by Kim Egan, MHC Sport Horse Committee Chair (first published in the October 2022 Equiery)
Long-time member and MHC-sponsor Loch Moy Farm hosted the U.S. Eventing Association’s Future Event Horse (FEH) East Coast Championship on September 16-17.
The U.S. Eventing Association started the FEH program in 2007 as a way to evaluate the potential of yearlings, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, and 4-year-olds to become successful upper level event horses. Horses are judged separately by age and sex. The competition includes conformation, jump chute, and under saddle classes (for 4 year-olds only) as well as overall results.
Maryland-breds represented us well at this year’s championships. Maryland-bred geldings swept the leaderboard in the 3-year-old conformation class. In order of finish:
• Utah Beach – This 2019 Oldenburg colt by Ulmar Mail out of Avalan won both the 3-year-old conformation class and the 3-year-old jump chute class. He was bred by Didi Callahan and is owned by Marylander Monica Fiss. Utah Beach not only topped the 3-year-old colt class overall, but was also the FEH 3-year-old Champion and Overall High Score winner. Utah Beach is no stranger to the winner’s circle as he was also the FEH East Coast Yearling Champion in 2020!
• Bend the Rules – This un-raced Thoroughbred colt by Bandbox out of Merry Berry placed second in the 3-year-old conformation class and third in the 3-year-old jump chute class. The colt was bred by Mr. & Mrs. Charles McGinnes and owned by Marylander Kaitlyn Dudley. Bend the Rules placed second overall in the 3-year-old colt division.
• Two Today – This Thoroughbred colt by Mineshaft out of Lucy Stragmore placed third in the 3-year-old conformation class and fifth in the 3-year-old jump chute class. The colt was bred by Quest Realty and is owned by Allie Snowden of West Virginia. Two Today placed third overall in the 3-year-old colt division.
• Olympiad – This colt out of Maryland-bred Thoroughbred Wilhelmina by the Warmblood stallion Florianus II placed fourth in the 3-year-old conformation class and fourth in the 3-year-old jump chute class. The colt was bred and owned by Bellavista Farm. Olympiad placed fifth overall in the 3-year-old colt division.
• The North Star – The 2019 Thoroughbred gelding by Mizzen Mast out of Holiday Queen, placed sixth in the 3-year-old gelding conformation class as well as second in the 3-year-old gelding jump chute class. He was lightly raced under the Jockey Club name Sea Ketch before being purchased by his current owner Marylander Sarah Gonzalez. The North Star placed fourth overall in the 3-year-old colt division.
Maryland-breds also represented in the 2-year-old championship fillies class:
• Bellavista Illumination – This 2020 Cleveland Bay x Thoroughbred filly by Bellavista’s Foxhall Navigator out of Thorougbred mare A Charming Pose, finished third overall in the 2-year-old championship fillies division. She is bred and owned by Jason Daisey.
• No Hitter LOF – This 2020 Maryland-bred Holsteiner filly by Cunningham out of Zamboni Babe, placed fourth overall in the 2-year-old fillies division. She is bred and owned by Theresa Schuler.
Two Maryland-breds also competed in the yearling championship class:
• Remi Royale – This 2021 filly out of the Maryland-bred Thoroughbred Wilhelmina by the warmblood stallion Florianus II placed second in the yearling fillies championship division. She was bred by Bellavista Farm and owned by Joan Fontana.
• Regal Ritchie – This 2021 Dutch Warmblood colt by Florianus II out of Graceful placed third in the colt yearling championship division. Regal Ritchie was also bred by Bellavista Farm.
In addition to Olympiad, Bellavista Illumination, Remi Royale, and Regal Ritchie, Bellavista Farm also had two other young horses entered in the event. Noona is a 2018 Dutch Warmblood mare by Florianus II out of the Maryland-bred Thoroughbred Wilhemina. She placed second in the 4-year-old fillies conformation class, fifth in the 4-year-old fillies under saddle class, and fifth in the 4-year-old fillies jump chute class. Overall, Noona finished fifth in the 4-year-old fillies class.
Congratulations to all the breeders!
What is a Maryland Sport Horse?
“A Maryland Sport Horse is a horse of any breed, including a mixed breed, that was foaled in Maryland and that has participated in at least three competitions with three or more participants in each, that were judged by a disinterested judge according to a publicly available set of rules.”