Amanda Thomas came to Harrisburg hoping for a ribbon or two aboard Hadley Graham’s Kapalua. So when Kapalua stepped up and won the second year green and grand green hunter championships at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show today, Oct. 14, she felt ecstatic. Kapalua edged out Madeline Thatcher’s Mirasol and Maggie Jayne for the second year title.

“This is my first time winning at Harrisburg,” said Thomas. “He’s been good all season, and he won prizes, but nothing like this. He couldn’t have been any better this weekend. It all came together on the right day.”

Thomas, a Florida native, has been working for trainer Katana O’Brien in St. Louis, Mo., for seven years. Thomas started working with Kapalua three years ago, when he was only 3 and just starting to jump. Three years later, the Hanoverian has transformed into a keen competitor who works double-duty in the large junior ring with Graham and lights up at bigger shows.

“The harder the venue the better he is,” said Thomas. “He tries harder, and he performs better.”

In the first year division, Alta Basaldua’s Argentum earned top honors with Peter Pletcher aboard. The 7-year-old gelding picked up first, second, third and fourth over fences on his way to the title. Louise Serio rode La Fayette to the reserve for Deborah Perkins.

Since Pletcher started riding him at HITS Thermal (Calif.) this March, Argentum (Cento—Fortune IV) has proved himself a consistent winner. He’s collected tricolors all season and won USHJA/ASG Software Solutions Hunter Derbies at Spring Gathering (Texas) and Pin Oak Charity (Texas).

“He’s really come into his own beautifully,” said Pletcher. “He’s gotten more and more broke, and the more he goes the more carefully he jumps. It all came together at the right time.” 

Bryan Baldwin’s Castle Rock topped three classes on the way to the working hunter championship with Louise Serio. Mary Lisa Leffler topped the other two aboard Ashley Foster’s Sam Adams to take reserve.

“His presence is just awesome,” said Serio of the gray 9-year-old. “He tries every single time he goes in the ring.”

When Castle Rock found his way to Baldwin and Serio, the Dutch Warmblood already had an impressive resumé, having made his mark in the green hunter ring with Holly Orlando over the last two years. With Serio in the irons the gelding has continued his winning ways at the four-foot and contests adult amateur classes with his owner.

“He did [the Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.)], and then he didn’t do anything else until the Middleburg Classic (Va.),” said Serio. “Bryan is very selective about where he goes. He has a limited schedule so that hopefully he’ll last a long time.”