Columbus, OH – The 2026 World’s Championship Horse Show kicked off Saturday (Aug. 22) during the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville. Eliminations for the USTA Roadster Classic will be held on Monday morning (August 24), with the final slated for Thursday evening (Aug. 27). The World’s Championship Horse Show is one of the most well-known Saddlebred shows in the world.
Roadster classes are held during many Saddlebred shows, and while the Roadster division is open to all breeds, it has historically been Standardbred preferred. All told, there are 16 Roadster classes offered at this year’s show with purses ranging from $1,500 to $50,000.
Nominations for the $50,000 USTA Roadster Classic close each year in June and horses must be 100% Standardbred in order to be eligible for the class. The American Road Horse & Pony Association (ARPHA) writes the rules of the class, as well as secures the nominations. The horses pre-entered for the 2026 class include:
Centerpiece CSE (A Masterpiece – Angelisacenterfold) 2021
Owner: Cornerstone Acres; Trainer: Steven Yoder; Driver Gerhardt Roos
Devious Vacation; show name; Ear-Resistible (Devous Man – Vacations Pride) 2022, T, 2, 2:03.2 $38,230
Owner: Jonathan Fisher; Trainer/Driver: Steven Yoder
Fantasy Pearl (Final Fantasy – Im A Little Loupy) 2018
Owner: Marvin Raber & Rose Marie Wheeler; Trainer/Driver: Steven Yoder
Flickas Count; show name: Radio Active (Count Diamond – RT Voodoos Choice) 2021
Owner: Melissa Moore; Trainer: Barbe Smith; Driver: Scooter Scheurich
Freeborn (What The Hill – Fancy Step) 2020, T, 3, 1:54.4 $154,385
Owner/Trainer/Driver: Robert Schrock
Huskin (O U Man – Future Past) 2016, T, $9,939
Owner/Trainer: Sebastien Hebert; Driver: Chad Cole
I Know I Do; show name: Gazelle (You Know You Do – Money For Shari) 2020, T, 3, 1:57.3 $19,530
Owner: Dr. Luanne Wendland; Trainer: Gerhardt Roos; Driver: Louis Louw
J L Party (Partyatyourplace – All Psyched Up) 2020
Owner: Anthony Miller; Trainer/Driver: Steven Yoder
Jesses LuckyStrike; show name: Earnhardt (CJ’s Jesse – Onyx Lite) 2022
Owner: Kenny Wheeler; Trainer/Driver: Matt Shiflet
Lady Gump (Dr Gump – Latraviata Hanover) 2019
Owner: Herschy Performance Horse; Trainer: Jordan Herschberger; Driver: Chad Cole
New World Man (Donato Hanover – RidinTheStormont) 2018, T, $864
Owner: Michael Felty & Steve Crabtree; Trainer/Driver: Steve Crabtree
Ozzy’s Song (Ozzy Ozzy – Rock N Roll Song) 2021
Owner: Wes Beachy; Trainer/Driver: Debbie Foley
Prince Banker; show name: Poncho (Banker Volo – Princess Joy) 2017, T, 3, 2:04.4 $35,448
Owner: Kieran Holahan; Trainer/Driver: Raymond Shively
Perfectly Colored (Mr Hard Rock – Perfect Cheat) 2021
Owner: Melody Adler; Trainer/Driver: Chad Cole
Roany Crony (Dancing N Looped – Bellagante) 2021
Owner: Amanda Simpson; Trainer: Steven Yoder; Driver: Holli Hayes
Sheganrock; show name: Rockette (Hard Rockin Hegan – Deweykissnhyde) 2022
Owner/Driver: Mike Herron; Trainer: Carlos Cisneros
SouthernSummer (Cherry Hill Park – Summer In The City) 2021, T, 3, 2:01.2 $23,841
Owner: TJ Staferra; Trainer/Driver: Steven Yoder
Stormont Calculus (Muscle Mass – Countess Stormont) 2020, T, 5, Q2:3.3 $12,925
Owner/Trainer/Driver: Yannick Laflamme
Super T (E L Titan – Parlia Hanover) 2016, T, 3, 1:59.4 $100,293
Owner/Trainer/Driver: Joel Dorignac
White Lighting; show name: White Lightning (Four White Socks – War Bird)
Owner/Trainer/Driver: Rick Adams
The 2025 USTA Roadster Classic Final was won by Kennebago (show name: Stars and Stripes) and trainer/driver Jon Walker for owner Doug Greenwood. By E L Titan out of the Andover Hall mare First Class Act, Kennebago earned $149,951 while taking a lifetime mark of 1:56.3 as a 3-year-old before embarking on his Roadster show career. For a complete list of past USTA Roadster Classic winners, visit this page of the USTA website.
More information about the World’s Championship Horse Show can be found on their website. Daily livestreaming can be purchased, and archive video is available, through Richfield Video.
For more information about Roadsters and the American Road Horse & Pony Association, visit https://roadster.show/.
Since 1996, the Standardbred Equine Program has worked with owners of off-the-track Standardbreds to educate the general public about the many disciplines Standardbreds excel at once they are retired from racing. For more information about the SEP at the USTA, visit LifeAfterRacing.ustrotting.com.