Harlem’s Sweet Success at the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show with Caitlin Brannon (up) and Phyllis Brannon. Photo credit: National Horseman
The Pittsburgh, PA area mother-daughter team of Phyllis and Caitlin Brannon continue to make their mark in the American Saddlebred Hunter Pleasure Division, adding to their titles as they campaign toward one more World Championship show with CH Harlem Sweet Success.
“She’s been doing the riding. We pretty much split everything. I do most of the training, she does the showing - which is lucky for her, not lucky for me,” Phyllis Brannon said with a smile. “Caitlin does have to work. She’s out there in the morning cleaning stalls.”
CH Harlem Sweet Success, better known to his friends as Danny, came into the Brannon’s life about six years ago. “He was always a three-gaited pleasure horse. We bought him as an academy horse for Caitlin to transition from a walk-trot pony to the Academy Class for beginner riders. She progressed, he progressed, and we decided to make a hunter horse out of him because he had such talent for that division,” Phyllis said. “He was a star basically from day one in that division. His temperament, his ability the way he moves, his looks, his manners – he’s as good as it gets.”
In Saddlebred showing, Hunter Pleasure classes look for a horse that is more forward, with less vertical action and a somewhat lower head carriage than the typical saddleseat divisions. “It’s been around, but it’s really only now taking hold and growing. The shows are adding classes,” Phyllis said.
For both Caitlin and Danny the transition to hunter pleasure was a smooth one. “I miss doing saddleseat and I still prefer it, but I enjoy this division a lot with him,” Caitlin said. “I really enjoy the hand gallop. That’s a lot more fun than regular canter. It’s just something that’s been different. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Danny and Caitlin have made their mark earning a long list of titles from top shows across the country. Danny won the first Hunter Pleasure qualifying class and championship at UPHA National Championship in Kansas City when the division was added three years ago, and has repeated that accomplishment each year since then.
Danny has also been voted United Professional Horsemen’s Association Horse of the Year for Saddlebred Hunter Pleasure in all three years that the division title has been awarded, most recently receiving that recognition at the annual UPHA/American Saddlebred Horse Association national conference in Palm Springs, CA this January.
The first World Champion title for Saddlebred Hunter Pleasure will be contested in August, and the Brannons are campaigning to earn their way there.
“About 160 horses are accumulating points, They’ll take the top 20 horses in points,” Phyllis explained the process. “They started accumulating points in July, but we didn’t have any horse shows in July or August. We didn’t start showing until mid-September, We only went to four shows last fall, but he kind of clean sweeped the shows, so we’re leading in points right now.”
While he was earning his multiple championships in the hunter pleasure division, Danny was also helping rider Annie Messer win the UPHA Exceptional Challenge Rider National Reserve Championship in 2017 and National Championship in 2018 at the same championship show in Kansas City.
“You don’t see that happen at the same time, usually its years after they’re retired (from the show ring),” Phyllis said. “His manners are impeccable. He’s just such an agreeable, versatile horse. He gives 100% to us in anything we ask. We take him from being a top Saddlebred show horse in the saddlebreds to hunter pleasure to therapeutic classes.”
Major titles in their home state of Pennsylvania include a 2016 win in the therapeutic rider trail class with Messer at the PA 4-H State Horse Show and the 4-H Saddle Seat National Championship for a few years earlier with Caitlin as a junior rider.
Taking a horse to the National and World Championship level requires hard work. Phyllis reports that Caitlin was able to complete all her high school assignments and earn straight As, even though she had to miss nearly 50 days of school when traveling to horse shows.
She is now in her sophomore year of college online, keeping up with her studies in Business Management and Marketing while traveling to horse shows. “I thought about becoming a teacher for business management or working directly in the field, marketing for a specific company,” she said.
When not traveling for competition, Caitlin works for a chiropractic office near her home, plus she also volunteers with the Handicapped Riding Association of Western Pennsylvania helping with horses and riders.
“Horses are basically my entire life. I enjoy traveling across the country and I’ve made many friends who live all across the country. It’s given me great opportunities,” she said. “I spend every morning and every night at the barn. I just love my horses.”
After the World Championship show in August, the plan is to retire Danny from the Saddlebred show world while Caitlin moves on to complete her college degree at Kent State University.
“After that, he will do more 4-H horse shows with little kids, more therapeutic riding program, and more promoting Saddlebreds,” Phyllis said.
Caitlin plans to remain involved in horses and showing, with a new mount being prepared for the future. “I have a 5-year-old mare I purchased last year. We’ve shown her just a couple of times. She’s doing extremely well and we’re looking forward to starting her career,” Phyllis said.
Danny remains the stable favorite for his winning ways and his personality. “He’s funny. He really likes little animals. Him and our barn cat are best friends. He loves the cats and little dogs, the cats will actually sleep on him,” Caitlin said.
For those familiar with the Big Bang Theory television show, Caitlin tells how Danny reminds her of the character Sheldon. “He’s very smart. He’s so smart and he loves his little animals, and he loves his people but at times he’s a little awkward with new people. He really loves his little kids and really loves our therapeutic program, seeing all those kids too,” she said.