Touch of Class Presentation that was held on Saturday, honoring the Champion Pony Stallion, Blue Rain, in Timonium. Pictured from left to right are Blue Fox (son of Blue Rain); Lisa Carr (owner of Blue Fox and co-owner of Blue Rain); Jordan Edwards (of the Blue Rain Fan Club), Jeannette Warner (owner/trainer of many Blue Rain ponies); Allyson Coluccio (co-owner of Blue Rain); Brianna Harris (of the Blue Rain Fan Club); Val D’Ambrosio (MHIB Marketing Committee member); Rossalyn Morgan; Mary Ellen Setting (Maryland Deputy Secretary of Agriculture); Karen Fulton (MHIB member); and Jim Steele (chairman of MHIB).
A Frederick-born horse was recognized Saturday for his achievements in siring champion ponies.
The horse, Blue Rain, is the all-time winningest pony sire in the history of the U.S. Equestrian Foundation’s record-keeping, and received the January Touch of Class Award from the Maryland Horse Industry Board.
Blue Rain lives at the Springdale Pony Stud in Frederick and is owned by Allyson Coluccio, who splits time between Frederick and Florida, and Lisa Gordon Carr, of Frederick. The award was presented to the pair on Saturday at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.
Carr has groomed the horse for nearly 20 years, and became a part owner in 2006.
“I groomed him for Allyson, his co-owner for most of his whole life,” Carr said. “I bought part of him in 2006. … Since he’s been four years old he’s been with me. I always did all the groundwork and Allyson did the promotion part.”
Blue Rain, a Welsh pony thoroughbred, was the USEF’s National Champion Pony Sire from 2004 to 2011. He was originally intended to be a show pony, but an eye injury prevented it. Blue Rain then became a breeder horse, and has produced more champion hunter ponies than any other pony sire in history, according to Carr.
Ross Peddicord, executive director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board, said Blue Rain has been the leading sire for the past eight years.
The distinction is based on the points earned by ponies sired by Blue Rain during competitions. His progeny earned 46,373 points last year, while the second place horse’s progeny earned 31,832, Peddicord said.
“It’s fun,” Carr said. “He’s a really nice pony and he’s really fun to be around. All of his babies are really brave. They’re not spooked.”
Hunter ponies are bred for sport, such as jumping, cross country and fox hunting; however, they are also bred for the show ring.
The MHIB established the Touch of Class Award in September 2011 to honor Maryland horses, individuals, teams, organizations or events that demonstrate the highest standards of excellence in the Maryland horse industry.
“Blue Rain is a pony that since 2004, he’s been the champion stallion of all ponies in the country,” Peddicord said. “And he lives in Frederick. Who knew? We certainly didn’t. This is why we have people nominate horses from all over the state. This is to make sure people in the general population know about the great horse industry in Maryland.”
The award is named after Touch of Class, a Maryland-bred mare who won two Olympic show jumping gold medals and currently holds the Olympic record for number of clean jumping rounds in an Olympic competition. For more information about the Maryland Horse Industry Board, visit www.mda.state.md.us/horseboard.
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