Harrisburg, Pa.—Oct. 20 

The horse won all four over fences classes, the model and the hack in the green conformation division before being named grand hunter champion. The rider guided three different horses to championships, logged the highest scoring round in the open hunter classes with a 92, and was named leading hunter rider of the show. 

It’s safe to say Fun and Scott Stewart are a practically indomitable pair. 

“He was awesome in there today,” Stewart said.

Scott Stewart guided Fun to the top of the green conformation division and the grand hunter title. Photo by Ann Glavan.

Fun came to the Pennsylvania National Horse Show hot off another tricolor finish in the same division at the Capital Challenge Horse Show (Md.), but the horse has not had the smoothest journey to the winners circle. 

“He was a pre-green last year, and he did very little,” Stewart said. “He did the [USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship] in Kentucky, and he was very green the first day and then got 90s the second day, but we were already out of the running then. So he’s a little green. I almost was going to wait and do him next year [in the green conformation]. He’s only 6 and he’s a little immature, but he came out in Florida this year and was super.” 

Stewart first saw Fun free jumping in a video from Germany when the horse, then a stallion, was only 2 years old. 

Hunt Tosh and Patriot took the reserve champion honors in the green conformation division. Photo by Ann Glavan.

“He was so cute, so pretty,” Stewart said. He bought Fun with a partner, importing him to the United States as a 4-year-old before selling him to the Gochman family, the horse’s current owners. 

“I think next year he’ll do the 3’3” amateurs with Becky [Gochman] and the regular conformation with me,” Stewart said.

Stewart also captured the regular conformation championship title with Betsee Parker’s Lucador, the second year in a row Stewart and Lucador have topped that division.

“He was awesome,” Stewart said. “And he hasn’t jumped a jump since Capital Challenge, but he loves this ring.” 

Scott Stewart piloted Lucador to the top of the regular conformation division, their second year in a row earning that title at the PA National. Photo by Ann Glavan.

This is the first year the Cold Harbor Perpetual Trophy was awarded to the champion in the regular conformation division at the Pennsylvania National. The previous trophy was retired after one of Parker’s other horses, the very decorated regular conformation horse Cold Harbor, won the division a number of times. 

“I really felt that it was time to pull Cold Harbor off the circuit for a while, and he’s going to come out in another year or two with Hunt Tosh’s daughter as a junior working hunter,” Parker said. “He’s young enough, and he’s won so much, I thought he might as well get out of Lucador’s way!

“He had won that trophy a couple times, so he got it named after him, and it was a thrill to present it to Lucador,” Parker continued. “He’s been very very good this year and last.”

Kristy Herrera rode Candid to the reserve championship in the regular conformation division. Photo by Ann Glavan.

Thursday marked the conclusion of the open hunter divisions at Harrisburg and the first day of the 3’3” amateur owner hunter divisions. The jumpers will take over the arena later Thursday afternoon and evening, concluding with the $40,000 PA Big Jump class starting at 7:30 p.m. Check back on coth.com for coverage of all the action to come! 

See all of the Chronicle’s Pennsylvania National coverage. Click here for full results from the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, and don’t forget to check out the Nov. 7 issue of The Chronicle of the Horse for more in-depth coverage from the show!