Amanda Steege and Bavarian Rule in the $10,000 Fieldstone 2’9″ Hunter Derby Final at Fieldstone Summer Showcase

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Amanda Steege and Bavarian won the $10,000 Fieldstone 2'9” Hunter Derby Final. Photo © Anne Gittins Photography

Halifax, MA – August 25, 2011 – The Fieldstone Summer Showcase hosted two hunter derbies today on the beautiful grass Grand Prix Field. Amanda Steege of Bedminster, NJ, rode Bavarian, owned by Lise Revers of Weston, MA, to victory in the $10,000 Fieldstone 2’9” Hunter Derby Final. In the $10,000 Pony Hunter Derby Final, Jordyn Freeman of Long Meadow, MA, took the top two places on Blueberry Hill and Head’s Up. The Fieldstone Summer Showcase features top hunter/jumper competition at their beautiful facility in Halifax, MA.

Today marked the third day of competition for the Fieldstone Summer Showcase, which will now run through Saturday, August 27. The MHJ Finals will run at the same times and in the same rings but now on Saturday instead of Sunday. The $25,000 Herb Chambers Companies Grand Prix start time has been moved to noon on Saturday, August 27 (from 3 p.m.). The $7,500 Herb Chambers Companies Speed Stake has been moved to Friday, August 26, at approximately 11 a.m. (from Saturday).

Professional rider Amanda Steege had a brand-new ride on Bavarian, who was only purchased three weeks ago by Revers. Revers trains with Lindsey Moore, who had Steege compete today on the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “My dad has been helping Lindsey Moore. I got lucky!” Steege said with a smile.

The new pairing practiced yesterday and entered the ring together for the first time in the derby. They had a solid score of 84 in the first round, and with a handy hunter score of 86, they moved into the lead with a total of 170. Second place in the class went to Socrates, ridden by Kristen Bumpus and owned by Jackie Arakelian of Winchester, MA.

Steege said Bavarian had no trouble with the natural obstacles, derby bank, and raised bank. “It was so fun. I was a little nervous about it because I haven’t done that for so long!” she laughed. “When I was kid we went to more horse shows where they used that stuff in the equitation. We just don’t have a lot of grass fields and opportunities to do that.”

Steege said of Bavarian, “I think he’s the perfect type of horse for these classes. He’s so soft but powerful at the same time. He’s so not spooky. It’s great to be able to just gallop on a loose rein and when you get there, he’s going to help you out, no matter where you are.”

Revers said, “I can’t believe that he’s so good! We didn’t know that much about him when we bought him. I’m learning how to jump, so he’s going to teach me. Right from the minute I got him, he’s just been a steady hunter. He’s a really good guy.”

Steege also placed third on Zephyr T, owned by Susan Villare of Westport, MA. Steege got the ride on Zephyr T through unfortunate circumstances; her father Mitch Steege, Zephyr’s usual rider, broke his back a few weeks ago and could not ride. Steege said, “He’s a Pre-Green horse, so that was really good that he did the bank and everything. I’m looking forward to maybe showing him at Capital Challenge in the Future Hunters.”

It was a nice return to the Fieldstone horse shows for Steege, who grew up in Massachusetts and competed in the New England area as a pony and junior rider. She had not been back to the shows in 12 years and was pleasantly surprised to see the quality of the show and its competition.

“It was fun for me personally to get to show here,” Steege acknowledged. “I showed here quite often as a junior. It’s fun to come back. This has always been a nice facility, but it’s definitely grown and prospered over the last few years. It’s exciting how much work they’ve put into it and have tried to revive the hunter world a little bit up here with these bigger classes.”

She added, “The footing was amazing, especially since they haven’t had a ton of rain recently. I thought it felt great. I thought the courses were really nice too. They allowed you to show off on a horse that could show off, but they were easy enough to open the class up to a lot more people. You didn’t worry about sending your amateur riders in there.”

