National Standardbred Horse Show crowns 2025 champions

Allentown, New Jersey…Sept. 25, 2025…The National Standardbred Horse Show concluded its 31st extravaganza on Sunday (Sept. 22) with champions crowned in 140 events with the breed known as the standardbred showing its true versatility off of a racetrack.

Bolstered with over 100 sponsors from The Hambletonian Society and the U.S.T.A. to the leading breeders, horsemen and amateur clubs, among others, the show drew large crowds each day.

The show’s spokesperson, Helene Gregory, lamented, “It takes mountains of time and work to put an extravaganza of this magnitude together, but it’s well worth it to see the fruits of our labor on behalf of our incredible breed—the standardbred.

“On the human of the ledger, there were events for those aged 12 and under up to senior citizens 50 year-of-age and up.

“The Horse Show highlighted the incredible versatility of the standardbred with events such as dressage, under saddle competition, western pleasure, dressage, barrel racing and obstacle courses.”

The agility was showcased with several horses winning multiple ribbons, including Chocolate Delight, Golden Receiver, Let’s Have Another, Mr. Bill G and Wisenheimer, to name a handful.

Once again, the United States Harness Drivers Club (USHDC) played a significant role in the event, sponsoring the Equitation and Horsemanship Division in the 13-18 year-old age group.

Taking top honors in that class were Hanover’s Miracle, perfectly ridden by Sasha Kononov and Golden Receiver, expertly handled by Emma Thornsberry.

Ms. Kononov was a multiple winner during the proceedings, as was Ms. Thornsberry.

In magnifying the nimble nature and intelligence of the standardbred breed, Golden Receiver, now 20-years-old and the winner of over $2.2 million with a mark of 1:48 back in 2012, won the USHDC sponsored event and then took top honors in the 13-18 year-old in the Engish/Western Pleasure Division and the Dressage Walk/Trot competition.

Yet another amazing performance during the Show was by Chocolate Delight, by Chocolatier.

Chocolate Delight won multiple classes with riders Kim Lucas, Maria Buchanan and Anya Morgan all sharing the “winner’s circle” earning the coveted their respective blue ribbons.

Another multiple winner in the show was the unraced Monticello, a full brother to the vaunted trotting mare Atlanta.

Monticello took top honors in the Open Western All-Around Division and the Showmanship Division for Liesl Dalpe.

To top things off, the fastest trotter in the history of our sport, Homicide Hunter, 1:48.4, once again, competed in this show-of-shows.

All-in-all, the 2025 National Standardbred Horse Show was a grand success with the awards dinner scheduled for February 15, 2026 in Freehold, New Jersey.

by John Berry, for the National Standardbred Horse Show