Calibur Trail, owned by Brian Baldwin and Meralex Farm, carried Ferrell of Bernville, PA, to champion in the Regular Conformation Division having only just moved up from the First Years this fall. A win under saddle and second in the model combined with two firsts and a second over fences before a win over the handy course gave them top call and ultimately Grand Hunter Champion.
Reserve Champion in the Regular Conformation division stayed in the barn with Calibur Trail’s trainer Louise Serio of Kennett Square, PA, aboard Inspired, owned by Amy Guth. They won the model, took second under saddle and placed first, second and third over fences with a second-place ribbon in the handy for Reserve.
“We always have a great horse show here,” said Serio. “I love this main hunter ring – the jumps are pretty and challenging enough. You are always looking ahead, and this show does a really nice job at getting the horses prepared for what’s next.”
For Ferrell, Calibur Trail was a match she couldn’t deny, and the proof was in their performance this week. “He’s my favorite kind of ride – scopey, brave, always swaps his leads and I never have to touch his mouth,” she said. “He’s one of those horses that when the jumps go up one hole, it’s not a big deal. I knew he could jump the height, and it was pretty effortless for him to be wonderful yesterday and today.”
Calibur Trail, who has been under the direction of Serio and Ferrell for three years, is coming off a winter showing in Florida and seems to jump better and better with more experience, according to Ferrell. “It’s interesting to see how sharp and crisp he is here at Old Salem [Farm] after Florida,” said Ferrell of the coming eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “He felt happy, healthy and stayed consistent enough to win against some very high-quality horses over the past two days.”