Micki Sage made the trek from Colorado to Albuquerque, N.M., solely to show Urielle, and the long commute was worth it when they earned the first year green championship during the Sandia Classic II, June 7-11, the finale show of the Sandia series (Tulsa Classic [Okla.], Grand Prix de Santa Fe [N.M.] and Sandia Classic I and II).

Part of the Sandia Classic’s charm is its intimate and friendly atmosphere. “It’s not a big horse show, but the people who are there have great horses,” said Sage. “The management does a wonderful job and makes it such a fun and relaxed place to show.”

Having grown up riding in New Hope, Pa., Sage left the East Coast to pursue a job in Indio, Calif. When she moved to Colorado four years ago, she found a rather different showing experience. “When I showed out here for the first time, I thought, ‘Wow! The hunter ring is a rodeo ring too!’ ” she recalled laughing.

But despite the differences, Sage, Denver, Colo., finds competition in the West to be uncompromising. And while her relationship with Urielle is still young, Sage allowed her partner’s innate ability over fences to take them to the top. They also earned the reserve championship in the same division during week 1.

“She was originally bred to be a grand prix horse, but she’s just so beautiful she does amazing things in the hunter ring,” Sage said.

Their partnership began this year at the Sahuaro Hunter/Jumper Classic (Ariz.) in February during Urielle’s fourth show ever. “She’s learning so quickly right now. Even from the first day we walked into the ring together, she’s always been in the ribbons,” said Sage. “She just gets better and better every week.”

Since the day owner Joy Johnson and her brother, Randy, imported Urielle to their Greener Pastures Farm in Maryland, the 8-year-old Belgian Warmblood’s knack as a hunter has been impressive, Sage said.

Sired by 2004 Olympic show jumping stallion, Clinton, and out of Quella-Dame Van Heffinck, Urielle is bred to jump.

One week after the Sandia Classic, the pair took home another reserve championship from Castle Rock Summer Classic I (Colo.) in the first year green division.

All In The Family
Joyce and Doc Baldwin, Elizabeth, Colo., left their mark in this year’s Sandia Classic adult amateur classes for the 50 and over division. Together, the husband-and-wife team took championship and reserve honors, respectively, aboard two of Joyce’s horses, Cloud Nine and Palmer.

It all started 27 years ago when Joyce and Doc met through horses. Joyce began riding at 13 and participated in local shows until the age of 19, when she began competing in rated shows.

Now, in her third year showing Cloud Nine, Joyce couldn’t be happier with her 11-year-old Thoroughbred. “He’s just a really sweet and kind horse,” she said.

Cloud Nine certainly gained the judges’ approval at Sandia with his quiet confidence during the second week. But the Thoroughbred in him surfaced briefly during week 1 at the sight of a racetrack near the show grounds. “He was a little tense that week,” Joyce said with a laugh. “But he was wonderful after that.”

Normally found in the jumper ring, Doc just picked up Palmer’s reins to compete in the hunters. After one of his jumpers retired for a career as a broodmare and the other was sold, Doc welcomed the opportunity to have a go on Palmer.

“It actually has turned out to be a really nice match,” said Joyce. “I think he’ll probably stay with Palmer and keep riding in the hunters, at least for awhile.”

Keiri Kaneps–who won the second year green hunter championship aboard her own Brescia during week 1 and trains the Baldwins–found Palmer and Cloud Nine in Texas, two and three years ago, respectively.

“[Palmer] has been very mellow with my husband. He did really well in the regular working hunters last year with Keiri,” added Joyce.

Of course, Palmer isn’t quiet all of the time. The 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood makes a hobby of chasing deer at home. “He’s got a good sense of humor! He likes to keep the deer out of his pasture,” Joyce said with a laugh.


Movin’ On Up
Kelley Buringa and her Parchesi would settle for nothing less than top honors in the junior hunter classes at Sandia. After developing a partnership this year, Buringa ably piloted Parchesi to two tricolor victories for weeks I and II in small but competitive classes.

The petite mare stands just over 15 hands but refuses to allow her size to dictate performance. But Buringa’s partnership with Parchesi didn’t start as harmoniously as one might imagine.

“She was a little harder to get used to than other horses I’ve ridden. You have to do things her way and be patient,” said Buringa. “But it’s a good learning experience for me.”

Nevertheless, the pair warmed up to one another and became an exceptional team before long. “She’s an awesome little mare,” said Buringa. “She’s been doing the junior hunters for three years now, and this is my first year, so it’s been great.”

Now based at Capricorn Farm in Golden, Colo., Parchesi was purchased from Buringa’s good friend, Hallie Racine, who rode Parchesi to numerous junior hunter championships in the Castle Rock show series and previous Sandia shows.

But even before Racine had the ride, Parchesi impressed judges throughout the west as an adult amateur hunter, claiming tricolors mainly in California and Arizona under the ownership of Wilson Dennehy. “She just loves what she does,” Buringa said.

Buringa also competes in equitation classes aboard her new mount, Louie, a 7-year-old gelding who originally came from the Canadian jumper rings. “We got him in January, and he’s crossed over to the [equitation] ring beautifully. He’s a really smart horse,” said Buringa.

Megan MacPherson left an undeniable impression in Sandia’s pony hunter divisions after winning the small/large combined championship for both weeks on GF Primrose and adding the medium pony reserve championship (both weeks) aboard Jack Black.

Owned by William Ball, Primrose maintains a noteworthy resume. She and MacPherson won Colorado’s High Prairie circuit title for small pony hunters last year and look to do the same again this year.

Her lovely looks and remarkable movement in the model and under saddle classes, combined with solid jumping talent, continues to bolster MacPherson’s ribbon count, even when competing as a small pony amid a class combined with large ponies.

MacPherson began riding Primrose two years ago but first took to ponies in Maryland at the age of 4. Now in her second year competing in A-rated shows, 10-year-old MacPherson is making a name for herself in the West.

She also won the USEF Pony Medal class during week 2 aboard Jack Black, a pony she began riding this spring.

After competing at the USEF Pony Finals (Ky.) for her first time in 2005, MacPherson plans to return with Primrose and Jack Black this year, after the High Prairie series.