Glass Castle and Motion Picture Wow the Judges in 3'6' Pro Finals at Legacy Cup

Article and Photos by Diana DeRosa

Havens Schatt Wins Walter J. Lee Trophy

Lexington, KY – It was musical horses in the Pro 3’6” Finals.  While Rio Renoir ridden by Emily Williams and owned by Brad Wolf won the Go Round, it was Glass Castle ridden by Havens Schatt that would dominate the Finals.  In the Restricted Pro Go Round Skylar ridden by Loretta Mayer and owned by Kristin Montemarano was the big winner but for the Finals Jennifer Papiernik won the class aboard Motion Picture.

Schatt and Just Jack were the first to go in the Finals competition.  They finished with a score of 259. That score held the lead until Schatt entered the arena again on the very last horse in the class.  That last horse, Glass Castle, was the final charm for the judges, who gave them a score of 262. In the end Schatt would finish first (Glass Castle), second (Just Jack) and third (Costello). 

The Go Round and Finals took place May 9th and 10th at the Legacy Cup, part of the Kentucky Spring Horse Shows taking place in Lexington, KY, through May 18.

The Walter J. Lee Trophy for the professional rider accumulating the most money in the Pro divisions was presented to Havens Schatt after she totaled $12,323 in winnings.  The purse for the Pro 3’6” division totaled $8,800, with $7,300 allocated to the Finals.  The winning horse received $2,912.

It Was a Beautiful Glass Castle in the Pro 3’6” Finals

While Schatt, Ocala, FL, was delighted with her win on Glass Castle, owner Shaw Johnson Price was quick to add her enthusiasm for a well deserved victory.  “She is always happy,” explained Price about the nine-year-old, dark bay, 16.2H, Belgian Warmblood mare.

“When I entered that ring I knew I had already won (because she was leading on Just Jack) but every time I just try as hard as I can.”  In the end she duplicated her performance on Just Jack who had also finished second in 2007. 

When asked what Glass Castle is like to be around a sea of voices praised her attitude.  “She is pretty straightforward, really brave and direct and the sweetest horse in the whole world,” commented Schatt and echoed trainer Scott Williamson, the one who found the horse in the first place. “She loves carrots and peppermints,” added Price.

While Glass Castle was at the horse show in 2007 for then owner Caroline Moran she ended up sick, they think because of a spider bite, which kept her out of commission for the rest of that year.  Yet, in 2008 she was back in action. 

And while she is a trooper in the arena, she also knows where the ingate and the barn are.  “In the victory gallop she wanted to trot away from the gate and gallop home,” said a laughing Schatt.   

While Schatt seemed to dominate the winner’s circle this year she knows both sides of the arena.  In 2006 she was out of commission for a little over a month just around the time of the Legacy Cup.  “I took a flip on a horse over a jump, separated my shoulder and had to have surgery,” she explained.  So for that Legacy Cup she was watching from the sidelines.  But this year there was no mistaking the amazing string of talented horses she was riding.

And while Glass Castle won the Saturday night Finals that victory was a near miss.  The owner was debating on whether they should give Glass Castle a rest in preparation for more showing in the days ahead, but when the vet gave them the green light then the rest was up to “Gracie.”