Harrisburg, Pa.—Oct. 22

Kelly Tropin walked out of the ring on Chablis in the amateur-owner, 18-35, hunters knowing she had just laid down one of the best trips of her life.

“I had chills,” Tropin said. “And then when I heard he got a 92, my trainer and I both started crying.”

Tropin and Chablis won that over fences class on her way to capturing the championship in the amateur-owner hunter, 18-35, division, and the high score award, to boot!

Kelly Tropin and Chablis. Photo by Ann Glavan.

Tropin has known Chablis since he was a 4-year-old. The now 8-year-old horse has been in her trainers’ barn (Peter Lutz and Mary Manfredi) since he was a green horse. Tropin was quick to credit their program for producing such a spectacular hunter.

“They trained him and took him in his first hunter class and taught him everything,” Tropin said. She took over the ride when the horse was 6.

“It’s pretty cool for him to be champion here because we really produced the horse together, and in addition to being happy I won I’m also really happy the horse went so beautifully,” Tropin said. “I take real pride in producing the young horses, and that was awesome.”

Samantha Schaefer and Classified were the reserve champions in the amatuer-owner 18-35 division. Photo by Ann Glavan.

When Tropin isn’t competing at the top level of the sport in both the hunter and jumper ring, chances are you can either find her at work as an economist at Graham Capital Management or in the car. Tropin lives in Manhattan, works in Norwalk, Ct., and rides with Lutz and Manfredi in North Salem, N.Y.

“It’s a lot of driving,” Tropin said with a laugh. It’s all worth it for Tropin—the 25-year-old rider got emotional summing up what Chablis means to her.

“I try to explain to my friends who don’t ride how amazing it is, because you love your horse like they’re your pet and your friend, and then when they help you achieve a dream like that? It’s amazing,” Tropin said. “It’s such a special feeling to have your horse do that for you.”

And the best thing about Chablis? He’s only 8. Tropin is looking forward to many more years with her special horse, who provided plenty of entertainement for onlookers during his awards presentation as he tried to eat a plant, his rider’s winning bouquet, his ribbon, and just about anything else in chomping distance.  

“Oh my God, he’s a complete monster,” Tropin said with a laugh. “He definitely is very aware of how beautiful he is; he definitely thinks he’s the most beautiful, talented horse at the horse show.”

Tropin keeps Chablis’ ego in check with some creative pet names.

“He doesn’t really have barn name, but he has lots of nicknames,” Tropin said. “Shabby, because he’s very arrogant, so that keeps him humble. Cerdeto, which means little pig in Spanish, and Chupacabra, which is kind of an evil little creature. 

“He’s very full of himself, so we need to take him down a notch!” Tropin continued with a laugh.

Capturing the amateur-owner, 36 and over, championship and the grand amateur-owner title was the very handsome Custom Made and owner Shaw Johnson Price.

“Red” had our attention from the beginning of the horse show with his spectacular efforts over fences with trainer Havens Schatt, and he didn’t disappoint when Price took over the ride for the amateur-owner division.

Shaw Johnson Price and Custom Made captured the amateur-owner, 36 and over, division championship and the grand amateur-owner title. Photo by Ann Glavan. 

“He is the sweetest horse in the world,” Price said. “He’s a little bit looky, but if you just sit chilly, and his confidence is good and my confidence is good, then he just goes right to the jump.”

Price, of Chestertown, Md., was champion last year at the Pennsylvania National in the 3’3” amateur-owner division, so Schatt was particularly proud of her student for being able to repeat the performance in the next level.

“To come back the next year moving up the steps, and do as well, it’s how it should be,” Schatt said.

Jane Gaston and Because took the reserve champion title in the amateur-owner, 36 and over, division. Photo by Ann Glavan.

See all of the Chronicle’s Pennsylvania National coverage. Click here for full results from the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, and don’t forget to check out the Nov. 7 issue of The Chronicle of the Horse for more in-depth coverage from the show!