(More) Pictures and videos from the 2019 Morgan Grand National Show

A few days ago I shared a blog post with just head shots from the 2019 Morgan Grand National Show. Now I am getting around to the rest. In previous years, I’ve only published one post. But because it takes a long time to load a page with many pictures, I’ve opted for two posts this time round.

Howie Shatzberg, official photographer at Morgan Nationals for decades — Howie Shatzberg has been the official photographer since I was a teenager.

Feel free to download any of my very amateur pictures! For decent photography, see howardschatzberg.com.

I did not take pictures Saturday evening this time. It had been a busy week and I decided to go for a ride instead. I also did not keep track of which class was which, so these pictures will be in a jumble.

I’ll start with a few phone pics that give the feel of the show (even if they are poor quality).

Morgan Grand National Show — Western Pleasure line up

Stripping

“Stripping” refers to taking the saddle off after a saddle performance class so that the judge(s) may judge type and conformation. It is required in all open and junior championship classes at all-Morgan competitions, including AMHA regional championships and the Morgan Grand National show. When I was a kid, “type and conformation” was supposed to account for 50% of the judging in Championship classes. I do not know if this is still the case, I haven’t read the rule book since the 1980s.

Morgan Grand National Show drag — There was a **golf cart** rather than a tractor dragging the ring this year!!

Park Harness

I will always have a fondness for Park Harness classes. My mother’s stallion, Carlyle Command, won Reserve World Champion Park Harness Open in 1986 and World Champion in 1987. Both years he was World Champion in-hand. I’ll always remember the standing ovation he got as Reserve World Park Harness horse, screaming myself hoarse for both titles.

The warm-up arena

You can always get good pictures in the warm-up arena. The anxiety and anticipation are palpable. Some day I will have to write about warming up for the show ring. There are those that believe the best thing is to trot straight from the barn aisle to the in-gate. Others wear their horses out before they set foot in the ring. It’s all about the individual horse, and the happy medium.