In one of the closest finishes in the nine-year history of th AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular, Louise Serio guided Costello to the slimmest of victories on Feb. 19 in Wellington, Fla., to collect the winner’s share of the $39,680 purse.

“He was amazing,” said Serio of the 7-year-old Germanbred. “He gets so high and round at the jumps.”

Serio, who had the best performance in Round 2 under the lights on the Internationale Arena, prevailed for the blue ribbon by .25 points over Havens Schatt riding Take Away. Ken Smith and High Cotton had two solid rides for third place, 7 points off the pace.

The Classic drew 25 competitors who had qualified through top finishes in the 3’6” and higher divisions during the week’s Lincoln Florida Classic WCHR Spectacular Horse Show, which ran Feb. 16-20.

Professionals dominated this year’s classic, with the top seven placings coming from the open ranks. Natalie Johnson, 17, of Greenwich, Conn., was the top-placed junior, in eighth on Moulin Rouge, and Caroline Moran was the best amateur-owner rider, in 13th aboard her In Return.

Serio, Kennett Square, Pa., was surprised with the evening’s results as her mount, owned by Shaw Johnson Price of Chestertown, Md., is a first year green horse who’d never tackled a challenge such as this.

But Costello’s first round performance was impressive. The attractive bay powered over his jumps with ease, and Serio’s perfect ride gave him every opportunity to show off. Their average of 89 left them standing second.

“Out there [on the field] you have to gallop and jump with more pace, and he just did it. I loved my first round, and I just wanted to go back out there and do the same thing again,” said Serio.

Schatt and Take Away also impressed the judges in the first round. The bay regular working hunter, owned by Cortie Wetherill, is the epitome of elegance. And with Schatt’s accurate ride, the Oldenburg gelding soared to the first round’s high score (an 89.62 average) to take the lead from Serio and Costello.

A Tight Race

After Round 1, just .62 points separated Serio and Schatt, with Holly Orlando and Rio Renoir standing third, and High Cotton with Smith holding fourth. Remedy and Danny Robertshaw had a beautiful first-round trip that kept them in the hunt in fifth place, with Rob Bielefeld and Without Question just 4 points off the lead in sixth.

Scott Stewart, who’d dominated the week’s open division tricolor count, was still in contention aboard Chopard in seventh. Johnson was the only non-professional to qualify for the second, standing eighth.

Peter Pletcher, the reigning WCHR professional champion, traveled from the West Coast to ride in the classic, but a rail in the first round with Hot Shot kept him from contention.

The 3’6″ horses jumped first in Round 2, and Costello and Serio took control with scores of 89, 90, 89 and 90 from the panel of eight judges sitting in pairs around the arena. No one came close to their combined score of 178.5 until the jumps went up to 4 feet.

Stewart kept the near-capacity crowd on the edge of their seats as he picked up a gallop from the start and asked Chopard to go for it. Their bold effort was almost good enough, but a slight loss of form at one jump resulted in varying scores of 80, 78, 90 and 87, for an 83.75 average and sixth place.

Then it was up to the final challenger, Schatt and Take Away. She guided him to a smooth and effortless round, but their scores fell just short. They duplicated their first-round average of 89.625 to slide into second place.

“I really trusted him and let it all go,” she said. “He was great. I don’t know what else I could have done.”

For Serio, a founder of the AHJF, winning the classic she’d helped to create held special meaning for several reasons. “It was actually bittersweet,” said Serio. “[Student] Rachel Geiger’s mother died yesterday. So this win was for Jeannie Geiger.”

Trainer Bob Crandall imported the gelding from Europe for owner Price, who also competes in the amateur divisions. When Price moved to Chestertown, Md., this winter she began riding with Serio, and Costello debuted in the first year green on the WEF circuit. Costello qualified for the Classic with a reserve championship in a first year green section.

“He is a quiet horse,” said Serio. “He’s easy to be around and just comes to the ring. He’s got so much ability?and I’m lucky enough to ride him.”

Top Performers

Take Away, a 9-year-old, Oldenburg gelding, began his show hunter career this year after Joe Norick found and imported him. With trainer Jeff Wirthman and rider Schatt, Take Away had one championship and two reserves to his credit during the first three weeks of the WEF circuit.

Smith was thrilled with High Cotton, also a new horse in his barn. He purchased the flashy chestnut from Jack Towell last fall for student Christy Russo.
“He’s a horse I bought for a junior, not thinking about competing him myself,” said Smith. “I’ve shown him a couple of times in the second year green division, and he’s done well. This is a special class under the lights, so I wanted to qualify. To be a part of it is great.

“I think the placing worked out as well as it could have,” he added. “This was about the best my horse could have gone.”

Like Serio’s Costello, Rob Bielefeld’s fourth-placed Without Question is also a star in the green divisions. The 7-year-old, Bavarian mare was champion in a section of the first year green division and earned the reserve championship in the green conformation division.

Bielefeld described her as brilliant on the grass Internationale Arena, where she earned a score of 90 in one class.

