Saturday at The Premier saw everything from Longe Line to Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure to Equitation and Trail throughout the day, as well as an entertaining finale to the Premier’s “Trainer Challenge.”
Longe Line Team
Husband and wife Non-Pro team of Bret and Heather Caplinger swept the Non-Pro Western Longe Line classes Saturday morning, with Bret showing Martini Time to first place and $1,775 in the Non-Pro and Heather on the line of Make N Money to win and 897.50 in the Color Non-Pro and earn second in the Non-Pro, for an additional 1,278.
“We raised both of these colts,” Bret said. “Martini Time is by The Best Martini and out of An Hour In Time, and we call him Oliver. He’s so balanced overall, has a great top line, short rib and is really good in the hock and solid up front. He’s been great to work with, and he just goes out and shows.”
Heather’s show partner, Make N Money is by Makin Me Willy Wild and out of the mare Shes Good N Salty. “He’s just been phenomenal from Day 1,” Heather said. The sorrel colt with four white feet is flashy with a lot of chrome. “He’s a full double-registered horse with both AQHA and APHA, and he checks all the boxes. He’s the most athletic and talented yearling we’ve ever seen, and we have big expectations for him for the future.
Bret noted that the Premier occurred about a month earlier than their normal Longe Line schedule, but they worked around it. “They’re both mature colts, and they came along really well. We try not to overdo it for them and just go to three or four shows a year,” he said.
Hunting Champions
Amber Pickard piloted Enticed to the win in the Premier Sires Three Year Old Hunter Under Saddle, earning $1,352 for owner Gretchen Deeds of Deeds Family Farms. “We’ve had him since he was two years old and bought him from Amy Gumz and Meghan Tierney,” Amber said.
“There’s not one thing not to like about him. He loves his job, and he’s so big, soft and slow legged. He’s won every three year old class we’ve shown in so far this year.”
In the Premier Sires Breeders Four Year Old Open Hunter Under Saddle, Beth Case took Al My Assets to the win, earning $782 for Michelle and Sheila Bauer. “I bought him from Nancy Sue Ryan at three days old,” Beth said.
“I had his full brother a few years ago and wasn’t planning to sell him, but someone offered me a lot for him so I did sell him - and regretted it. So when this full brother was born, I bought him because of this cross. He’s by Allocate Your Assets and out of The First Ride. He won the two year old and Green classes at the Congress and NSBA, and at Georgia as a three year old.”
Beth was happy to see the Premier Sires offer the Four Year Old class in 2021. “I think its great that we had this class this year since we didn’t get to show the horses as three year olds last year – it was the right thing to do,” she said.
Tali Terlizzi had a busy afternoon piloting two three year olds in Hunter Under Saddle and Western Pleasure as well as a Maturity Hunter Under Saddle horse. She earned the first of two class wins aboard Its Game On, winning the Breeders Three Year Old Intermediate Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle, earning $1,020, and the Three Year Old Limited Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle, earning another $1,088.
“Its Game On is known as Rocky,” she said. “He comes out the same every time you show him – you know exactly what you are going to get with him. I’ve had him since September, and he’s just awesome. You go out and push him and he just shows. He’s by Machine Made and out of an Only In The Moonlite mare.”
Kristen Syburg won the Breeders Color Breed Three Year Old Limited Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle, which was held concurrently with the Limited Non-Pro. “I’ve had him for about a year,” Kristen said. “He had been shown previously by Beth Case and Keith Miller, and I bought him after he was with Empyre Show Horses and have worked with them ever since.
“He’s by VS Code Red. He has great legs, a great mind, and he was born to be a show horse. Today, our ride was great at all the gaits. I couldn’t have asked for more. He’s so dependable.”
In the final Hunter Under Saddle class on Saturday, Haley Hartman and her long-time partner Al Fool Ya earned first place in the Premier Magazine Non-Pro Hunter Under Saddle Maturity. “He felt better than he’s been in a long time today,” Haley said.
“His trot was so floaty, long and slow, and his canter was so soft. Every gait felt amazing. I could put him anywhere and he just responded.”
Western Winners
Aaron Moses got a futurity win for his 30th birthday on Saturday aboard Made Ya Look. He showed “Buttons” to the win for Bret and Kate Bamford, earning $1,664 for the first place finish.
“I showed her in the Maiden last year, and she got a break over the winter. This is just our second show back. She’s really fun, because I’ve got to see her develop from her two year old year to now as a four year old. She just keeps getting better and stronger each time we show. She really is a pleasure to ride.”
In the Three Year Old Intermediate Open Western Pleasure, Blake Britton added another first place finish for KM Slot Machine. They earned $1,736 for owner Libby Trucco.
Tali Terlizzi had to make a quick wardrobe change from showing her three year old Hunter Under Saddle horse to Western Pleasure, but the mad dash was worthwhile when she showed Pinball Machine to win the Breeders Three Year Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure.
Known as Jeffrey, the gelding is by Machine Made and out of a Lazy Loper mare. “I bought him last May or June,” she said.
“I like everything about him. He’s very good legged, slow and soft. There’s nothing complicated about him, plus he’s handsome and sweet. Today our transitions were especially good, and he stayed with me through the whole class. We’ve probably only shown together at about five shows, and this was our best ride yet.”
The day also included a full day of Trail classes along with AQHA Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation.
In the Color division of the Breeders Three Year Old Limited Non-Pro Western Pleasure, A Golden Machine took the win with owner Karen Banstra aboard. The duo earned $1,300 for first place in the color portion of the class.
"We raised this one. We had raised a full sister and sold it. It was a really great feeling to have raised this one and been able to show it," Karen said.
Trainer Challenge
The evening ended with the finale of the Trainer’s Challenge, in which a random draw paired three trainers who would each show one horse in either Trail, Horsemanship or Western Pleasure. The event drew a large and enthusiastic crowd for the final class of the three, Western Pleasure. The crowd was entertained by the trainers’ antics as they played to the crowd, and judge Bob Kail, as they went through their gait calls.
The top three overall teams earned cash prizes with the first place team earning $10,000 each. The winning team consisted of Cody Campbell (Trail), Katie Green (Horsemanship) and Mike Hachtel (Trail), who each showed Beez N The Trap to top the overall standings.
The Premier concludes on Sunday, June 6. To view complete show results, please visit Horse Show Tracker. To learn more about Premier Sires, please visit premiersires.com.
