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Total Touch - Horse of a Lifetime


Caitie Hope Rose and Total Touch in the $75,000 Indianapolis Grand Prix at Traders Point in 2014.


Antioch, IL – July 30, 2019 – Owner Mrs. Kathleen O. Hope, rider Caitlin Hope Rose, and trainer Telluride Farm/Diane Carney announce the retirement of Total Touch, the exceptional Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper and Grand Prix horse.  At the age of 19, the athletic and talented jumper, who touched the hearts of all who know him, is retiring from the show ring with a lengthy and impressive resume.  “Most people feel lucky when they have one horse of a lifetime, but Total replaced LaPaz (the horse with an S on his chest), Caitie’s first junior jumper, with an even bigger S!” said Hope. “Total not only taught Caitie to jump big jumps, he taught her loyalty, trust, love and team work, he never gave up – it just wasn’t his nature. I think those qualities helped Caitie grow into the fine young woman she is today. We are so grateful to have had Total for almost his whole career and we are extremely happy that he and LaPaz can enjoy their golden years in the warm sun and green grass swapping Caitie Hope stories!”


Owner Kathleen Hope (second from the left) accepts the check for Total Touch's win in the $30,000 St. Louis Grand Prix in 2014. Photo Andrew Ryback Photography. “Total’s athletic ability, his heart and his temperament made him an exceptional show jumper! He’s a fighter in the show ring and he knows he’s a winner. We call him “The King” affectionately in the stable. For ten years he has been, the most outstanding grand prix horse to work with. He is intelligent, he walks into any ring, sizes it up, and when the bell rings, he’s all in,” said Carney. “He is healthy and sound, and every horse only has so many jumps in them so we are retiring Total before we use them all up.”

Caitie Hope Rose and Total Touch at Devon in the Amateur Owner Jumpers.  Total Touch and Caitie produced double clean round after double clean, with wins against the best junior and amateur owner competition at Devon, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, the National Horse Show, Kentucky Summer, Spruce Meadows, Trader’s Point, Chicago, St. Louis, Omaha and the Winter Equestrian Festival. 

Caitie Hope Rose and Total Touch at Traders Point with the Johnson Family presenting awards in 2014. “My fondest accomplishment was the second place finish in the $75,000 Indianapolis Grand Prix at Traders Point,” reminisced Caitie. “I went 13th out of 30 and was the only clean rider in the first round until the last 2 exhibitors. There were then 3 in the jump off - it was a crowd pleasing, competitive effort with standing room only at the Traders Point grass field. The first round was such a challenging course and incorporated the open water and then in the jump off track, we galloped the length of the field twice over a very careful 1.50m track. We were double clean and took a few risks as well!  Total and I gave it our best and finished with fractions of a second into second place!  That was really fun.” 

The Colorado Power Chip!  “My funniest story of Total was in Colorado when I power chipped – big time – at the final vertical in the jump off! He probably shouldn’t have jumped but he did and we were clean somehow! I hung on until I was through the timers! Everyone still laughs about that story!” “Total has always been a horse where I could go out in any field or potentially spooky space and ride around like it’s nothing. I really liked being able to trust him and gallop around with his ears flopping. It is funny because if he heard or saw something, he would immediately start to prance, so I always had to be on my toes just in case!” laughed Caitie.

Total Touch and Caitie in the Colorado Grand Prix.  “In terms of my riding career, I think Total has been a really consistent partner for ten years for me. No matter what show, Total would do his best to put in a huge effort for strong placings all over the country. He really gave me a lot of confidence at the 1.40m+ levels." Carney explained that the Hopes have been outstanding owners and have shown Total in a responsible way. They continue to show their horsemanship and love for him by retiring him this year.























Total playing with his travel buddy, Walle. “Caitie and Total Touch were an outstanding match and their resume of competition is unparalleled. What makes them so special is the bond they have with each other. The team behind Total has been with him for all 10 years – and they are also very much appreciated.  The grooms, farrier and vet, have taken great care of this horse, which will continue in his retirement.” Caitie still has Vision EH and will continue to compete with the mare in the amateur owner jumpers. 

