Greg Crolick Conquers the WCHR Developing Pro Challenge

Story: Tricia Booker
Photo: Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.

Even though Greg Crolick may have been teased this year for entering the WCHR Developing Pro Challenge at age 41, the good-natured ribbing will now become a cherished part of his first experience in the class—along with his championship ribbon and cooler.
 
Crolick, of Bloomfield Hills, MI, guided Adrienne Marciano’s Grey Street to a convincing victory in the two-round class over a field of 32 competitors from throughout the country.
 
“It’s all fun banter more or less,” said Crolick with a smile. “It means a lot to win this class. Last year I was here watching it, and this year I’m doing it. I’m glad I was here and had a great outcome. It worked out really well.”
 
Crolick and Grey Street, 10, a Brandenburg gelding, began their partnership last winter in Florida. “I took him in his first hunter classes in Wellington and then Ocala,” he said. “We had a great circuit in Ocala, and he was circuit champion in Ocala and Tampa. He’s just a great horse. 

“Honestly, he’s still a little green in the hunters even though he’s 10,” Crolick added. “But each day gets better and better. He was imported in October of last year and was doing the jumpers. He was imported to be a jumper here, but you could tell by watching him he’s not a jumper.”
 
Crolick returned for the second round of the WCHR Developing Pro Challenge as the class leader, and he didn’t let the pressure affect his performance, scoring a two-round total of 176 points for the win. Jamie Taylor finished second with Cipriani (175.66), and Taylor Ann Adams guided Taken to third with 174.99 points.
 
“My thought process tonight was to try and stay relaxed,” said Crolick. “Again, it was my first time doing the class and his first nighttime class. You didn’t know what to expect, so I tried to stay relaxed and keep the focus. I have a tendency to get aggressive when I’m in there, like a handy derby. So in this type of classical hunter round you needed to be a little quieter and be a little more subdued, like the classic hunter style.”
 
The outcome of the class also determined the WCHR Developing Pro National Champion, with Adams clinching the title over Tayor by 14 points. 
 
“This year it was weird to be qualified as a Developing Professional because I’m 41 and have been doing this a while,” continued Crolick. “But I met all of the qualifications, and, hopefully, next year I’ll be in the Professional Challenge.”
 
Crolick’s fall indoor season will also be memorable for a more personal reason: He and his wife Jessica are expecting their second child on Oct. 20. “And, of course, the baby will come right on time, and then it will be on to the National Horse Show,” he said with laugh.

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Final Results: $5,000 WCHR Developing Pro Challenge

1 GREY STREET     GREG CROLICK          87.50 88.00 88.50   88.00
                                              89.00 87.50 87.50   88.00 176.00

2 CIPRIANI        JAMIE TAYLOR          85.50 86.50 89.00   87.00
                                              90.00 88.00 88.00   88.66 175.66

3 TAKEN           TAYLOR ADAMS          88.00 87.00 88.00   87.66
                                              88.00 87.00 87.00   87.33 174.99

4 POKER FACE      JENNIFER BLISS        86.25 84.50 85.75   85.50
                                              87.00 86.00 86.00   86.33 171.83

5 TRENTINO        MEGAN YOUNG           87.00 86.50 86.00   86.50
                                              84.00 84.00 84.00   84.00 170.50

6 HUNDRED ACRE    KEIRSTIN JOHNSEN      86.00 86.00 85.00   85.66
                                              82.00 82.00 83.00   82.33 167.99

7 LIMBO           COLLEEN ACOSTA        86.50 86.25 86.00   86.25
                                              83.00 80.00 82.00   81.66 167.91

8 SAMBA           SHAWN CASADY          84.00 80.50 84.50   83.00
                                              85.00 83.00 85.00   84.33 167.33

9 ALLURA          LAENA ROMOND          85.00 81.00 81.00   82.33
                                              80.00 81.00 80.00   80.33 162.66

10 MAXIMUS         CASSANDRA KAHLE       85.75 83.50 85.50   84.91
                                              77.00 77.00 79.00   77.66 162.57

11 TUNDRA          HILLARY JOHNSON       83.00 85.00 84.00   84.00
                                              78.00 78.00 78.00   78.00 162.00

12 MALDINI         KATIE GARDNER         85.25 79.75 82.50   82.50
                                              45.00 45.00 45.00   45.00 127.50