Mike Shilling’s daughter, Angela, showed Clever Caution for six years before she moved on to other interests and the Thoroughbred mare retired from the show ring. When Clever Caution returned to the Shillings’ farm in Manhattan, Kan., Mike decided to breed her.

On Sept. 21-22, that decision paid off as Patty Stovel rode Shilling’s Count On Me (Viscount–Clever Caution, With Caution) to the 4-year-old grand championship at the International Hunter Futurity Finals, in Lexington, Ky.

The victory was especially rewarding since the Shillings don’t run a huge breeding and sales operation. And Angela was able to take time out to watch her mare’s offspring win.

“It was the most fun we ever had at a horse show, watching him do what he does so well. We were there with our hearts in our mouths,” Mike said.

“We own 300 acres, and we have six horses here. We’re just a small family operation, and we had a nice horse and thought we’d breed her and see what we got,” said Mike.

They chose Viscount, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Tim Hooker and standing at Warioto Farm (Tenn.), after several people recommended him.

Clever Caution wasn’t an unproven broodmare–when the Shillings bought her 10 years ago, she had a pony foal on the ground by Liseter Star Jasper, which they subsequently sold. That pony–Liseter Clever Star–has developed into one of the top large ponies, winning the tricolor at Devon (Pa.) in 2003 and 2004 with Brittany Warden and Jessica Springsteen.

So Count On Me, or “Jack,” is carrying on the family’s tradition. “Ever since we’ve had Count On Me on the ground, he’s done nothing but win everywhere he’s gone,” said Mike.

Jack showed lightly on the line as a yearling and 2-year-old, and he won the 2-year-old colts and geldings class at the IHF Midwest Regionals in 2003.

Jack was in training with Kansas trainer Pryce Fowles as a 2-year-old and with Mary Ann Thomas Funk of Ashwood Farm (Kansas) as a 3-year-old. He traveled to Kentucky for the IHF Finals last year and earned ribbons in the 3-year-old division. Stovel catch-rode him then, and she was happy to repeat the honors this year.

“He was very easy last year as a 3-year-old, and he was easy again this year. He’s got enough motor, but he’s basically quiet. He’s not spooky and changes his leads. For the futurity, those are all real pluses,” Stovel said.

Jack traveled to Virginia in August for Stovel to finish preparing him. She showed him twice in the pre-green division before the IHF Finals.

“I’m not surprised he won because he’s so easy–he just goes and does his thing,” said Stovel. “I catch-rode two other ones, and they were really green.

Notoriously in that division, if they’re simple and just do their thing, they’re usually going to be right there. He got a good ribbon under saddle, and with just three classes that’s important.”

After the finals, Jack returned to the Shillings in Kansas for a bit of a vacation. And he’s ready to take on a new role–in a new home. “He’s a really nice horse–he’s kind of a big pet for us. We love him, but he needs to be with someone who wants to win because he’s a winner,” Mike said.

Mike will still have a few more pets, though. Clever Caution has a yearling on the ground by an appendix Quarter Horse–Cowhand Special–that he hopes will be his own mount on the farm. And she’s in foal to the Welsh pony stallion Menai Mister Mostyn.

The Hookers were probably celebrating a Viscount offspring’s win in the 4-year-old division, but the celebrations grew when the blue was all theirs in the 3-year-old division. Jasmine (Zarr–Theresa, Viscount) claimed the 3-year-old grand championship for the Hookers as owners and breeders, with Jenny Fischer aboard.

Bred at Warioto Farm, Jasmine traveled to Fischer’s farm in New York in August and had shown only once before the final. Fischer took her to two local indoor rings for experience before heading to Kentucky to show in the horse park’s indoor stadium.

“She didn’t get flustered or upset about it at all. I find sometimes that the smaller horses handle the indoor better, just because they’re not as gawky and gangly in their stride and in turns,” Fischer said.

Jasmine is just 15.2 hands, but you wouldn’t know it.

“She’s got quite a big stride. And she’s a very good jumper,” said Fischer.

Jasmine’s family has quite a history at the IHF Finals. Her older full brother, Paradiso, was the 3-year-old reserve grand champion at last year’s finals, and her younger full brother, Kuger, won the 2-year-old under saddle this time.

“There are quite a few similarities, as far as their stride–they have very big strides for little horses and are very scopey and try hard. They seem to be real show horses who want to be competitive,” Fischer said.

Jasmine will now join the Hookers on the A-rated show circuit and start showing in the pre-green divisions.
I
n September Fischer–an in-demand rider for young horses–did a little more winning on a horse of her own. She bred Steal The Show, and owns and rides him. The gelding (Schoenfelder–Elogy) won the 4-year-old grand championship at the IHF East Coast Regionals in Warrenton, Va.

“It’s nice to ride your own, but it also puts a little more pressure on you. You take the results more personally, since they’re like your children,” said Fischer.