Harrisburg, Pa.—Oct. 22

Kelly Tropin walked out of the ring on Chablis in the amateur-owner, 18-35, hunters knowing she had just laid down one of the best trips of her life.

“I had chills,” Tropin said. “And then when I heard he got a 92, my trainer and I both started crying.”

Tropin and Chablis won that over fences class on her way to capturing the championship in the amateur-owner hunter, 18-35, division, and the high score award, to boot!

Harrisburg, Pa.—Oct. 22

Alexa Lowe-Wiseman was supposed to be preparing to compete aboard Stella De Lannay in the amateur-owner jumper classes at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, but the morning before the final class, she had another four-legged friend on her mind.

“It’s been a long day, because my dog went missing over 24 hours ago, and I was home in Upperville (Va.) looking for him all day,” Lowe-Wiseman said, shaking her heard.

Harrisburg, Pa.—Oct. 21

The 3’3” amateur-owner hunter divisions concluded Friday at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show—you can check out our coverage of the champions here and here, but there were three horses competing in the division who were throwing it back to the good old days of the American Thoroughbred show hunter.

Harrisburg, Pa.—Oct. 20  

When Leslie Howard trotted into the ring at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show on Thursday night for the $40,000 Big Jump class, her mom was watching online as an already special day for the family got even better.

“My mom is 100 years old today,” Howard, of Newtown, Conn., said with a grin. “She’s watching, so this will be a good birthday present. We have a big party on Sunday when I get home, I’m looking forward to that.” 

One year ago, I sat in the seats overlooking the arena at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show struck by the sharp memories of the last time I’d been in that location—exactly 42 years earlier.

Four decades ago I was a teenager, with equitation finals glory as my goal. Last fall, I returned to the Farm Show Arena to compete in the NAL Adult Jumper Finals.