Price and the 11 year-old gelding wowed the judges and the crowd with their impressive performances in the Amateur Owner division.  The pair claimed two first place ribbons, two second place ribbons and one third over the two days of competition. 

Trainer Havens Schatt was very happy with the pair’s performance.  “His barn name is Red and last year when he was here in the First Year Green Hunters he was second, second, third and then he won the hack and was champion, I joked that we were going to change his name to blue because he kept getting seconds.”  Turning to the horse she laughingly told him, “You have to think blue.”

“We got him at the end of Florida last year,” explained Shaw Johnson Price.  “He did two shows as a pre-green and then and I started showing him in the 3’3” division.  He was Champion here last year in the 3’3” Hunters and the First years. If his confidence is good and my confidence is good he just goes right around.  This is all pretty unbelievable.”

Reserve Champion in the Amateur Owner Hunter 36 Years of Age and Over was Because and Jane Gaston of The Plains, VA.

The Amateur Owner Hunter Champion Riders 18-35 Years of Age was awarded to the Libertas Farm entry Chablis, an eight year-old gelding, and Kelly Tropin from New York, NY.  The pair amassed 32 points in the division by winning a class over fences with a score of 92, placing second in two classes and winning the under saddle.  Chablis and Tropin also won the EMO Agency High Five Award for their high score of 92, the highest in the Amateur Owner divisions.

Reserve Champion was Samantha Shaefer, Westminster, MD, with her horse Classified, an 11 year-old grey stallion.