It was a great weekend for a horse show! June 5-7, 2009 was the Granite State Appaloosa’s Color Caper Regional Appaloosa Show. We had exhibitors from NH, MA, CT, ME and NY that came to join in on the fun…and what fun we had! The High Point Trainer Award was new for 2009 and many thanks to the Equine Journal for sponsoring the embroidered turn-out sheet. GSAA members Dustin Eickenhorst and Melissa Proulx battled it out in the Barrel Racing Saturday Night and was that a funny sight to see. Dustin was white-knuckled as he gripped the saddle horn and never let go as his mount “Tuffy” ever so gently jerked him around the barrels! And Melissa’s mount “Shadow’s Cue Card” can still get up and go for 16 years young!
Pat O’Dell, Broad Brook, CT and his team won $200.00 in the $50.00 Jackpot Classes. Pat O’Dell and Kelly Sweeney’s mare, IM Cravin Chocolate, won the $50.00 Jackpot in the Jr. Western Pleasure Class, sponsored by Mary and Mary Ellen Prunty. Pat also won the $140.00 Bolle Sunglasses donated by Diamond Optician’s, on Beth Stewards’ gelding, Just Past The Bar, from Sydney, ME in the Sr. Western Pleasure Class. Beth and Pat are going to arm wrestle as to see who gets to keep the sunglasses – my money is on Beth!!!
We had a nice variety of vendors who came out and enjoyed the weekend with us. Extreme Stitch had embroidered GSAA t-shirts and sweatshirts that were selling fast. Cheryl with Unique Equine, Rowley, MA had a nice setup. Barry VanRy, Brumby Saddlery, North Hampton, NH, was busy throughout the weekend cleaning and styling exhibitors western hats; everyone was spring cleaning!
Did someone say pizza party!!! Kristin Mcquin, rep. with SmartPak sponsored the Friday Pizza Party and had a nice crowd of people laughing and chatting, enjoying themselves and the pizza!
Thank you to Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods for sponsoring $500.00 to the show as well as providing us also with a variety of Cedar’s Foods for us all to enjoy! Thank you to all the sponsors.
I want to be sure that we recognize and thank the guys at the Topsfield Fairgrounds: Henry Gray and Matt Hamilton who worked our show! I know I can always count on you guys. A special thank you to Sabrina, manager with our host hotel – Comfort Inn, North Shore, Danvers, MA for continuing to accommodate our exhibitors and judges!
Thank you to our judges: John Aipperspach, Springfield, MO, Ruth Ann Berney, Dillsburg, PA, Sherry Haynes, Joshua, TX and Kathryn Erickson, Stanley, NM. You were a pleasure for the staff and myself to work with, and we hope you enjoyed your visit to New England!
My Personal Thank You Goes to the Volunteers! It takes A LOT of Team Work to run a Smooth Show and we accomplished it again this Year! Also, to the Friends, Families & Exhibitors that came out to Show and Support GSAA 2009 Color Caper Review, we hope you enjoyed the Show!
To see more photos or to order photos from the GSAA – Color Caper Review Horse Show go to Mystical Photography’s website, www.mysticalphotography.instaproofs.com and click on Granite State Appaloosa Show.
Submitted by Billie Jo Schreiber
GSAA – Color Caper Review Show Manager