True Story Named Grand Hunter Champion at Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show

Holly Orlando of Wellington, FL, piloted True Story to a Grand Hunter Championship at the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY, on Wednesday, May 9.

True Story and Holly Orlando jumped to a champion ribbon in the Green Conformation Hunter Division, which won them Grand Hunter Champion honors during the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Photo by The Book

True Story, a seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding by Lord Pezi, was almost perfect in the Green Conformation Hunter division and earned three firsts and a second-place ribbon over fences, in addition to wins in the handy, model, and under saddle.

“He’s a winner,” said Orlando of the horse owned by Cathy Zicherman and trained by Jenny Dunion. “We all make a great team together. It’s a fun group with a really fun horse. This is his first year doing 3’6” and he wants to win, is scopey, tries every time he goes in the ring, and he’s beautiful. He is everything you would look for in a young horse.”

When considering the high point of her time in the ring with True Story over the last two days, Orlando said, “He was excellent in the handy. It had a lot of turns and he is very game; you can always take a shot at it and he is going to be there to help you.”

True Story, ridden by Holly Orlando (left), owned by Cathy Zicherman (center), and trained by Jenny Dunion (right), was named Grand Hunter Champion on Wednesday, May 9, during the 2018 Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, NY. Photo by The Book

Orlando flew back home to Florida shortly after competing in the hunter ranks at Old Salem Farm this week, saying, “I like everything about showing here. The jumps are big, pretty, and solid, and the backdrop is beautiful. It always helps when the weather is nice and we have been lucky the last couple of days.”

Reserve champion honors in the Green Conformation Hunter division were presented to Sinatra, ridden by Brooke Baldwin-Degrazia of North Salem, NY, and owned by Tina Allen. Baldwin-Degrazia and Sinatra earned a first-place ribbon over fences and five runner-up finishes in the division.