Northeast Paint Horse Championship Celebrates Success

PHJ press release by: Kayla Cherry

The Northeast Paint Horse Championship went off without a hitch this year on August 8–9 in Logan Township, New Jersey. Returning for its second year, the Northeast Paint Horse Championship took place in conjunction with the Northeast Connection Zone 7 show.

The Northeast Paint Horse Championship provided local exhibitors a plethora of opportunities to compete in championship classes and receive prestigious awards reserved for exhibitors and horse owners in Zone 7, which encompasses Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

“This is more than just a local show,” Garden State Paint Horse Club President Marjorie Moser said. “Each year it’s going to get bigger and better; this is about encouraging the people who love Paints to participate in Paint Horse shows that maybe never have before and rewarding them for that.”

APHA sponsored the 15 Northeast Championship classes providing Gist Silversmiths trophy buckles for the winners and medallions second–tenth place exhibitors. In addition, APHA also provide Zone 7 with $3,500 in award reimbursements to help them expand prizes for their Zone classes. The Garden State Paint Horse Club also raised $15,000 in donations in six weeks that provided for even more awards and scholarships for competitors.

“The donations just kind of took on a life of their own,” said Marjorie. “Several donations were made from first-time donors who solely wanted to make a contribution to the purpose behind the new show opportunity that the Northeastern Paint Horse Championship provided to Paint enthusiasts in the region.”

New Jersey Senator Stephen M. Sweeney presented the scholarships at the Northeastern Paint Horse Championship. The show also offered classes for disabled Youth competitors, as well.

For Northeast Paint Horse Championship events, exhibitors had to meet certain eligibility requirements — click here for details. Classes are chosen based on events that will garner participation from the community as well as classes that will encourage show attendees to try something new.

“We changed the classes up from last year to offer more Novice events in addition to the more competitive championship classes to give everyone who came an equal opportunity to enjoy the experience; you’ve got to feel competitive to want to compete,” said Marjorie.

Next year, Marjorie expects to see turn out increase as word of this new opportunity continues to spread throughout the Paint community.

 “Anyone can make anything happen,” said Marjorie. “As an organization, we are really blessed to have been able to bring these kinds of opportunities to competitors.”

 Unofficial Northeast Paint Horse Championship winners are as follows:

• Open Mares: Her Style Is Blue, exhibited by John Shepard, owned by Clint and Adina Walker of Barclay, Maryland.
• Open Trail: Instinctively Dirty, exhibited by Brooke Dixon, owned by Jeannie Lipphard of Centreville, Maryland.

• Western Riding: Your Invited, exhibited by Erin Fick, owned by Sharon Rubin of Wilmington, Delaware.

• Reining: Shirley Its Me, exhibited and owned by Betsy Ullrich of Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

• Open Hunter Under Saddle: All I Wanna Do, exhibited by Erin Fick, owned by Anne Connolly of Mohrsville, Pennsylvania.
• Youth Equitation: Special This Time, exhibited and owned by Anna Lia Sullivan of South Hampton, New Jersey.
• Amateur Equitation: Good Boy Leroy, exhibited by Emily Fick, owned by Linda A. Fick of West Grove, Pennsylvania.
• Yearling Longe Line: I Got Too Much To Do, exhibited and owned by Valerie Laird of Hampstead, Maryland.
• Youth Horsemanship: Essential Sensation, exhibited by Serena Rubin, owned by Sharon Rubin of Wilmington, Delaware.
• Amateur Horsemanship: Stuck Up Zipper, exhibited by Morgan Ilic, owned by Melissa Ilic of Franklinville, New Jersey.
• Open Western Pleasure: Sirtainly No Doubt, exhibited and owned by Morgan Ilic of Franklinville, New Jersey.
• Novice Youth Western Pleasure: I’ve Got Good Assets, exhibited and owned by Marissa Campbell.
• Youth Western Pleasure: Essential Sensation, exhibited by Serena Rubin, owned by Sharon Rubin of Wilmington, Delaware.
• Novice Amateur Western Pleasure: Zippos Du Intimidate, exhibited and owned by Shelbi Probst of Shamokin, Pennsylvania.
• Ranch Pleasure: Investers Norfleet, exhibited and owned by Kelsey Lynn Keathly of Greene, New York.