After reviewing 139 applications, Beezie and John Madden and Callie Schott of John Madden Sales Inc. have announced the semi-finalists for the Breeder’s Bridge to High Performance Contest. Entries were received from an impressive and wide variety of backgrounds and bloodlines.

 The five semi-finalists are:

 Charmed (Judgement ISF—Moriana, Coriano), a 5-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Nicole Orens and bred by Sporting Chance Farm.

 Constant Star (Fantasticat—RisenToTheStars, Diazo), a 5-year-old Thoroughbred mare owned by Kimberly Clark and the Thoroughbred Placement and Rescue Inc. and bred by Linell C. Smith.

 Coral Key (Coconut Grove—Kannieke, Burggraaf), a 5-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned and bred by Rebecca Galbraith and November Hill.

 Golden Altar (Commendable—Rose Dawn, Colonial Affair), a 9-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Gina Marie Woods and bred by Tee N Jay Farm. 

 Welcome BF (Cassini II—Reika BF, Lavall II), a 6-year-old Holsteiner mare owned and bred by Branscomb Farm, LLC.

 Over the next several weeks, assistant trainer Schott will be scheduling visits to ride and evaluate each entry prior to selecting the winner. The winner will spend August, September and October in training with Schott at John Madden Sales.   

 “I’m really excited to go out and try these five horses,” said Schott. “Beezie, John and I spent quite a bit of time viewing all the videos, and these five, although a little varied in type and training level, all seem to have talent, athleticism and potential.”

 Beezie fought to include Golden Altar. “We tried to focus on the younger horses to stick with the intention of the contest, to find top prospects. We did, however, take into account that one of our finalists raced until 2009, so while slightly older, we still consider him green to jumping,” she said.  

 There is also a named reserve list.

 The horses included on the reserve list are:

 Akillian’s Luck (Ariadus—Happy Go Lucky), an 8-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned and bred by Heidi and Mike Caldwell.

 Handyman B (Coconut Grove XX—Montana, Jus de Pomme), a 5-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding cross owned and bred by Bannockburn Farm, LLC.

 Patronus, a 7-year-old Thoroughbred (Cutlass Fax—Saratoga Dreamer) gelding owned by Laura E. Gerbec DVM and bred by Renee M. Baker.

 Roc of Angels (Roc USA—Pidgeon’s Angel), a 6-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Split Rail Stables and Patty Van Housen and bred by Natalie Prentice.

 Z Calyx (Judgement ISF—Morning Glory, Merano), a 5-year-old Holsteiner mare owned and bred by Sharon Turner-Kherlopian and Maggie Sjoberg.