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Jordyn Freeman and Blueberry Hill won the $10,000 Pony Hunter Derby Final. Photo © Anne Gittins Photography

The winner of the $10,000 Pony Hunter Derby Finals was Jordyn Freeman of Long Meadow, MA, who rode Blueberry Hill for the win. The eleven-year-old rider, who is also the owner of Blueberry Hill, has been riding since the age of three. She and Blueberry Hill have only been paired together for a year. She said of their accomplishments, “We have been to Pony Finals, WEF and Devon. I was second at Devon and 15th in the hack at Pony Finals,” she said.

The sixth grader “loved riding out in the big grand prix field,” although “sometimes the ponies get tired because it is so big,” she acknowledged.

Freeman also placed second in the class riding her pony Hands Up. She has also owned Hands Up for only a year. “We have gone to WEF and Pony Finals, where I was 10th overall and Hands Up was high point half-Welsh Pony,” she noted.

When asked what was up next for her, Freeman enthusiastically replied that she hopes to qualify for indoors this year. She trains with Linda Langmeier and Kyla Makhloghi at Kelianda Farm in East Granby, CT.

The Fieldstone Summer Showcase continues tomorrow with another day of hunter/jumper competition in six rings. The highlight classes of the day start with the jumpers in the $2,500 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic (1.15-1.20m), the $5,000 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic (1.35m), and the $7,500 Herb Chambers Companies Speed Stake on the Grand Prix Field. At 3 p.m., the hunters return to center stage in the $25,000 New England Hunter Derby Final.

$10,000 2’9” Hunter Derby Finals Results
1.    Bavarian, Amanda P. Steege, Lise Revers (Weston, MA)
2.    Socrates, Kristen Bumpus, Jackie Arakelian (Winchester, MA)
3.    Zephyr T, Amanda P. Steege, Susan M. Villare (Westford, MA)
4.    Tour Guide, Kelly N. Lively, Martha Kopanon (Hingham, MA)
5.    Unlisted, Amanda P. Steege, Anne Connolly (Wayland, MA)
6.    Poker Face, Jennifer B. Bliss, Jennifer B. Bliss (Katona, NY)
7.    Rio’s Ricardo, Kristen Loyek, Four Wings Farm, LLC (Street, MD)
8.    Charlotte, Amanda N. Wise, Reiner N. Niewisch (Brewster, NY)
9.    Cavallino, Jennifer Tate, Barbara E. Kravetz (Sharon, MA)
10.     Closing Belle, Caitlin W. Venezia, Mary Leblanc (Cotuit, MA)
11.     Prince Ferdinand, Susan Huyett, Caroline Hughes (Concord, MA)
12.     Sir Thomas, Sarah C. Tyndall, Devon L. Poeta (Old Lyme, CT)

$10,000 Pony Hunter Derby Finals
1.    Blueberry Hill, Jordyn Freedman, Jordyn Freedman (Long Meadow, MA)
2.    Hands Up, Jordyn Freedman, Jordyn Freedman (Long Meadow, MA)
3.    Ferdinand, Hayley Anderson, Hayley Anderson (New Boston, NH)
4.    First Impression, Mckayla Langmeier, Katie Dinan, LLC (New York, NY)
5.    Helicon Take Notice, Katie Jacobs, Cmj Sporthorse, LLC (Wellington, FL)
6.    Touchdown, Ericka M. Koscinski, Salt River Farm (Center Marioin, NY)
7.    Elite Storm Front, Caroline A. Kellogg, Paradysz Farm (Mill Neck, NY)
8.    It’s Sno Illusion, Louisa Spofford, Louisa Spofford (Essex, MA)
9.    Millpond Patchword, Katie Jacobs, Cmj Sporthorse, LLC (Wellington, FL)
10.     Stiletto, Tess Lenihan, Tess Lenihan (Hingham, MA)
11.     Jeremiah P. Duck, Ava Stearns, Jay Sargent (Middletown, RI)
12.     Carebear, Katie Jacobs, Cmj Sporthorse, LLC (Wellington, FL)

For more information on the Fieldstone Horse Shows, please visit www.showfieldstone.com, call 781-679-0701, or email info@showfieldstone.com.

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