Trainer Larry Glefke has reason to celebrate when his elegant hunter dominates this featured class on the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival circuit.

Some trainers whoop, some whistle and some cheer, but Larry Glefke is known for clapping before the end of the round. So when rider Kelley Farmer was considering a name for her newest mount, one she knew would be staying at their farm for a while, she chose Early Applause.

And the attractive bay lived up to the moniker when he earned Glefke’s approval during the $42,500 AHJF Hunter Classic Spectacular, held Feb. 14 under the lights at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Fla.

“I have an amazing animal, and I’m lucky to be able to ride him,” said Farmer, 33, of Keswick, Va.

Farmer and the 7-year-old warmblood, of unknown breeding, dominated the class, winning both rounds to earn a score of 184.5 points, well ahead of Morgan Thomas and Vedette, with 178.16, in second and Liza Towell Boyd with Andora in third with 175.99.

The class drew 28 entries who competed over Michael Rheinheimer’s initial course that offered many options for riders to show off their horses’ strengths. For the first time in the 13-year history of the event, however, rain showers and downpours plagued the class, relegating some riders to a wet first-round ride.

Competitors qualified for the classic through earning championships or reserve championships in the 3’6″ and higher divisions at the WCHR Spectacular, Feb. 11-15. In addition, Patricia Griffith, the winner of the 2008 WCHR Pro Challenge at the Capital Challenge (Md.) automatically qualified as did Liza Towell Boyd, last year’s class winner, and WCHR Professional Rider of the Year, Sandy Ferrell.

This year professionals dominated the classic, with just one amateur, Sheila Motley aboard her new mount Premonition, cracking into the top eight. Motley, Keswick, Va., who trains with Glefke and Farmer, placed sixth.

Quite Easy

There were few surprises over the first round course, and most horses galloped and jumped confidently around the expansive International Ring, with late lead changes, cross cantering and missed distances the bulk of the problems.

Farmer described the course as a great test that allowed the best horses to shine.

“I thought the course rode beautifully,” she said. “You could keep a good gallop, and it had a nice flow. You could be prompt and handy, but you never had to get in your horse’s mouth.”

In the 3’6″ section, the largest with 19 entrants, Peter Pletcher and one of his chestnut mares, Sunshine, a 7-year-old Westphalian, took an early lead with an average of 87.

Right on their heels, however, was another chestnut mare, Andora. Defending champion Boyd borrowed the 8-year-old, first year green mount from Windhaven and Canadian-based trainer Kim Kirton. Despite competing in one of the worst of the downpours, Boyd and the Belgian Warmbood looked as if they’d been together for years and scored 86.33 with a beautifully flowing round.

After the jumps were raised to 3’9″, the scores also jumped. Ferrell took over the lead on Argentum, ironically, a horse she borrowed from Pletcher’s stable and owner Alta Basaldua. Argentum, an 8-year-old gray Oldenburg, one of the scopiest horses in the classic, showed off his impressive jumping with Ferrell’s precise ride and scored 88.33.

Sambalino, the green conformation division champion, did double duty on Saturday. Earlier in the day he carried owner Gina Day around the adult amateur, 51 and over, division courses, before professional Ken Berkley took the reins for the classic that night. The 7-year-old chestnut (by Samba Hit) scored 86.33 with Berkley’s well-timed guidance.

It was Thomas and his second year green hunter Vedette who first broke the 90 barrier. The 7-year-old Swedish Warmblood (by Quite Easy) made the course look quite easy to the pleasure of Thomas and his wife Nora who imported him two years ago from VDL Stud.

“In the first round I was truly unsure of what he might or might not do stepping on a real stage like that,” said Thomas. “About a third of the way through the course I started to think this is the way it’s supposed to feel. I wasn’t nervous. I was just enjoying it because I didn’t have tremendous expectations for him.”

While Morgan and Nora, Elk River, Minn., have high expectations for Vedette, he’d only shown lightly in the
pre-green and first year green divisions before stepping up to the 3’9″ this year. Therefore, they were uncertain of the outcome under the lights and with a significant audience.

“Vedette is inexperienced and a little unpredictable,” admitted Morgan. “He’s very honest about the jumps, but he’s very aware of his environment and sometimes can be distracted by little things, but he’s learning to become focused. Every time he gets a shot he seems to step up, and he’s starting to feel like a real show horse.”

A Premonition

As Glefke stood by the in-gate watching Farmer and Early Applause enter the ring for the first round after the fences were raised to 4′, he was confident in the outcome. “I had complete calm about me tonight because I thought it was this horse’s destiny to win this class,” he said. “I sincerely believed that.”

Farmer wasn’t quite as bold to say she had the class won when she jumped the first fence, but it wasn’t long into the course before she said she felt everything was falling into place.

“He tries so hard every time he goes into the ring,” said Farmer. “He’s only done eight horse shows in his life, and each and every time he gives 110 percent.”

After the first round, Early Applause stood on top with a 92.50 average, so he would be the last of the top eight qualifiers to tackle the second round. Farmer and Glefke didn’t have time to stand around, though, as Motley returned first.

Motley and Premonition had another solid round for 84.33 and a 169.41 total, eventually good for the green ribbon.

“I’m really proud of her,” said Farmer, noting that this was just Motley’s second show with her 12-year-old gelding.
Then it was time for Farmer and Glefke to take stock of the competition and prepare for Round 2.

“I just wanted to try and be smooth and try not to do anything too dramatic,” said Farmer. “But I felt I had to take a little bit of a chance. I know Morgan, and I know he’s not going to back off.”

As was expected, Morgan and Vedette vaulted into the overall lead with an 87.50 second-round performance and 178.16 total.

Now Farmer and Glefke knew the number to beat. “Morgan’s horse went beautifully, so I didn’t know what was going to happen; it could have gone either way,” said Farmer afterward.

But when the judges’ marks were announced, Early Applause and Farmer had nearly duplicated their first round score, and with a 92 and 184.5 total, the first-placed prize money of $12,000 was theirs.

“I’d rather win this class than any class in America,” stated Glefke. “This is the Kentucky Derby for the hunters. This horse will go on for years now, and this is something they can never take away from him.”

Early Applause found his way to Glefke through S&L Farms, who imported him, and trainer Mike McCormick. Glefke saw the horse last summer during a show at HITS Culpeper (Va.) and had to have him.

Even though he’s technically eligible first year green, they plan to campaign him this year in the regular conformation hunter division at 4′ and contest the USHJA International Hunter Derby competitions.

“He’s the personification of the hunter,” said Glefke, who noted he’s turned down many offers for the scopey and correct hunter. “This is a big deal. This is the most important class [for hunters] in America. This is great for this horse’s resume; he will go far.”