Concetto & Morgan Thomas First Year Green Hunter Champ Sec. A
Equestrian News Release

WELLINGTON, Fla., Feb 21--Concetto and Morgan Thomas overtook the herd to become Grand Champion in the First Year Green Hunters Section A at the CN Winter Equestrian Festival presented by Zimmerman Advertising Thursday.

Thomas of Plymouth, Minn. and the 11-year-old black Oldenburg gelding owned by First Partners of Chicago made a successful start of Week 6 with the first place finish in the first trip over fences Wednesday. The pair moved on to the International Arena on Thursday to finish with two second places, a score of 85 in the first trip and 88 in the second to become Grand Champion.

Thomas and Concetto were presented with a WCHR Hunter Spectacular cooler, a leather halter, and their names engraved on The 'Music Row' Perpetual Trophy.

"Concetto was bought in Europe in the spring of 2007 as a stallion," Morgan said. "Because of his beautiful type we gelded him and decided to make him a hunter. His end purpose is to be a Junior Hunter for Catherine Tyree. I wasn't quite sure what he would do in this ring but he went beautifully. I am totally thrilled with him.'

Reserve champion was the six-year-old bay gelding, World Time, and rider and owner Scott Stewart, of Wellington.

"This is only his third show and his first time in the International ring," Scott said. "I thought he went really well and was very brave."

The first trip over fences on Thursday was won with a score of 87 by Holly Orlando of Old Salem Farm in North Salem, N.Y. and the six-year-old Canadian Sporthorse gelding, Rio's Echo, owned by Patricia Turen from Cresskill, N.J.

The blue ribbon for the second trip over fences Thursday with a high score of 90 was awarded to the six-year-old bay mare, Chelsea, ridden by Kim Zindell, of West Chester, Penn. and owned by Felecia Weiss of Villanova, Penn.

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Photo: Morgan Thomas and Concetta at the awards ceremony Thursday for First Year Green Hunters Section A at the CN Winter Equestrian Festival presented by Zimmerman Advertising at the Palm Beach International Equestriian Center.