SENIOR HUNTER HACK

A NICE WAY TO SAY GOODBYE.

BY LARRI JO STARKEY 

About 20 minutes before Another Valentino was scheduled to go through the World Show Sale on November 18, his owners were celebrating the last world championship they thought they would win with him.

“Dino” has been Carrie von Uhlit’s youth horse, and that youth career is over, said her aunt, Lise von Uhlit.

“This is to be our last show with him, so what a way to end a week,” Lise said. “I’m selling him because Carrie’s in college, and she’s got some young horses that she’s doing herself – with the help of High-Point (Performance Horses), of course – and Dino’s hopefully going to go carry on his winning tradition with another rider.”

Ryan Painter rides Another Valentino to his last world championship for Carrie and Lise von Uhlit.

That winning tradition includes two world championships during FedEx Open Week this year. On Thursday, Dino won senior working hunter, and Saturday, he won senior hunter hack with a smooth round of jumping and flat work.

“He was really soft,” Lise said. “His rail work – I thought he was beautiful. His neck was round; he was just – he was a good boy. He was way more than we expected, ever. It was great.”

 Wiping away occasional tears, Lise and Carrie thanked Ryan Painter, who rode Dino to his week’s championships, and Jason Martin and Charlie Cole, his trainers.

“He has been everything for us, and those guys – Ryan flew in just for this horse and came here as a friend to us,” Lise said.

Dino, a 1991 brown gelding by General Mito and out of Cheese Got Legs by Churn (TB), was the 1996 Superhorse. He has earned almost $5,000 with the National Snaffle Bit Association and more than $11,000 through the AQHA World Championship Show.

“Carrie’s had a great youth career,” Lise said, “and this is the end of her youth career and she’ll be going on, and if he didn’t get sold, well …”

“Oh, darn,” Carrie interjected.

“… she’ll get to continue on with him in Florida. This is a very nice way for us to end our career with him.”