“She’s truly a winner,” said Bielefeld, who’s ridden “Wilthea” for the past two years for owner Regi Baker and trainer Judy Grayson. “I thought she was going to be very special. But you never know what they’re going to do on that field because they never get to practice anything like that. She thought it was cool. She pricked her ears, picked up a gallop, and that was it. She does it all. I was just along for the ride.”

Rio Renoir also carried his rider to accolades in the green conformation division, taking the championship over Without Question, under rider Holly Orlando. The duo also placed fifth in the Classic.

This was Rio Renoir’s first appearance in the conformation division. “We threw [him] in an extra division for practice,” said Orlando. “It was just kind of an afterthought, but it ended up paying off. I was thrilled with him.”

Rio Renoir, 6, was one of three of the week’s champions sired by W. Charlot Farms’ Rio Grande, the bay Hanoverian who showed at grand prix jumper with Canadian Eric Lamaze. Rio Grande’s son Rio Bravo, 12, topped the large junior, 15 and under, division with Addison Phillips (who swept the 15-and-under sections this week). Eye Remember Rio, 8, another Rio Grande son, earned the tricolor in a section of the adult amateur, 36-50, and won the Peggy Cone Memorial Adult Hunter Classic (see sidebar).

In a touching ceremony in between the two rounds, Caroline Moran’s perennial amateur-owner hunter champion Saint Nick was retired with the Christmas favorite “Here Comes Santa Claus” playing in the background.

This year three new trophies were unveiled, including The Strapless Challenge. After the Lindner family’s Strapless won the class four consecutive years (2001-2004), they now offer a bronze trophy and $75,000 to any horse that can duplicate her record. The Mark R. Gregory Memorial Trophy for Excellence was presented to In Return, owned by Moran, as the best-conditioned and turned-out horse in the first round.

Serio also received the Let’s Dance Trophy, established by the AHJF in honor of horseman Eugene R. Mische for his support of the AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular that’s held at his horse show and on his horse show grounds.

WCHR high-score award winners during the week included: professional (Scott Stewart, 90); amateur-owner (Krista Weisman, 89); junior (Addison Phillips, 89); adult (Lora Schultz, 90). The Mia Palambella’s Groom’s Award was awarded to Anibal Lopez and Wilson Vazques.

Watters Finds Her Winning Rhythm

When Victoria Watters rode into the ring for the second round of the Peggy Cone Memorial Adult Hunter Classic, she tuned in to the music that played softly over the loudspeakers throughout the class.

“I was listening to Peggy sing, hoping that she was up there rooting me on, helping me along,” she said of the late singer, songwriter and performer who died in 2001 and is the inspiration for this classic. “I love the Cones, and if [Carol Cone, Peggy’s sister] didn’t win this class, I was thrilled to do it and think of her sister the whole time.”

After 48 horses contested the first round, the top 12 returned to vie for the ribbons. Carol Cone’s excellent second-round score of 86.5 with Harmony Bay moved her up to third with 167.5 points, and Ellen Toon and Attaché °laced second with an impressive score of 88.5 in the second round and 174.25 overall.

But no one could match Watters and Eye Remember Rio. Their scores of 87.75 and 87.5 in the two-round classic totaled 175.25. The pair’s blue ribbons have also come regularly in the adult amateur, 36-50, section, where they’ve been champions two consecutive weeks.

“I have the most wonderful horse in the world,” she said. “You pick up a canter and go. I have a visual problem, and I can be a little long, a little off center. I can make drastic changes, and he covers it up and jumps it like a million dollars. Ken Smith, my trainer, found a great match.”

Watters, the mother of boys ages 4 and 6, has found this year a particular challenge because the poor weather in Ohio has prevented her from practicing. She was equally thrilled to have ridden so well with fiancé eter LeBlond in the stands. The two were engaged on New Year’s Eve.

“I’m just so happy to be here,” she said. “My horse is going so well, and we’re clicking, and doing two successful rounds in front of family and my fiance as great.”

Alex Skiffington, 16, also had family cheering her on. Alex’s mother, Lisa Skiffington, presented her and North York with the winning ribbon and cooler for her top score in the WCHR Florida Children’s Hunter Classic.

Alex picked up the ride on North York for the WEF circuit and has consistently earned ribbons during their three-week partnership for owner Anne Casson of Lake Forest, Ill., and trainer Carl Weedon.

Even though she was leading the way going into the second round, Alex said she didn’t feel pressure. She trusted her horse to come through. “You always know he’s going to be fine,” she said. “It’s nice knowing you can go in and win because you have a nice horse. It’s just up to you not to make a mistake.”

Alex, who also piloted three mounts in the junior hunter divisions, trains with Ken and Emily Smith of Ashland Farms in Wellington, Fla. The frequent catch rider has been riding for Weedon for four years.

“I started helping Carl when I was 12 and did small ponies,” she said. “Carl’s always kind of been there for me.”

Alex plans to ride North York in the children’s division for the remainder of WEF, and then the bay gelding will return to Illinois to show with his owner. “I’ll ride North York anytime that Anne can’t show him. He’s a lot of fun,” she said.