Edited Press Release
October 2, 2024 – Upper Marlboro, MD – The $25,000 KASK/Vogel 3’ & 3’3” North American Green Hunter Championship presented by The Wheeler Family had 31 entries that qualified through their respective division performances this week. Coming in on top with a first-round score of 91.33, Nick Haness of Temecula, CA, and Odette were able to top that in the second round. The judges rewarded their smooth, precise trip with an average score of 93 for a total of 184.33 and the win.
In addition to the victory, Haness finished third with Cannon Beach (176.99), owned by West Coast Equine Partners LLC, fourth on Et Cetera (176.82), owned by Glade Run Farm LLC, eighth riding Kannon Hill (172.99) owned by HLF Equestrian LLC, and tenth on South Coast (168.66), owned by West Coast Equine Partners LLC.
“I’m pretty used to catch riding a lot of horses,” said Haness of his busy afternoon. “Going into this class, every single one of my horses was completely different than the horse before. I had to quickly readjust. I had a horse in this class that it was his first time ever competing and has only been jumping for six months. Riding him is completely different than riding Odette. I’m able to compartmentalize each horse differently and try to separate how each of them likes to go.
“It’s mentally taking a minute – even though I don’t have very many minutes to myself when I’m this busy – and just thinking about what that horse needs for this class and how they like to go,” he continued. “I adjust little things about them to make them go their best.”
While Haness feels he knows Odette well and they have already had major success, this class was their first time jumping indoors. Odette was unfazed by the atmosphere.
“It’s a lot of pressure for these younger horses. You go in with the mindset that it is what it is, and hopefully you’ve prepared for it,” he explained. “I was calm and relaxed with Odette – and tired – so that made me relax and go in and focus on what she needed. She’s so intuitive and so smart. I was able to glide around the course.”
Haness described the eight-year-old Oldenburg mare by Casallco as having an “exquisite style” with an attitude and brain that improves at every show.
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