Caitie Hope Rose with husband Ben, Total Touch and Vision EH. Photo Hilary Irene Photography


Fast Facts on Total Touch


Foaled 3/27/2000

Sire: Madison Dam: Mitran

Breed: Royal Dutch Warmblood 

Chestnut Gelding

Owned by Kathleen Hope


Lifetime earnings: $228,130.00 

                                    $99,650 in Grand Prix earnings


Wins 2010 - Zone 5 A/O Jumper Finals winner at Kentucky at Lamplight  2011 - January - $25,000 1.50m Grand Prix Lake St Louis              $5,000 Open Welcome Stake Lake St. Louis             $10,000 Open Welcome Showplace Spring Spectacular             High Jr/AO Classic Showplace Spring Spec I & II             June - $5,000 Open Welcome Showplace Summer             Open Welcome Stake Two Rivers 2012 - March - $25,000 Lake St. Louis Grand Prix 1.50m             International Omaha $10,000 Jr/AO Classic 2013 - $15,000 Welcome Stake Summer in the Rockies             Jr/AO Speed at Traders Point Hunt Charity Horse Show 2014 - $30,000 Lake St. Louis Grand Prix 2015 - $30,000 Queenie Productions Winter Festival Grand Prix

National Championships 2011 - Reserve Champion JR/AO Jumpers PNHS 2011 - NHS 3rd & 6th A/O Jumpers  2012 - Devon 3rd, 5th in SJHOF 2012 - PNHS top 10 finishes 1.40m AO Jumper 2012 - NHS top 6 finishes AO Jumpers 2013 - PNHS – top 5 finishes A/O Jumpers 2013 - NHS top 10 finishes A/O Jumpers 2014 -  Devon 3rd $20,000 SJHOF 2014 - PNHS top 10 finishes, 3rd in 1.40m Jr/AO 2014 - NHS top 10 finishes 2015 - PNHS 2nd 1.40m AO Jumpers, top 6 finishes 2016 - Devon – top 6 finishes AO Jumpers

Champion 2011 - Jr/AO Jumpers Showplace Spring Spectacular 2012 - Jr/AO Lake St. Louis 2012 - Jr/AO Showplace Spring Spectacular 2014 - Jr/AO Lake St. Louis 2015 - Jr/AO Atlanta Summer 2017 - Low Jr/AO Spring Spectacular 2018 - Low Jr/AO Kentucky Summer

Reserve Champion 2011 - Pennsylvania National Horse Show Jr/AO Jumpers 2011 - Jr/AO Jumpers Traders Point Hunt 2011 - Jr/AO Two Rivers Spruce Meadows 2014 – 2ndCanada One Tournament 1.35m AO Jumpers 2014 – 3rdNorth American Tournament 1.35m AO Jumpers

2nd Place Finishes 2011 - 2nd $25,000 Lake St, Louis 1.50m grand prix 2011 - 2nd in the $15,000 Showplace Grand Prix 2012 - WEF High AO 2nd & 3rd 2012 - 2nd International Omaha $7500 Open 1.20 Classic. 2012 - 2nd $30,000 Nutrena Prix Showplace Spring Spectacular 2014 - 2nd $75,000 Grand Prix of Indianapolis at Trader’s Point 2014 - 2nd Lake St. Louis Welcome Stake 2014 - 2nd $20,000 Welcome Stake Showplace Spring Spectacular 2014 - 2nd High Jr/AO Classic Showplace Spring Spectacular 2015 - 2nd $25,000 David Q Wright Memorial Grand Prix 2016 - 2nd $15,000 Queenie Productions Grand Prix

Caitie and Total at the George H. Morris Gladstone Chicago at Brookwood Farm 2015. 

About Diane Carney Diane Carney is a lifelong, dedicated horsewoman, emphasizing horsemanship in every aspect of her world. 

Her versatility and in-depth knowledge as a grand prix rider, hunter rider, clinician, USHJA certified trainer, event organizer, commentator, course designer, USEF R judge, USEF International Disciplines Committee member and former USHJA Board of Directors member, gives her a well rounded perspective on the industry.

Carney’s judging resume includes the 2016 ASPCA/Maclay Medal Finals, the New England Equitation Championships, WEF, HITS Thermal, Bend Oregon, Blenheim CA, Flintridge and Sonoma, CA; LA Masters, Kentucky Summer, The American Tradition of Excellence Equitation Championship , the Sunshine Series USHJA $100,000 Hunter Prix, HITS $500,000 Hunter Prix, IEA and IHSA, SEC Championships, the USEF Pony Finals, Gulfport and the West Coast Equitation Final at the USHJA Championship.

Over the last 40 years, Diane has continued the mission of spreading knowledge and horsemanship through clinics and supporting programs that raise the level of horsemanship for riders, trainers and owners. In addition to the annual George H. Morris Chicago clinic, Carney coordinates the USHJA Gold Star clinics.  Carney is available for clinics, judging, sales, commentary and private clients. Visit the website at www.telluridefarm.com or email Diane at dtelluride@aol.com.

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