Traverse City, MI – July 12, 2025—World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) week at Traverse City Horse Shows came to a celebrated close on Saturday evening as Nick Haness secured his second consecutive victory in the $100,000 WCHR Central Hunter Spectacular—this time aboard Odette.
The Central Hunter Spectacular hosted in Traverse City Horse Shows’ Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring is the final in a triple crown of WCHR Hunter Spectacular events that began in Florida in February and continued in California in March.
Meghan Rawlins (CAN) designed Saturday’s two-round class that allowed riders to show off their horses over a classic first round and then a handy track. The panel one judges consisted of Scott Williamson and Cynthia Hankins and panel two was Jennifer Fischer and Santa Ritter. Competitors qualified by winning the champion title in their respective divisions at the 3’6” height or above throughout the second week of the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival (GLEF), presented by B&D Builders.
From a 37-horse field at 3’6”, 3’9” and 4’ heights, 12 returned for the handy round, which included several options to show off inside turns and scope. Haness, who hails from Temecula, CA, doubled down in more ways than one, sitting in the lead aboard Clear as Day as he entered the ring on John and Stephanie Ingram’s mare, Odette.
“Coming into the second round with big scores definitely adds an element of pressure,” said Haness of his averaged 95 and 98 in the classic round. “But I wasn’t nervous. Honestly, just riding her is a privilege.”
Haness didn’t let the pressure affect Odette’s performance and the 9-year-old Oldenburg by Casallco combined a first-round average of 96.5 with a total in the handy of 95.75 to finish on a 95.625.
“I focused on riding the horse underneath me; she’s the quality and the star,” continued Haness, who has now won seven WCHR Hunter Spectaculars from coast to coast throughout the last five years. “I trust this horse so much and we have a bond that’s been building for a long time, so going into this type of event that she’s never let us down. She went in ears forward and jumped great, like a champion.”
Haness’ fondness of the mare goes deeper than results, proven when he shared one of the mare’s highlights of WCHR week. “In the conformation under saddle, we went to line up and there was a bush by the one of the jumps that she grabbed and took the whole treat with us to the lineup. Not what they look for in the conformation, but she’s just a funny horse; she’s a character and so much quality. It’s all a blessing.”
When asked about his secret to so much success in high-stakes derbies, Haness responded, “I think my relationship with the horses blossoms in our results. I care for them, I love them and it’s about building a plan and preparing for the next—while understanding that each of my horses are different.”
Haness spends his summers in Michigan after chasing hunter glory from Florida to California during the winter show circuits. “It’s so nice to be up here for the summer with this strong group of horses from different professionals all over the country. Tonight, the atmosphere was amazing, but it’s luck of the draw on nights like this; you never know how the cookie will crumble.”
Aboard Clear As Day—a 9-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by B R Farms—Haness settled for second on a combined total of 93.5. Hunt Tosh of Milton, GA, piloted 14-year-old Holsteiner gelding Cannon Creek to a score of 91.75 to take third for owners The Wheeler Family.
Odette was purchased by the Ingrams at a Paul Schockemöhle auction, a detail that comes full circle as The Traverse City Open Sales brings horses from the program of Paul Schockemöhle to a live auction hosted at Flintfields Horse Park on July 19.
The Central Hunter Spectacular highlights the first of two WCHR weeks at Traverse City Horse Shows during the 2025 season with the next taking place during opening week of the Fall Tournament of Champions running September 3-7.
For full results of the$100,0000 WCHR Central Hunter Spectacular, click here.
Earlier in the day, jumper action in the Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel International Ring was highlighted by a win for Savannah Jade Jenkins of Woodland Hills, CA, in the $30,000 Traverse City National Grand Prix riding Babou de Laubry Z for owner Aurora Farms of Calabasas, CA.
About Traverse City Horse Shows
Traverse City Horse Shows (TCHS) offers 13 weeks of top equestrian competition each summer at Flintfields Horse Park in Williamsburg, Michigan—just 15 minutes from downtown Traverse City. The venue blends world-class sport with the natural beauty of Northern Michigan and features 12 weeks of FEI-ranked events, including three five-stars and an FEI Nations Cup CSIO3*.
The season culminates in the three-week Tournament of Champions, highlighted by the $340,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ CSI5*-W—Traverse City and $340,000 American Gold Cup CSI5*. New this year, the $100,000 Dudley and Barb Smith 3’6” Equitation Championship and $50,000 Cherry Capital 3’3” Equitation Championship deliver big prize money and prestige to the equitation ranks.
For more information on the season, visit TraverseCityHorseShows.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
