming wins in the Futurity Two-Year-Old Performance class with Design’s Dark Angel and the Park Pleasure Western Two-Gait and Three-Gait class with Fashion’s Magic Princess.

Rose’s Threat B and Karen Farris claimed two blues Saturday afternoon as well with wins in the Lite-Shod Western Two-Gait and Three-Gait classes. Travis Wieberg returned with Memory Of Shadow to win the Juvenile Park Pleasure class and the Juvenile Lite-Shod Western class. Saturday Evening

Stake night always brings a sense of excitement to a multi-day show, and it was no different in Iowa. Starting off the evening was the Juvenile Lite-Shod 10 and Under Three-Gait class. Claiming top honors was once again Memory Of Shadow and Travis Wieberg. Wieberg thought his trip to Iowa was definitely worth missing school for.

Three hard riding amateurs entered the ring for the 50 & Over Amateur Specialty class, but judge Fly determined that it would be Spun’s Precious Jewel and Virginia Counts making the victory pass under the watchful eye of trainer Don Bills. Beam’s Wonder Woman and Tara Enwright were asked to make the victory pass in the Four and Under Lite-Shod class.

Donna Huffman and Hydro Generator returned to the ring to claim another blue for the Huffman Family Stables in the Trainer’s Family class. Donna Huffman returned to the ring later in the evening to claim the Three-Year-Old Stake with Victory Colors. She executed flawless performances in both classes. Jim Huffman prepared both these young horses for the ring.

Two good juvenile riders returned for the Juvenile 17 and Under Specialty class. Once again Miss Harley and Alisa Zbornik were given top honors under the direction of Mike Maack.

Tom Burton directed Final Touch Of Mack K to another blue ribbon performance as well with a win in the Four and Under Park Pleasure class. Sue Halvorson and Fashion’s Magic Princess certainly had a good show. They topped their list of accomplishments with the Park Pleasure Western Two-Gait Stake and Park Pleasure Three-Gait Stake. The Two-Year-Old Stake honors ere awarded to Don Bills and Peppermint Ice.

Diamonds And Cash added another win to his resume as well with the Amateur Stake title with Richard Mitch at the reins. Jim Huffman kept his team prepared for competition. Huffman kept another team show ready as well; Talk Of Texas and Jennifer Condren claimed top honors in the Park Pleasure Two-Gait Stake. Rose’s Threat B and Karen Farris concluded their successful show with a win in the Lite-Shod Three-Gait class under Sandra Huffman’s Whispering Pines Stable banner.

The crowd came to life for the Amateur Specialty Stake as six fine entries made the gait call. Each entry brought their own cheering section, but none was louder than the group cheering for Kristin Buddemeyer and Severe Storm Warning as they were called to the winner’s circle. Mike Maack actually leapt the rail and beat her to the winner’s circle.

The facilities, beautiful weather and great sportsmanship made this a fun and enjoyable show for all who participated. Jim Huffman and Mike Maack are to be commended for allowing some of the students of the Kirkwood Equine Program to ride both performance and pleasure horses and taking time out of their hectic schedule to educate them on the Tennessee Walking Horse.

Complete results follow and can be found at our web site www.walkinghorsereport.com.