Southern States has been a tradition in our barn for many years. It’s our opportunity to support our breed, show under some great judges in the many sport horse divisions offered, and visit with our friends that we only get to see at shows! Jen became the president of the Virginia-Carolinas Morgan Horse Club in 2023, and the club has a huge presence at the show – it is always a treat!
Four Team Figment horses went this year – Jimmy (HJA Sundust), Zipper (Battersea Zipper), Falcon (Mosswoods Falcon), and making her show debut, Fiona (Figment Fiona)! Jimmy, Zipper, and Fiona (fun fact, Zipper is Fiona’s dam) competed throughout the week, while Falcon learned to take in the experience of an away show.
Jimmy is a veteran of Southern States, and has made many friends throughout the years. He is just coming back into work, and thus we were careful with his schedule. He competed in Sport Horse In-Hand Geldings, which he won, and had two good Training Level tests with scores in the mid-60s – great for his first show back!
Zipper was a star again this show, continuing her lovely spring right into summer! She had two great classes over fences, and a nice flat class for reserve champion in the low working hunter division. She also performed Intro Tests A and B again, and did a nice job, also with scores in the mid-60s. She was second in the Sport Horse In-Hand Mares.
Miss Fiona and her owner, Stephanie, had a great show! Fiona turned three on the day we shipped home (she was in fact born while we were at Southern States in 2021!), and was an absolute star for her first away show. She took everything in stride, and so did Stephanie. The pair competed in Ranch Horse Halter in which they earned a nice second place, Trail In-Hand for a third, and Sport Horse In-Hand Mares, where they also earned a third in the pouring rain – we are SO proud of Stephanie and Fiona for their great performance and sportsmanship at their first show!
Southern States is always a very busy week, as Jen is the Sport Horse coordinator for the show, as well as the AMHA Youth of the Year contest coordinator! Our friend Susan came up to help us out as champion groom (Susan and her husband Duncan own Dreamcatcher Farm, and were our wonderful hosts in Aiken), and we couldn’t have done it without her! Kirstin, who is Artemis’s owner (she met Arty at Southern States in 2023!) came to visit as well. It was a great time, and we can’t wait for next year!
Thank you to Howard Schatzberg Photo for the photos, as well as The Morgan Horse magazine.
