Dear Sheila,
This is Lisa Giovanniello, Jack Lapointe's daughter and proud co-owner of Hucks Connection V. I know you keep in touch my dad, but I thought you might like to know that we are ALL so proud of Connection! He has turned out to be so much more than we imagined he would be! Vicki and he are a tremendous pair and have a mutual respect for one another that is evident to all who see them together. I have had very few opportunities to ride him, however, I see the great potential that we have!
I am sure you heard that Vicki won Canadian Reserve National Champion aboard Connection in the open English Pleasure class, however, had you SEEN the class, you would be even more impressed! They have a few bugs to work out (a less than impressive entrance, but a spectacular ride)... but once they do, they will be the pair to beat! As for me... having ridden Connection only a handful of times, and having shown him only twice before, I am happy with a Canadian National Top Ten. (I do believe Connection was the only horse in the Top Ten who had not previously won a National Championship!)
Vicki and I had talked about whether or not she should show him at the US Nationals this year. She wanted to make sure Connection had a fighting chance to WIN. Otherwise, she was going to wait until next year when she had more time to get him ready. After the ride she had at the Canadian Nationals, we have decided with a resounding YES, that Vicki will show him this year!
Sheila, I can't tell you how impressed I am with Hucks Connection V! Aside from being the most exciting horse I have ever ridden, he is the gentlest stallion I have ever had the pleasure to meet. He is the barn favorite at Vicki's. They love him because he can trot(!), but also because he is very respectful of all who handle him. And although he doesn't know our family as well as we would like (we live more than 4 hours away from Vicki's and have a family business to run), he is very affectionate with my mother and has won her heart. Hucks Connection V has found a forever home with the Lapointes!
Congratulations to you, Jamie and the rest of your staff for raising such a brilliant stallion!
Warm Regards,
Lisa
