Stayner Haller and LGM Challanger

Team #77

Century Club Team #77 is Stayner Haller of Lansing, Michigan, and LGM Challanger.  Their ride was held on October 3, 2010, at the Michigan State University Fall Schooling Show.

Century Club Ride - October 2010

A love for big-game hunting led Stayner to the saddle.  In 1970, he learned to ride at a western stable in order to ride in a big-game hunt in British Columbia.  His daughter then became interested in hunter/jumpers, and Stayner soon followed suit.  He took his first English lesson at the age of 50.

In October 1992, Stayner saw an ad for a 9-year-old Morgan listed in the local "Wheeler-Dealer" and made the call to learn more about the horse.  He was told that Chally was only 14.3, but could jump 3'9".  Stayner soon learned about the horse's power, and stubbornness.  However, the team worked hard over many years and their partnership, based on mutual respect, has grown.  They have competed in hunter/jumper and eventing competitions.

"Chally is a hard worker but is also very smart and anticipatory.  As you can guess, he is not a simple ride," said Stayner.  "To the judges he is very obedient and angelic, but there is always a lot going on.  His name, Challanger, really describes him!"

This amazing team has a long list of accomplishments to their record, including participating in over 100 horse trials since 1995, being the 1997 Reserve World Champion Jumper, winning the 2007 USEA Training Level Area 8 Regional Championship, being the First Level Dressage Champion at the 2004 horse trials at the Nottingham Equestrian Center, winning the AMHA Open Competition reserve champion in eventing, etc.  Their story has been published in Eventing USA, The Chronicle of the Horse, and The Morgan Horse.

	American Eventing Championships - 2004

Stayner also likes to tell stories about Chally.  "He is a bit mischevious.  One cold winter day (about 20 degrees), I was feeding him some carrots through the bars of his stall and dropped a piece.  Trying to be a "good guy" I went into his stall to find the missing bite at which point he went to his water bucket, filled his mouth, and sauntered over and dumped it down my neck!"

Although Chally has been retired from eventing, Stayner continues to ride dressage and compete at local schooling shows.  Chally isn't ready to be put out to pasture just yet!