Sport Horse Nationals

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September 26, 2009

Standing 'Oration'

It is hard to raise a bar that is set so high-out of the box. Since he first strode into the Arabian show world this summer, Oration has delivered nothing but excellence in his new career for his new owners. To the tune of six championships, one reserve and one Top 10 at the 2009 Sport Horse Nationals (SHN), owner Ricci Desiderio said his newly acquired, former racehorse is the next generation in the sport horse world. Win-after-win since July, the 5-year-old is proving his mettle as an outstanding junior sport horse stallion and deserves, shall we say, a "Standing Oration".
Originally bred to race by Dianne Waldron, Oration (Dormane x Ortie) hit the track seven times, earning $2,034 as a racehorse in 2007. He demonstrated great heart, but just did not possess the speed needed to make it on the track. Earlier this year, Ellen Shevella recommended the slow racehorse to the Desiderios. "He had just turned 5 when we got him," says Michael Desiderio, who rode Oration to his wins. "In three months training, he has become one of the fancy hunters out there and been a quick learner. He's just a calm, mellow, good guy who is down to earth and laid back." Mother Stephanie Desiderio described him as a "teddy bear".
Wednesday morning at SHN, Oration swooped into the Indoor Arena and began his command of the hunter/jumper ring with a win in the Arabian Green Working Hunter Championship. Throughout the course of the week, he also claimed wins in Arabian Working Hunter ATR, Arabian Sport Horse Under Saddle ATR, Arabian Sport Horse Under Saddle Junior Horse, Arabian Hunter Hack ATR and Arabian Sport Horse Stallions In-Hand. He also was reserve champion in Arabian Sport Horse Stallions In-Hand ATH and went Top 10 in Arabian Hunter Hack. With his long list of quests at this year SHN, Oration helped bolster rider/handler Michael Desiderio to high-point status. Following a Reserve Supreme Sport Horse Championship designation on Saturday night, Michael was awarded as the high-point rider for the show. Ricci shared Saturday night how excited he is with their new stallion. "He's the next generation for sport horse," says Ricci. "With his size, substance, mind and athletic ability demonstrated in just three shows, I am extremely excited. And, he is getting the same results from a wide array of judges."
In his journey to SHN, Oration started at the Shenandoah Valley Championship and won 18 classes, qualifying for the Region 15 Championship Show. At the Region 15 show, he earned wins in every class he competed in: Arabian Sport Horse Stallions In-Hand ATH, Sport Horse Under Saddle Junior Horse, Sport Horse Stallions In-Hand, Sport Horse Under Saddle ATR, Hunter Hack, Hunter Hack ATR and Arabian Green Working Hunter.