Roark and Exceptional Playgirl Capture Emotional Win in Aged Mares and Grand Title For Owner Frank Berris

By: Brittany Bevis

Ross Roark found himself at the lead of yet another Congress Champion this afternoon with Exceptional Playgirl for owner Frank Berris. Roark and “Angie” were named the Congress Champions in Aged Mares before going on to win the Grand Champion Open Mare title just a few moments ago. The Reserve Grand Champion mare was Giancarla, who was lead by Ross Roark to a win earlier today in 3-Year-Old Mares for owner Vernon Habighorst. The Reserve Champion in the Aged Mares class was Ted Turner with A Radiant Affair for Nancy Dyer.

Angie’s owner, Frank Berris, was filled with mixed emotions this afternoon. He has experienced some high highs and low lows over the past week. Yesterday, Berris attended a funeral for his mother, 87-year-old Melba Berris, who passed away on October 6th. Although he wasn’t able to witness his horse’s double win today, he received an up-to-the-minute play-by-play, courtesy of his trainer, Joey Shortino.

“I just got home to my Michigan house from my mom’s house in the Detroit area,” Berris says. “My brother and sister are still there picking up the pieces. As funerals go, we had a beautiful funeral yesterday.”

“Joey was giving me a blow-by-blow. I was more nervous sitting at home! I kept telling him that he had to keep me updated as to what was going on. Under the first judge, he had a second, and then he had three firsts.”

Angie is a five-year-old mare by The Exceptional One that Berris purchased at the AQHA World Show last November.

“She’s won the World three times: as a 2-year-old, 3-year-old, and then last year in Aged Mares with Luke Castle. I love her. She’s a sweetheart. She was the mare I bought to replace my other good mare, CK Mardi Gras, who also won three times.”

“Really, Joey is the one who picked her out. We saw her at the Congress and loved her then. I said, ‘Boy, I’d love to buy that mare.’ We saw the owners at the World Show that year, and I bought her two days before she won [in 2013].”

Currently, Angie is in the running for the AQHA year-end Aged Mares High Point award in both the amateur and open divisions. “I’ve been showing her all year, and I’m going to come show her next week.”

In light of today’s overwhelming success, Berris is very thankful for his friends in the Shortino and Roark families who helped guide his mare to victory while he attended to more important matters at home.

“You’ve only got one mom…” he says. “She loved all of us kids, grandkids, and greatgrandkids. She would always brag about [the horses] and all that stuff. Maybe she had a little something to do with it…”

Aged Mares-

1-Exceptional Playgirl/Ross Roark

2-A Radiant Affair/Ted Turner

3-Best To Be Me/Joe Engle

4-Get Your Flirt On/Tom Robertson

5-Don’t Stare/Tim Finkenbinder

6- Cruel Intention/Ronald Stratton

7- Miss Landlock/Linda Pigg

8- Telusives Last Jewel/Greg Holden

9- Tranquility/Rick Leel

10-Supergold Centerfold/Matt Claypool

Ltd. div.-

1- Don’t Stare/Tim Finkenbinder

2-Best To Be Me/Joe Engle

3- Miss Landlock/Linda Pigg

4- Telusives Last Jewel/Greg Holden

5- Tranquility/Rick Leek

6- Supergold Centerfold/Matt Claypool

7- Mc Exceptional Miss/Todd Grant

8- Shemattersmost/Mitch Leonarski

Grand Champion Mare- Exceptional Playgirl

Reserve Grand Champion Mare- Giancarla