Katy, TX –Allison Kroff was already guaranteed to be in the presentation photo for the $10,000 Kroff Stables Welcome Stake as the class’ presenting sponsor, but she earned an even better spot in the photo as the winning rider as well. Kroff and T-Quick Hurricane Z topped a 17-horse field to clinch the win on Thursday, March 30, at the 77th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show in Katy, TX. 

Kroff and “Fifi” were one of nine entries to jump without fault over the first-round course designed by Oscar Soberon. They then laid down a jump-off time of 40.670 seconds that would prove uncatchable. Finishing in second place with a time of 41.271 seconds were Martien van der Hoeven and Mefisto Il Mondo, owned by Brieanne Dofort. Rounding out the top three with a time of 41.399 seconds were Jacqueline Ruyle and her own Cyramo Z.

“[T-Quick Hurricane Z] is amazing!” said Kroff of the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare, owned by TC Sport Horses LLC. “She’s very opinionated, as am I, so we always say that we’re quite similar in that we don’t want to be told what to do. We typically have to – when we’re flatting and stuff like that – not get at each other because I know the truth is she’s trying so hard and so am I; we’re on the same team. It’s been cool to develop her a little bit [over the past year]. She did the 1.30m and 1.40m in Europe; we stepped up to the 1.50m, and she’s been amazing.” 

Kroff hails from Scottsdale, AZ, where she operates Kroff Stables as a boutique show barn with clientele ranging from pony hunters to grand prix riders. This winter, she made her first trip to the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, and she quickly knew she had to come back to the venue for the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show. 

“We wanted to try something new, and we’d heard such great things about it,” said Kroff. “This is just phenomenal – this facility, the way they dress it up, the ambiance, everything about it is amazing.” 

In addition to the lion’s share of the prize money, Kroff received an Antarès Reference helmet with an Eclipse Visor for her win in the $10,000 Welcome Stake. For full results of the class, visit www.HorseShowsOnline.com.

Running through April 16, the 77th Pin Oak Charity Horse Show features top hunter, jumper and equitation competition while benefitting the Texas Children’s Hospital. Highlight events of Week I include the $30,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, presented by Leaving One Out LLC, on Friday, March 31, and the $30,000 Texas Children’s Hospital Grand Prix at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 1. To learn more about the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, visit www.PinOak.org.

For media inquiries, please contact Emily at [email protected].

About the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show
Recognized as a US Equestrian Heritage Competition, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is one of the oldest and most prestigious horse shows in the United States, and today the show features three weeks of top hunter/jumper competition at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX.

Founded by J.S. Abercrombie in 1945, it’s also a unique social and fundraising event. Since making the very first donation to Texas Children’s in 1947 to begin the planning and building of the hospital, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show has continued its legacy of giving, now having donated nearly $7 million to the renowned medical institution. To learn more, visit www.PinOak.org.

Katy, TX – Following four weeks of top-caliber hunter competition at the Texas Winter Series, Nada Wise and Kelly Lorek are going home from the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX, with the largest hunter rider bonus checks.

A total of $30,000 in hunter rider bonuses was awarded, with $15,000 given during Week III to the top five horse and rider combinations competing at the “international height,” $10,000 distributed during Week IV across the top five combinations at the “national height” and one $5,000 bonus going to the series’ overall high-point horse and rider duo. 

Wise claimed the top spot – and a $6,000 bonus check – in the international height hunter rider bonus standings after earning top results in the Performance Hunter 3’6” division with Stevie Ray. Wise and the 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding, owned by Samantha Brown, also finished fifth in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby held during Week III to add to their point tally. Wise additionally finished third in the standings with Chesterfield, owned by Stacey Thompson.

In the national height standings, the top honor and a $4,000 bonus went to Lorek and Tomorrowland, owned by Priya Alvarez. Lorek and the 7-year-old Oldenburg gelding rode to top finishes in the Green Hunter 3’3” division throughout Weeks II-IV to also secure the overall High Point Horse/Rider Award and an additional $5,000 bonus check.

“I’m super excited; I’m going to Disneyland!” joked Lorek, who operates Southern Way Farm out of Austin, TX. “It’s my first time getting to win anything like this, so it’s just been a great feeling. It’s great competition and a great horse show, so it’s fun to do.”

Lorek also finished second in the international height hunter rider bonus standings with CR Ocean Mist, owned Adelaide Shenkir, earning her a total of $14,170 in bonus money.

“It’s awesome to be able to have bonuses like this,” said Lorek. “It promotes clients bringing their horses here and wanting their horses to show. The prize money has been great for all the divisions.”

Points for the international height hunter rider bonus were earned in the Week III $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby and in the following divisions during Weeks I-III: High Performance Hunter, Performance Hunter 3’6”, Green Hunter 3’6”, Green Conformation Hunter and High Performance Conformation Hunter.

