Hunter Holloway & Kalina N. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography.
Press release from Traverse City Horse Shows
Hunter Holloway (USA) returned to winning ways at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders, on Friday by riding Kalina N to top the $32,000 Alltech CSI3* Welcome Stake. After winning a two-star grand prix at Flintfields Horse Park in 2021, Holloway bested a field of 35 horse-and-rider combinations over a Manuel Esparza (MEX) designed track in the Turtle Creek Hotel & Casino International Ring.
Erynn Ballard & Ginger Ask. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography.
Eleven horses returned for the tie-breaking jump-off, which set the stage for an emotional win for Holloway and her nine-year-old KWPN mare, owned by Hays Investment Corp. “It was my lucky day; my step dad passed away on the 24th of July, and this is our first big win since then,” she said. “He was one of my biggest cheerleaders so I definitely wanted to do it for him.”
Of the returning challengers, it was the last combination in the ring who took the blue. Holloway and Kalina N stopped the clock at 36.44 seconds to bump current leader Erynn Ballard to second. Ballard has just returned from representing Canada at the Olympic Games in Paris to ride Ginger Ask (Casall x Levisto) to the runner-up position in 37.12 seconds for owner Ilan Ferder.
Francisco Goyoaga Mollet & Stakato Cornet. Photo © Andrew Ryback Photography.
“We’ve had [Kalina] since she was five years old,” said Holloway after she and the mare stole the win by nearly a full second. “She’s been fun to bring along and she’s just stepped up this year to the FEI level and she’s been a superstar. I’m very excited for the future with her.
“She’s very game and she’s got the perfect amount of blood,” said Holloway of Kalina N (H5 Elvaro x Querly-Elvis). “She’s careful, she’s catty and she’s quick—as she showed today. She has a super heart and always tries to do her best with a great character.”
Bringing up Kalina alongside her partner Dylan Gamble, Holloway has enjoyed the process of producing young horses for top-level sport. “Dylan and I do that together from the ground up,” said Holloway. “I love the process of bringing up young horses and teaching them. I’ve gone through the process with several horses over the years and I really enjoy it.”
Rounding out the podium in third went to Spain’s Francisco Goyoaga Mollet riding Stakato Cornet (Cornet Obolensky x Stakkato), owned by Ashland Farms. The pair finished in a clear 37.43 seconds over the short course.
While making her family and her late step-father proud with a well-earned blue, Holloway is not riding high on momentum ahead of Sunday’s $120,000 Four G Surfaces CSI3* Grand Prix.
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