In a special presentation on Thursday, October 2, 2025, Beverly Blues became the seventh annual recipient of the Connaway & Associates Equine Insurance Services, Inc. High Point North American-Bred Horse Award at the Capital Challenge Horse Show (CCHS). The five-year-old mare is ridden and trained by Meghan Knapic and owned by Jenna Weinfurt’s First Blue LLC of Bluepoint, NY.
With Knapic in the saddle, the Canadian Warmblood scored an 86 in the Green Hunter Mares 3’-3’3” division to capture the 2025 accolade. This is the second consecutive year that a mare has taken the coveted title, which was awarded to Ondine D’Orleans in 2024.
The award, which is open to horses bred in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, recognizes and rewards top-quality hunter horses bred in North America.
Weinfurt and Knapic spotted Beverly Blues — then named Aquila RPH — in a Canadian Warmblood Auction sale in 2021. She is by the Aquilan Calypso son Atlas RPH and out of the Leeto Z mare, Lollipop RPH. She was bred by Lana Smith of Rosenol Performance Horses in British Columbia, Canada.
“Beverly Blues was so consistent the whole week, and we’re super proud of her,” said Knapic, a 25-year-old professional rider who has been riding with the team at First Blue since she was 12. “I set my expectations high and put small goals in place for the show, which I achieved. This cool award was the sugar on top.
“It truly means a lot because we bought her as a yearling,” she continued. “We actually stumbled upon her in an auction and were really aiming to buy a different horse, but we saw a video of her and thought we’d just go for it. Capital Challenge was a great show for her. She’s only five, and this was her first real indoor experience, but she couldn’t have been any better.”
Knapic believes the young mare’s unflappable temperament was nurtured and reinforces through correct training of the basics.
“We kept her in Canada for two years and then had a cowboy start her,” she explained. “They are great at putting in good ground manners, backing them the right way, and teaching them to be brave. Groundwork is so important; I think having the basics taught to her properly from the beginning is why she’s so unfazed, even though she’s young.
Beverly Blues as a foal with her dam, Lollipop RPH. (Photo by Rosenol Performance Horses)
“She came to us as a three-year-old, and she hadn’t jumped yet,” continued Knapic. “We took her trail riding, then started to teach her how to jump and put lead changes on her when she was four. She’s very smart — a quick study since the beginning. Anything I’d teach her one day, she’d remember the next. She’s willing, brave, and stoic, so nothing fazes her; the bigger the ring with the more to see, the better. I really trust her, so I don’t have to think about outside factors or worry about anything silly happening in the ring.”
Connaway & Associates President Laura Connaway of Little Rock, AR, said: “I am proud to continue sponsoring the Connaway & Associates North American-Bred Horse Award at Capital Challenge. I’m passionate about supporting and celebrating the talent of North American-bred horses, and seeing this lovely mare, Beverly Blues, take home this year’s honor at such a young age is really exciting.
“Recognizing breeders who prioritize producing level-headed, trainable horses is so important because those qualities are the foundation of long-term success in our sport. As someone who has bred several of my own mounts, I respect and applaud the time, money, and effort that goes into producing these brilliant athletes. There are so many delicate rungs on the ladder between conception and a blue ribbon. It’s inspiring to watch these high-quality North American-bred horses shine on such a prominent stage year after year, and it’s a privilege to be spearheading their recognition,” she added.
“In my breeding program, I want to breed athletes, but I’ve always put a priority on temperament,” said Smith of Rosenol Performance Horses. “Around 80% of the industry is made up of amateur riders, so I’ve always bought mares and stallions that would consistently produce trainable temperaments.
“Beverly Blues’ grandsire, the late Aquila Calypso, produced big movement and scope, yet always with the most teachable brains. Her sire Atlas RPH was very much a copy of his dad. Leeto Z, her damsire, produced courage and power — and he scored the highest for rideability and temperament at his stallion performance test.
“Recognizing breeders in North America in general is important because it allows people to see the quality created here. So many people automatically want to import from Europe — and I understand why — but we’re producing these quality horses here, too. It’s very exciting to see horses I’ve bred like Beverly Blues having success, and while I would love to take all the credit, the owners have done a beautiful job developing her,” Smith concluded.
Knapic echoed Smith’s sentiments, adding, “It’s very important to have quality breeding programs here in North America, and it’s especially nice to see really good horses bred here coming through as hunters. A lot get imported from Europe where they have great development programs, but we really need bring it back home to create the pipeline of top horses here for the future.”
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