Scott Stewart and Baroness Betsee Parker’s (pictured) Private Life earn the Grand Hunter Champion title.
Upperville, Va. – June 5, 2019 – Wednesday concluded competition in the professional hunter divisions at the 2019 Upperville Colt & Horse Show (UCHS), presented by St. Bride’s Farm, where Scott Stewart once again captured the top honors, claiming four of the day’s five division championships in which he entered in the Main Hunter Ring. In addition, Stewart was awarded the title of Grand Hunter Champion with Baroness Betsee Parker’s Private Life to earn the Sallie J. Sexton Challenge Trophy, donated by Sallie’s family.
Scott Stewart and Private Life
Stewart and Private Life, the 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, acquired points in the High Performance Conformation division, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest M. Oare, sweeping Wednesday’s competition with blue ribbon rounds in the over fences class, handy round and under saddle. Tuesday’s two over fences victories were claimed by Stewart’s other Parker-owned mount, Lucador, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding, while Private Life followed just behind to earn two second place ribbons. Stewart swept the division between his two mounts, ultimately earning the High Performance Conformation championship and the Weather Permitting Perpetual Trophy, donated by Mr. August A. Busch, Jr. and Cismont Manor Farm, with Private Life. Lucador, who was awarded the trophy in 2017 and 2018, earned the reserve champion honors for 2019.
Scott Stewart and Catch Me
In Wednesday’s final professional division, Stewart captured the High Performance Hunter championship aboard Gochman Sport Horse LLC’s Catch Me to be awarded the winning cooler, donated by Mr. and Mrs. Sydney D. Hall, and the Beau Mac Perpetual Award, donated by Mr. Charles R. McGinnes. Stewart and the 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding won four of the division’s five classes, sweeping Tuesday’s competition in both over fences and under saddle classes, while also winning Wednesday’s handy round. Stewart was awarded the same championship trophy in 2018 with Parker’s Cameo.
Preceding the High Performance divisions, Stewart captured the Green 3’6” Hunter championship and reserve honors with Bikoff Equestrian LLC-owned geldings, Cabrio and Everwonder, respectively. In the Green Conformation Hunter division, Stewart once again claimed the championship and reserve awards with Gochman Sport Horse LLC’s Scandal and Critic’s Choice, also owned by Bikoff Equestrian LLC, respectively.
Megan Young and Roland Park were crowned the champions of the Huntland Conformation Hunter Challenge Series, sponsored by Baroness Betsee Parker and Huntland
The Main Hunter Ring also hosted the champion crowning of the Huntland Conformation Hunter Challenge Series, sponsored by Parker and Huntland, where Megan Young and Roland Park, owned by Mount Fair Equine LLC, were awarded the $10,000 prize for accumulating the most points in the Green and High Performance Conformation Hunter divisions at the Lexington Spring Premiere, Lexington Spring Encore, Keswick Horse Show and the UCHS.
Hunter competition will return to the Main Hunter Ring on Thursday at 8 a.m. with the Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions, while Hunter Ring II will feature the Local Pony Hunter divisions.
FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Scott Stewart – UCHS Grand Hunter Champion
On Private Life:
“He was great today, he was also good yesterday. Today, with the handy round, proved to be a bit more difficult than we planned. I think there were a lot of ups and downs for all of our horses. He’s been champion two years in a row and champion at all three indoor horse shows. He is a pretty laid back horse, he’s like a big pony, you have to wake him up a little bit. He really just comes from the stall to the ring, he doesn’t need any additional lunging. He’s just a super horse.”
On winning Grand Hunter Champion at the UCHS:
“It’s one of my favorite horse shows and it’s one of the oldest horse shows. As far as the hunter divisions, it’s about as prestigious as you can get. We always try to do our best here. I think it’s a great honor to be Grand Hunter Champion, especially here. There are a lot of great horses and riders and it’s Private Life’s first time being Grand Hunter Champion here, so it’s a great honor.”