Caroline Gibson and Primetime Garner Grand Hunter Championship at Dallas Harvest Horse Show

Tyler, TX – November 1, 2009 – Today marked the conclusion of the Dallas Harvest Horse Show at the picturesque Texas Rose Horse Park. The horse show benefits Habitat for Horses, an equine protection organization that has been in operation for the past 11 years fulfilling its mission to assist distressed horses, and provide a safe and secure home while rehabilitating them for adoption.

The Junior Hunter divisions wrapped-up their second day of competition today in the Main Hunter Ring. The top award was presented to Caroline Gibson, who swept the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division with Primetime to earn the Grand Hunter Championship. Primetime is owned by Shadyside Farm in Magnolia, TX. The Large Junior 16-17 Hunter reserve championship honors went to Jessica Bass, of Boerne, TX, for her ride board Curiosity Shop.

Gibson has been riding Primetime for five years, and she was thrilled to earn the Grand Hunter Championship with him. “It feels really good, it feels like everything I’ve worked for has paid off,” she expressed after receiving her trophy. “He has come a long way. He was just a sale horse when we bought him, we did not think he would turn into anything, but he slowly stopped spooking and he’s turned into a really great horse.”

“He likes for you to hold his hand and tell him everything is going to be ok,” she continued. “Now I know he has faith in me though, and it feels really good to have that kind of a relationship, he’s the best.”

Gibson and Primetime competed in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby on Friday, and she was the only junior to earn a ribbon, placing tenth in the standings. “He is not exactly what you would call a derby horse,” she noted. “He has a little bit of a spook, so we never thought he would go well in those classes, but he was great on Friday.”

Caroline Gibson and Primetime

Caroline Gibson and Primetime

Earlier in the day Gibson earned her first championship tricolor during the Small Junior Hunter division with Holiday, owned by Laura Beckworth, of Magnolia, TX. The division’s reserve championship prize was presented to Taylor Reid, of Pilot Point, TX, and Day Dream.

“Holiday has been going really well and we’ve really hit our stride together,” said Gibson. “I only started showing him this summer. The trick with him is getting him to respond, which he has finally started to do. I’m really happy with how he went today, and it’s really fun to ride a horse that does not care what you do. You can point him at anything and he’ll jump just as long as you give him a distance.”

Sixteen-year-old Gibson and her family train with Peter Pletcher at his farm in Magnolia, Texas. Holiday is owned by Gibson’s aunt, who shows him in the Adult Amateur Hunters.

The Large Junior 15 and Under Hunter division also completed their second day of competition in the Main Hunter Ring. Audrey Watkins of Flower Mound, TX, and Neander earned the championship award. Carson Gibson and Caden, owned by Shadyside Farm of Magnolia, TX, took home the reserve championship honors for their excellent performance.

Audrey Watkins and Neander

 

Audrey Watkins and Neander

“He was good; he was a little fresh the first day, but after that he was perfect,” described Watkins after her victory. “I’m hoping to make it to Indoors this year, and possibly the USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals. Neander is really fancy and he’s really handy, so he can do tight turns nicely and he has a nice jump.”

Watkins has been training with Matt Cyphert at Woodhill Farm for the last three years. “Audrey is a great student,” commented Cyphert. “She works very hard and rides almost every day. She leased a jumper and that has helped her riding a lot, especially for the handy classes. She has only had this horse for a couple of months now, but she has been champion or reserve almost every week. He is a very sweet horse and very brave; I think they are going to make a great team.”

The 2009 Dallas Harvest Horse Show was very successful, attracting the top horses and riders in the south, and raising a great deal of money to support Habitat for Horse. To learn more Habitat For Horses please visit please visit www.habitatforhorses.org.

For more information on the 2009 Dallas Harvest Horse Show please visit www.southboundsshows.com.

Photo Credit: Caroline Gibson and Primetime were named Grand Hunter Champions after sweeping the Large Junior 16-17 Hunter division at the Dallas Harvest Horse Show. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.

Photo Credit: Audrey Watkins was the winner of the Large Junior 15 and Under Hunter championship prize with Neander at the Dallas Harvest Horse Show. Photo By: Rebecca Walton/PMG. Photograph may be used only in relation to this PMG press release.

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