Points for the national height hunter rider bonus were earned in the weekly USHJA National Hunter Derby classes and in the following divisions throughout Weeks I-IV: Green Hunter 3’, Green Hunter 3’3” and Performance Hunter 3’3”.

Points were computed for first through six place finishes as follows, with derby results receiving double points: 10, 6, 4, 2, 1, .5. Full results are shown below.

$15,000 International Height Hunter Rider Bonus

Ranking  Rider                     Horse                                                 Bonus Amount         
1          Nada Wise                Stevie Ray                                         $6,000
2          Kelly Lorek                CR Ocean Mist                                 $4,500                       
3          Nada Wise                Chesterfield                                       $3,000                                   
4          Happy Comly            Ginkgo CSH                                      $1,000                       
5          Trapp O’Neal             Parbleu van de Mispelaere             $500                                      

$10,000 National Height Hunter Rider Bonus

Ranking  Rider                         Horse                                             Bonus Amount         

1          Kelly Lorek                    Tomorrowland                              $4,000                       
2          Morgan Van Nortwick  Corduroy                                       $3,000                       
3          Mindy Coretz                Tipsy                                              $2,000                       
4          Kelly Lorek                    MTM Limited Edition                   $670                          
5          Natalee Haggan           MTM In Love                                $330              

Katy, TX – The young riders were the ones to beat in Thursday, February 23’s $25,000 Double Oak Tack Grand Prix at the Great Southwest Texas Winter Series in Katy, TX. Following a five-horse jump-off, the top two spots went to 20-year-olds Avery Erickson and John Gilpin, respectively.

“It was awesome [to win],” said Erickson, who, along with Gilpin, trains with Colleen Acosta at Fairway Farm. “[Chacco Lait]’s been so good these past two weeks, so it’s really nice to pull it all together. I loved today’s track. The jump-off was perfect for him. There weren’t really any tight turns, it was just galloping around, and he was amazing. He’s great at that. He likes to just gallop and run around. That’s his favorite.”

Erickson has been partnered with Chacco Lait, her 16-year-old Oldenburg gelding, for nearly five years, and together the duo has climbed the ranks from the Low Junior Jumpers to the grand prix ring. 

“I know him like the back of my hand,” said Erickson. “He tries really hard for me. As he gets older, it’s crazy, he just keeps jumping better.”

Following her win on Thursday, the sophomore at Southern Methodist University now has her sights set on the finale event of the Texas Winter Series at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center: Saturday night’s $100,000 Lone Star State Grand Prix.

For full results of the $25,000 Double Oak Tack Grand Prix, click here.

Katy, TX – Arizona’s Allison Kroff rode T-Quick Hurricane Z to victory in the $20,000 Pyranha Welcome Stake, held on Wednesday, February 22, during the Great Southwest Texas Winter Series in Katy, TX.

Kroff and the 11-year-old Zangersheide mare, owned by TC Sport Horses LLC, were one of four entries to navigate the first-round, Michel Vaillancourt-designed course without fault to advance to the jump-off. When the pair entered the ring, the short-course time to beat had been set at 40.180 seconds by Hannah Colligan and her own Jazelly VDL. However, that time was quickly toppled, as T-Quick Hurricane Z made short work of the track, tripping the timers in 37.921 seconds.

With Kroff clinching the win and Colligan finishing in second, third place went to Alwaleed Alrashid and RSH Freedom.

“[T-Quick Hurricane Z] is so fun,” said Kroff of the mare that she has been partnered with since mid-2021. “She’s always game, always wanting to be the winner, so we kind of have to reel it back in some of the classes, not just go flat out.”

Kroff continued, “Today was really fun. We have come from outdoors; we don’t do a lot of indoors. So, while this is a big indoor, it rides a little bit differently. Last week, we really had to work on our track and stuff like that. It was really fun to see our homework pay off. Today she was really rideable in the corners and really listening.”

This year marks Kroff’s second year competing at the Texas Winter Series at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, and she intends to be back.

“We came last year and loved it,” concluded Kroff. “We had such a blast. We were here for three weeks, and we definitely want to come back!”

For full results of the $20,000 Pyranha Welcome Stake, click here.

Katy, TX – Daisy Ford and Gatsby led the grand prix victory gallop for the second week in a row at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, this time after topping the $25,000 Great Southwest Grand Prix on Saturday, November 19 during the Great Southwest Final Chase.

“I was a little nervous again,” said Ford, who has owned Gatsby for eight years but just got the gelding back from a year lease in May. “I haven’t done this in a long time, and him being 16, we didn’t know if he would come back week two and still feel as good as he did week one. He did. I gave him off the entire week. This was the only class that he did. He was fantastic. He’s just one incredible horse!” 

Ford and Gatsby were one of 21 entries to contest the first-round course designed by Danny Foster, and they were one of eight to advance to the jump-off.

