By Jennifer Maack-Condren
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The annual Corn Belt Walking Horse Association Spring show was held May 30-31, 2003, on the beautiful campus of Kirkwood Community College. The highlight of this show was certainly the facilities. This new building is designed and equipped with state of the art equine equipment and surroundings. The 200 stalls, warm-up arena and show arena is all conveniently located under one roof with climate control conditions for year around showing. Show Chairman Mrs. Ruth Bowers was pleased with the turn out of 171 entries over the three-performance event. The honorable Dennis Smith of Bloomington, Ill., judged all of the classes.
Anne Hardin and Dream’s Winning Tradition were named Open Walking Horse Stake Champions for Mr. and Mrs. Mike Owensby to conclude the two-day, 55-class show. This win certainly made the drive back to DeSoto, Mo., seem shorter. Tom Burton and Stormy’s Applejack put the pressure on to take the reserve spot for owner Jill J. Wait.
Leading the blue ribbon tally was the Huffman Family Stables of Ozark, Mo. Jim Huffman, wife Donna and amateur rider Karen McKinnis earned a total of 10 titles. Leading the collection was Lite Jazz and Jim Huffman in the Two-Year-Old class for owners Richard and Sarah Mitch. Lite Jazz also claimed the Two-Year-Old Stake title on the final day. Thorncrest’s Can Man Do and Karen McKinnis proved they can do what it takes to come out on top as well with wins in the Amateur Specialty class and Amateur Specialty Stake. Jim Huffman borrowed the reins from wife Donna to make the winning ride on Cash Is Good in the Show Pleasure Specialty class. Not to be outdone, Donna Huffman rode Cash Is Good to the Amateur Show Pleasure Specialty title. Hydro Generator and Jim Huffman won the Four-Year-Old Walking Horse Specialty class, followed by Smokin’ Beam in the Open Walking Horse class. With his bold way of going, Victory Colors added two more wins to his resume for the Huffmans with the Three-Year-Old Amateur and Three-Year-Old Stake wins. Beam’s Wonder Woman and Tara Enwright won the Lite-Shod Three and Under class and Lite-Shod Four and Under class under the direction of the Huffman Family Stables. This duo hails from Clinton, Iowa.
Mike Maack Stables of Polk, Mo., claimed six wins. Another Great One and Kurt King started off their show successfully with a win in the Pleasure Performance division. He’s Busting Wide Open and Mike Maack won the Three-Year-Old class proving this little horse has a big way of going. Bill Branham exited the ring victorious once again following a good ride on Open Amateur winner Spirited Rendezvous. Branham returned for a repeat performance in the Amateur Stake on the big, bay stallion. Returning to the victory circle was Another Great One in the Pleasure Performance Amateur class, this time for owner Barbara Zbornik. The showy team of Shadow Of Skywatch and Steve Skopec took top honors in the Four-Year-Old Amateur class.
Bill Branham also made a clean sweep with Generating Cash, winning five blue ribbons in five attempts. This head shaking sorrel won the Park Pleasure Two-Gait, Men’s Park Pleasure Two-Gait, Park Pleasure Amateur Two-Gait, Park Pleasure Amateur Three-Gait and the Park Pleasure Two-Gait Stake. These victories came on the heels of a seven blue ribbon weekend in Mason City, Iowa, last week.
Lite-shod classes also had a dominant favorite with the classy team of Rose’s Threat B and Karen Farris. Sandra Huffman of New Sharon, Iowa, had this duo well prepared for the victory passes in the Lite-Shod Two-Gait, Lite-Shod Three-Gait, Lite-Shod Amateur Two-Gait and the Lite-Shod Amateur Three-Gait.
Young Travis Wieberg made the trip home to Macon, Mo., with four blues. Memory Of Shadow and Wieberg won the Juvenile Lite-Shod class, Juvenile Park Pleasure class and the Juvenile Lite-Shod Western class. Wieberg and Final’s Special Edition took top honors in the Juvenile Walking Horse Specialty 17 and Under class.
Tom Burton Stables of Strafford, Mo., was awarded the first blue ribbon of the show with Final Touch of Mack KM by winning the Park Pleasure Three and Under class. Anne Hardin made the good catch ride under the watchful eye of trainer Tom Burton. Hardin returned to the ring later in the night for another catch ride for Burton Stables with Raining To Gun in the Park Pleasure Four and Under class. Tom Burton completed the trio of blues with his win on Armed For Prime Time in the Open Specialty class.
Captain Midnight and Marlene Lundgren of Northfield, Minn., also earned a trio of blues Saturday. Western Park Pleasure Three-Gait, Western Park Pleasure Two-Gait and Park Pleasure Three-Gait Stake were all claimed by this duo. Sue Halvorson of Waterloo, Iowa, made three victory passes as well. Fashion’s Magic Princess was given the judge’s nod in the Ladies Park Pleasure Two-Gait, Park Pleasure Three-Gait, Amateur Park Pleasure Two-Gait class.
Jerry and Jewel Manes Stables of Stoutland, Mo., won two blues. Sarah Manes made a good ride on Tunica to win the Two-Year-Old Amateur class and Jerry Manes rode Diamonds and Cash to the Aged Mare and Gelding win.
Skopec Stables of Bolivar, Mo., also carried away two wins. Toppin’ High Cotton and Steve Skopec won the Open Model class. Steve Skopec presented Magic’s Fashion Shadow to claim the Lite-Shod Two-Gait Stake.
The flashy duo Master Copy and Andrea Patterson won the Park Pleasure Amateur Owned and Trained class. Red Ink and Patterson beat out the competition in the Amateur Owned and Trained class for the Patterson family of Osborn, Mo.
The Trainer’s Family class honors were given to Darkside’s Royal Dutchess and Gary Good from Medford, Minn. Market’s Hotrod B and Bruce Bowers of Waterloo, Iowa were called to the winner’s circle for the Lite-Shod Three-Gait Stake.
This concludes the highlights from the first Corn Belt Walking Horse Association Spring Show. Complete results follow and may also be found by visiting our web site at www.walkinghorsereport.com.