Nairobi and Morgan Thomas Triumph in Regular Conformation Hunters at Winter Equestrian Festival in Tampa

Tampa, FL- March 31, 2005 - Competition continued today at the Bob Thomas Equestrian Center in Tampa for the Winter Equestrian Festival. Only two days remain in the nine-week long circuit. The professional hunter divisions finished today, and two championships were awarded.

In the Regular Conformation Hunters, Nairobi and Morgan Thomas came away with the win over The Kamine Family’s Superman and Nona Garson. Thomas rides Nairobi for KW Unlimited.

Nairobi started his last week of WEF competition with a bang, as he won the model class and an over fences class and placed second in the remaining over fences class. Today, he won the under saddle class and was first and third over fences.

Thomas has been partnered with the striking bay stallion for four years and says he has “changed immensely” during their time together. Originally a very busy breeding stallion in Holland, Nairobi made the switch to being a show hunter when he came to the United States. The change came slowly, but Thomas was impressed with his talent. “When we started making him a show horse, he was quite distracted and green. He’s one of those horses that’s been a little slow to mature, but in a very nice, honest way. He just gets things at his own speed. But when he got to be good at his job, he was really good at his job.”

Thomas and Nairobi have had a lot of success together, but Nairobi’s owner plans to retire him at the end of the year and focus on breeding. Thomas believes this switch in the stallion’s activities will be good for the hunter industry. He explained, “He’s a hunter with a lot of scope. For the rated hunters, to do it well and for a career, I think they have to have serious scope. I think that’s one thing that he’ll really inject. He’s also very supple and athletic and has great natural balance.”

Although Thomas will miss competing with Nairobi, he feels that Nairobi’s breeding is a good career choice. “I just think that, with the right mares, he could potentially throw some great babies,” he said. “He’s been very good in the ring and he’s won at quite a few good places, but I think his biggest legacy could be to contribute a lot of young horses over the years that hopefully will end up being special ones.”

While Thomas and Nairobi are winding down their time together, Havens Schatt and Take Away are just getting started. Schatt picked up the ride for owner Cortie Wetherill at the beginning of WEF and has already won multiple championships.

Take Away won both over fences classes yesterday in the Regular Working Hunters, and then won the under saddle class and was first and fourth in the remaining over fences classes. Reserve champion in the division was Fashion Farm’s Coast to Coast and Amanda Lyerly.

Their win this week also gave them the circuit championship, but Schatt was not positive that their new partnership would be successful right away. “I was surprised at the success he’s had so quickly. Most of the time when they’re jumpers- especially when they have to go right in and jump four foot- it’s not as easy for them to level out,” she clarified. Schatt then added, “He’s very consistent and it just came easy for him.”

Take Away was originally a jumper in Europe, but has easily made the transition to a hunter. Schatt tried him in Europe, but did not know that they would be together a few months later. “When we were in Indoors last year, Jeff Wirthman (Take Away’s trainer) approached me about riding his horses during circuit. When I got to circuit, I started riding this horse for him and I had no idea it was the same horse that I had ridden in Europe,” she explained.

Schatt also mentioned that Take Away is comfortable now in his new role as a hunter. “I liked him from the minute I started riding him. He’s straightforward and jumps easy and is scopey. He’s consistent all the time and is a very good guy,” Schatt said.

The only thing Take Away had to learn was not to overjump the fences. “He almost wants to try too hard. He’s a very careful horse, so sometimes he jumps too high. He doesn’t ever really jump out of form, but sometimes it’s not the same because he’s trying too hard,” Schatt mentioned. “That was the only thing; we just had to try and make him think that he doesn’t have to overachieve. He only has to jump 4 foot, not 4’6” or 5 foot!”

Hunter championships continue tomorrow with the Adult Amateur and Amateur-Owner Hunters.

PHOTO CREDIT: Nairobi and Morgan Thomas, champions in Regular Conformation Hunters at Winter Equestrian Festival in Tampa. Photo by Randi Muster.