Carrying on a time-honored tradition, competitors wearing formal hunting attire competed in Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Tuesday evening at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show (PNHS). Ashleigh Glorioso and her 20-year-old Thoroughbred Epilogue were the pair to beat.
Ashleigh Glorioso and Epilogue (c) Al Cook Photography
Displaying elegance, superior manners, and a strong performance, Glorioso and Epilogue won both the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Over Fences class, which is a course of eight fences set at three feet, and the Sallie Jones Sexton Perpetual Trophy in the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Hack, which is a flat class that also incorporates two fences set at 2’6″. This placed them well ahead of the field to claim the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Championship and Grand Duchess Perpetual Trophy, which has been awarded at the PNHS since 1987.
While it was Epilogue’s first time in the big ring at PNHS, this was Glorioso’s third consecutive win in the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Championship. Amanda Ramey accepted the Grooms Award for her care of Epilogue.
Glorioso started riding sidesaddle as a junior in 4-H, following in her mother’s footsteps. “It’s something I like doing because it is different, old-fashioned, you dress up,” said Glorioso, who also rides and competes astride. “I do a lot of Thoroughbreds, young horses, and green horses. This is a way for me to come to some of the bigger venues.”
Epilogue is a former racehorse, who ran on dirt before moving on to steeplechasing. Since linking up with Glorioso, they’ve done a bit of everything together, from hunters to jumpers and now sidesaddle.
“He’s actually taken to the sidesaddle very well. He’s done it for a few years now so it’s not new to him,” Glorioso said. “This is his first time going in a big indoor, so for him to come in and be as good as he was is spectacular.”
Earning the title of Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Reserve Champion was Pamela Cibula and Brenda Madison’s Tortuga. The pair were also winners of the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Under Saddle class.