Cathrin Gutmann of Austria and Blue Couture Win Congress Amateur Hunter Under Saddle

By: Brittany Bevis

Thus far at the 2013 Congress we’ve had the opportunity to interview two international exhibitors, Leonie Fischer of Germany and Abbey Rawlings of Australia. Today, a third international competitor scored a Congress Championship title during her first trip to the Congress. Cathrin Gutmann of Austria and Blue Couture took the top title in Amateur Hunter Under Saddle this afternoon.

Back at home in Austria, Gutmann has five show horses. Blue Couture, aka “Sky,” is the only show horse she keeps here in the United States. She has owned the eight-year-old mare since March of this year. The Congress is only their sixth horse show together as a team. They currently compete under the guidance of Allison Clark.

“She is the only one I have here currently,” Gutmann says. “I do hunter under saddle a lot at home and western pleasure. I also do the trail. Right now, we are in the middle of renovating our place at home, so the horses will move in soon for winter vacation. That is something I look forward to.”

When she’s back overseas, Gutmann seeks the expertise of Karin Prevedel, who is based out of Italy. It just so happens that Gutmann and Prevedel are both here competing in hunter under saddle classes at the Congress.

“Karin has her facility in Italy, and that’s where I go to every six weeks,” she says. “Now, our facility is finished. I live one hour from Vienna.”

“I will take Allison to Austria after the World Show for one and a half weeks, and we will have a clinic there. Everything is booked full already. It’s pretty exciting.”

Now that Gutmann has concluded her last class here at the Congress, she will return home to compete in the Austrian Championship before coming back to the States for the AQHA World Show in November.

Although it’s currently 4:30 pm here in Columbus, Ohio, it’s 10:30 pm in Austria. That means Gutmann’s friends and family must keep some odd hours if they plan on watching her compete. Her husband called immediately after today’s class to congratulate her on her win.

“Every time [I show], he is watching,” she says. “He sets his alarm clock and gets up in the middle of the night. If I had to show in the evening, he would get up at 3 in the morning!”

Overall, Gutmann has thoroughly enjoyed competing at her first Congress.

“I don’t think there is anything similar anywhere, as far as this big of a single breed show,” she says. “There is nothing that can compare to it. I think this is the most fun show in the world.”

Amateur Hunter Under Saddle-

1-Cathrin Guttman/Blue Couture

2-Shez Dressed Hot/Laura Bracken

3-Huntin My Zipper/Rebekah Kazakevicius

4-Skip The Formalities/Erin Shapiro-Boatwright

5-One Hot Kat/Lindsey Gillette

6-Im Only Certified/Whitney Karr

7-Only Delight/Tiffany Raimonde

8-Hot Kattitude/Kelley Mundrick

9-Call Me A Hottie/Caroline Cavallo

10-IE Ibeagoodone/Katie Jo Jones