Upperville, Va. – June 4, 2019 – The Green Hunter divisions took center stage under the oaks during the second day of the Upperville Colt & Horse Show (UCHS), presented by St. Bride’s Farm, on Tuesday. After nearly sweeping the division, Hunt Tosh and Baroness Betsee Parker’s Bordeaux claimed the Green 3’3’’ Hunter division championship, while the Green 3’’ Hunter division went to Scott Stewart riding Parker’s Charlemagne. Tosh and Bordeaux also rode to a first place finish in the USHJA Green 3’3’’ Hunter Incentive Stake, while Holly Orlando and Waverly, owned by Waypoint Farm, LLC, nabbed the blue ribbon in the USHJA Green 3’ Hunter Incentive Stake.
Hunt Tosh and Bordeaux
Tosh and Bordeaux received scores of 88 and 87 to earn a first and second place over fences, respectively. The pair clinched the championship with a first place finish in the under saddle class. The reserve championship honors in the division were awarded to Jimmy Torano aboard Moonlight, owned by Isalou Inc. Torano and Moonlight received a first place over fences with a score of 88 and rode to a third place finish under saddle to earn the runner-up rosette.
Hunt Tosh, Betsee Parker and Bordeaux
In the Green 3’ Hunter division, Stewart and Charlemagne earned the championship after receiving a first and second place over fences as well as a first place finish on the flat. The reserve champion tricolor was awarded to Orlando and Waverly. In the USHJA Green 3’ Hunter Incentive Stake, Stewart and Charlemagne nabbed the second place finish behind Orlando and Waverly.
Jimmy Torano and Moonlight
The Green Hunter Incentive Program was created by the USHJA in the hopes of increasing participation at the green level. The program offers the option for athletes to compete at the 3’6’’ and 3’9’’ height. At the end of the year, the top placing horse and rider combinations will be invited to the Kentucky Horse Park to compete in the Green Hunter Incentive Championships in August at the Bluegrass Festival Horse Show, which will include four fence height options upon adding the 3’6” and 3’9” to the existing 3’ and 3’3” fence heights.
Competition in the hunter divisions at the UCHS will continue Wednesday, June 5, beginning at 8 a.m, and will feature the USHJA Green 3’6’’/3’9’’ Hunter Incentive Stake as well as the High Performance Hunter divisions
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Hunt Tosh – Green 3’3” Hunter champion
On Bordeaux:
“He is fabulous. We started showing him last year and he’s shown a handful of times. I actually think he has been champion every time we’ve shown him! He was great all year last year. It was great to come here and win again! It’s a great venue to show pre-green horses. They put on such a special event here at Upperville and it’s fun to show here.”
On competing in the USHJA Green Hunter Incentive classes:
“I’ve been lucky enough to have won the finals, and it’s so great for the horses to give them an incentive to show and give them something to look forward to in the year. It’s such a great program, and Betsee [Parker] obviously enjoys it as well.”
Baroness Betsee Parker – Owner of Bordeaux
On Bordeaux and Hunt’s partnership:
“[Bordeaux] is a really lovely horse. When I first saw him at the [Green Hunter Incentive Championships] in Lexington, Kentucky, I bought him right away because I was afraid the ride would get away from Hunt Tosh, and he’s the right ride for that horse. He’s sympathetic and has a real connection and bond with the horse that’s very soft and loving. [Bordeaux] loves that feeling of love from Hunt, he feels it.”