Friday Final Stretch!

Upperville, Va - June 6, 2025

So here we are at the final weekend of Upperville, and what a week it has been so far! Anthony has had Danny and Joe in both the hunter and jumper rings, respectively, and we are SO proud of students Nikki Hvozda and Mackenzie Brown making their very first appearances at Upperville.

Today was no exception to what has already been an exciting week for Danny. Before he makes his final, and most important, appearance at tomorrow's Celebration of Therapeutic Riding and Para Dressage event at 2 pm at the Parker Ring, Danny made his debut at the $10,000 Paul and Eve Fout "Go As You Please" Handy Hunter Round this evening in the Parker ring. This iconic class, named in honor of Upperville legends and sponsors Paul and Eve Fout, is always a huge crowd pleaser and great fun. The object of the exercise in this hunter class is all about showing off your hunter in the best possible light - and so the riders actually get to choose their own course! The beautifully decorated natural fences are designed to mimic the countryside as seen out foxhunting. Riders get to make up their own courses with three requirements: the course must include 8-12 fences, a trot fence somewhere in the round, and one fence must be jumped out of a hand-gallop. For Danny, this was a big ask, but this horse LOVES to have fun -- and this class creates that in spades for both horse and rider!

With his course decided, and with gathering rain in the distance, Anthony picked up the reins, and it was off into the beautiful Parker ring they went! Danny was game from the start, and he jumped his heart out! With a few nice open canter fences to start, Anthony had included some tighter turns and a trot fence in his course plan. Danny looked forward, but nicely collected, and every bit the sort of hunt horse anyone would love to ride! Paul and Eve would have been proud! Finishing on a strong score of 77, our wee Danny ended up with a ribbon and 12th place for his efforts -- a stellar result for a baby horse in a class of mature and seasoned hunters. Suffice it to say he is WELL prepared for Mackenzie in tomorrow's Para Dressage exhibition class! We hope you will all join us tomorrow under the oaks at 2 pm to watch and cheer for all of the amazing riders from our local therapeutic riding programs, and for Wheatland Farm's own Mackenzie Brown in the para dressage exhibition. If you can't watch us in person, don't forget to join us on the livestream of the Upperville Colt and Horse Show! We will keep you posted on our last day of showing at our FAVORITE show!

Anthony and Coach Lilibet Motion celebrate their ribbons following the Paul & Eve Go As You Please round today!