Lexington, Kentucky – Stonecroft Farm’s homebred I’m First (CF First Night Out x That Special Face) vindicated his owner’s and trainer’s longstanding faith in him by becoming the World's Champion Five-Gaited Stallion Monday evening under the guidance of Nelson Green.

The chestnut stallion, foaled in 2000, is a graduate of the American Saddlebred Registry futurity programs. He won the Two-Year-Old Five-Gaited Stake in 2002. He also won the Three-Year-Old Five-Gaited Futurity two years ago in 2003, in one of the most sensational classes in Kentucky State Fair history. When rider Steve Wheeler was kicked in the schooling area prior to the class, he attempted to compete anyway, but with a severely broken leg, was forced to take a time out. Trainer Green stepped onto the young stallion’s back, catch-riding in his street clothes, and endured a wild and wooly class – and victory pass – finally having emerged victorious in a highly competitive event.

Last year, I’m First was Junior Five-Gaited Reserve World's Champion with Green.

CHBoucheron gearing up to defend his crown

The 2004 Five-Gaited World's Grand Champion CHBoucheron, who hasn't shown since he won the Five-Gaited Championship at the Indianapolis Charity in June 2005, is in Louisville and had a successful early workout Monday morning.

The 12-year-old chestnut gelding was entered in the Lexington Junior League Horse Show and the Shelbyville Horse Show, but was scratched at both competitions. Sired by Shamrock Santana and out of Whata' Jewel, Whata' Jewel, CHBoucheron, who was bred by Stonecroft Farm, is entered to show in Class 151 Five-Gaited Gelding Stake Wednesday, August 24.

CHBoucheron, who is owned by Double G Farm, is trained and ridden by Rob Byers of Premier Stables in Simpsonville, Kentucky.

Golden Market wins second ASR Futurity class

Golden Market, owned and bred by Sue Nifong of Winston Salem, North Carolina, won his second American Saddlebred Futurity Class, this time in the yearling division of the Futurity of Kentucky.

The March 2004-colt won the 2004 Amateur of Kentucky Futurity Weanling Division.

Golden Market is one of six foals of the 2004 crop by The Irish Connection (Supreme Sultan x Miss Blarney) and is out of Sink Oar Swim (Nureyev x Knolland Basic Black). The Irish Connection, who has 185 registered foals thus far, also sired another ASR Futurity winner Silver Harbor. Silver Harbor won the 2003 Futurity of Kentucky Weanling Division and placed second in the 2004 Amateur Futurity of Kentucky Yearling Division.

More than $94,000 was awarded in the ASR Kentucky Futurity Weanling, Yearling and Two-Year-Old Divisions.

World's Championship Horse Show web cast continues to please

The second day of the web casting of the World's Championship Horse Show continued to please the thousands of viewers across the world.

Alan F. Balch, American Saddlebred Horse Association executive secretary, said he watched the entire evening session at home on his personal computer.

"As I was watching the show, I was monitoring my e-mails, as well as the website forums, and we have been flooded with support and compliments from viewers everywhere," Balch said.

Balch said the web cast is being made possible by new ASHA Futures Fund, which supports the technological advances of ASHA.

"Without our new ASHA Futures Fund, we wouldn't be able to provide this new important priceless service," Balch said. "Those who want to ensure the continuation of the web cast are welcomed to make a tax-deductible donation to the ASHA Futures Fund."~~~For more information, contact Reeves Kirtner at