“I got lucky that I drew 19 in the order, so I was the last one to go in the jump off,” said Ford, who operates her own business, Ford Farms. “It was a really, really good course. It was technical, and the jumps were big enough. It was kind of an interesting jump-off, because you had the ability to go quick and leave some strides out in two areas. There were also three inside turns, and you had to do all three inside turns to win.”

Ford left out strides in both places to fly across the finish in 37.660 seconds, almost exactly two seconds faster than second-place finisher Alwaleed Alrashid who stopped the clock in 39.653 seconds riding RSH Grand Dessert, owned by Royal Sport Horses. Third place with a time of 40.303 seconds went to Lindsay Bedoya riding Daniel Bedoya’s Quattro.

“I was a little panicked because, in the rollback to the second to last jump in the jump-off, he slipped behind turning in the inside turn,” said Ford. I ended up having to slow down for a second to regain stability, so I was a little bit worried about the time there, but he’s just so fast across the ground!” 

For full results of the $25,000 Great Southwest Grand Prix, click here.

Morgan Van Nortwick rode MTM Post Script to victory in the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby held on Friday, November 18, during the Great Southwest Final Chase in Katy, TX.

A field of 18 horses contested the first round of the week’s highlight hunter class, and at the opening round’s conclusion, Van Nortwick and MTM Post Script sat in third place with scores 85.5 and 90 for a 172.5 first-round total score. Holding the lead with a score of 178 was Jef Lauwers on Hallpass, and Lauwers also sat in second place with a score of 175 aboard Reba.

With the top 12 entries returning in reverse order of their standings for the handy phase, Nortwick and MTM Post Script’s second-round score of 200 instantly shot them to the top of the leaderboard with a 375.5 overall total. A handy round score of 196 would give Lauwers and Hallpass, owned by Sue Copeland, a 374 total for a close second place. Lauwers and Reba, owned by Shadyside Farm, finished in third with a score of 362.

Van Nortwick has spent the past few years working for Will Roberts at Pine Hollow Farm in New Caney, TX, and Roberts was highly complimentary of Van Nortwick and MTM Post Script’s performance and partnership.

“Morgan works really, really hard, and I love working with her,” said Roberts. “I do greatly appreciate that. She’s a pleasure to be around, and the horses love her.”

MTM Post Script came into the barn in August as a sales horse, and Van Nortwick and the 10-year-old Warmblood gelding, owned by Cecilia Halsey, have meshed well in the few months since then.

“Much like almost every horse, he loves Morgan,” said Roberts. “Horses love her. They go out of their way to try hard and be good sports for her. He went really exactly the way that we wanted him to in both rounds.”

Roberts continued, “We kind of geared him toward this class. So, we showed him lightly the past couple weeks and then chose not to show him during the week this week just to target the derby, and when it works out like that, everybody’s happy!”

For full results of the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, click here.

Katy, TX – While an inside turn generally proves advantageous in a jump-off, this time, it was going around a fence that Brandon Howard credits with helping HF Costa Rica earn the win in the $10,000 Karinda K. Welcome Stake on Thursday, November 17 at the Great Southwest Final Chase.

“I decided to instead go around the jump,” explained Howard, who was one of nine entries from the 16-horse starting field to advance to the jump-off. “Watching everyone that went inside, they had to slow down so much, and it put them on such an angle to [the next fence] that they had to have a lot of scope to clear it to get down to the six-stride line. I opted to go around instead, which put me on a faster stride into that six-stride line down the middle. I ended up landing from the back of that line quicker than everyone else, and then went on the inside track.”

Howard and HF Costa Rica crossed the finish in 32.175 seconds, which would hold up for the win. Finishing in second place with a close time of 32.766 seconds were Avery Erickson and her own MTM Checco. Third place went to Joshua Tabor who finished in 33.676 seconds riding Calispera, owned by the Carat Group LLC.

“[Costa Rica’s] definitely got a lot of blood and a lot of heart,” said Howard of the 14-year-old Hanoverian mare, owned by Homeward Farms. “I don’t think I could put a jump in front of her that she doesn’t think she could jump, but she doesn’t have a lot of scope. She really just finds scope in her heart. I have to carry the pace to help her out with that.”

Howard bought HF Costa Rica in Europe when the mare was seven and has progressed her up the ranks to the 1.40-1.45m level since then.

“Originally, I got her as just a 1.30m horse to import and sell,” explained Howard. “Every time I put the jumps up, she kind of just jumped better and better. I leased her out for about a year and a half; I just got her back earlier this year.”

Also earning a headline jumper win during the Great Southwest Final Chase were Joshua Tabor and Concanto, owned by the Carat Group LLC. The pair topped a 19-horse field on their way to the win in the $5,000 1.25m Hygain Mini Prix on Friday, November 18. 

For full results of both classes, click here.