Yesterday we finished the Charleston Summer Classic. I want to thank all the sponsors and exhibitors for their support. We all had a great time at the show this year. We finished early each day as planned and everyone had fun at the marina, beaches and golf courses.
Grand Kahuna Pony
Small Pony – Howie Do It, Avery Morgan
Medium Pony – Swingtown, Bergen Sanderford
Large Pony – Champlain Sovereign, Paige Parker
Small Green Pony – Brownlands Boardwalk, Callie Rheinheimer
Medium Green Pony – Daisy Due Blue, Grace Gressett
Large Green Pony – Highlands Percival, Marielle Golden
Most Supreme Grand Puba – Champlain Sovereign, Paige Parker
Sue Hehl and Something's Cookin'. Photo Credit: Katie Anich/PMG
Traverse City, MI – July 24, 2011 – Clouds and humidity could not dampen the spirits of the hunter riders at Horse Shows by the Bay today, as they smoothly traversed the courses on this final day of Series III. Champion and Grand Champion honors were granted this morning and afternoon, with the adult hunters beaming despite the lack of sun. The Adult Amateur division in particular drew quite the crowd for the $1,000 NAL/WIHS Adult Hunter Classic, in which the top 12 horse and rider pairs returned for a competitive second round. Sue Hehl and her own Something’s Cookin’ cooked up a win in the classic, with Jodi Waller on Sokko, owned by Lindsey Waller, coming in second. Gabrielle Thornton and Az Is, owned by Terri Dandino, completed the top three, making for a talented trio of horse and rider combinations taking home hunter ribbons today.
The younger section of the Adult Amateur division turned out better than Lindsay Lyden and Fox Meadow Farm’s Copperfield could have imagined, with the pair winning all four over fences classes. The pair were also a solid second in the under saddle class. Terri Irrer rode Rhythmicon, owned by Debra Gross, to the Middle Adult Amateur Hunter champion title, which they accepted with a smile. Stephen Martines and one of his three mounts, Westcliffe, earned the champion ribbon and cooler in the older section of the division. The Grand Adult Hunter Champion title went to Lindsay Lyden and Copperfield, who accumulated the most points in the division. There was nothing but positivity in the Adult Amateur ring today, enough to make anyone’s day a little brighter.
The $1,000 North American League (NAL)/Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) Classic began after all sections of the Adult Amateur Hunters finished up over fences, with the second round score determining the top 12 riders to return for the NAL/WIHS Adult Hunter Classic. The competition grew, as did the crowd, when the class started with the nine fence course. A few horses seemed a bit tired after having already completed two courses, but second winds prevailed and many polished rides emerged. Sue Hehl and her own Something’s Cookin’ had the third-highest score going into the second round with 83 points. After a beautiful second round and a score of 85, the highest in round two, the duo won the class with an overall score of 168. Earning 78 points in the first round and a smooth 82.5 points in the second round, Jodi Waller and Sokko, owned by Lindsey Waller, took home second place in the classic. Rolling into third place in the classic was Born to Roll and owner/rider Alana Andrews with a final score of 155.5, just five points behind Berger and Sokko. Today’s Adult Classic was sponsored by Camping World – Ila Lemonis.
Wilhelm Genn, Alex Rheinheimer, and Marlo. Photo Credit: Katie Anich/PMG
Traverse City, MI – July 24, 2011 – Even mother nature took a break to catch this afternoon’s exciting Grand Prix at Horse Shows by the Bay, holding off on a rain shower until just after winner Wilhelm Genn’s victory gallop. The $30,000 Grand Prix of the Great Lakes was held today in beautiful Traverse City, MI, the third Open Jumper Grand Prix to take place at Flintfields Horse Park this month. Genn and his own gray mare, Marlo, triumphed in an extremely competitive class filled with crystal-clear rounds and lightning-fast times. Also making their mark were Charles Jacobs upon Leap of Joy, who came in second, and last week’s winner Blythe Marano on Urban, who came in third this time. Thanks to a VIP sponsor luncheon generously provided by Craig Rosenberg of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, the many fans at today’s event were able to relax and refresh while watching the amazing horsemanship on display in the ring below.
Prior to the first horse on today’s course, Betsy VanDyke Foster of Maple City, MI returned with another engaging dressage demonstration. The mounted sheriffs of Leelanau County were also in the Grand Prix ring this afternoon, graciously serving as the event’s color guard. After the sizable crowd stood for the national anthem, the class kicked off with an early clear round by David Beisel on Always Cullohill, owned by Harlow Invesment Enterprises LLC. The duo earned enthusiastic applause as they finished their turn in the ring, as today’s course featured several intimidating elements. A jump resembling the Mackinac Bridge was tricky for several horses, while a combination starting with a triple bar also proved insurmountable for some.
These obstacles failed to thwart last week’s winner Blythe Marano, though, who repeated her success with two clear rounds on Urban and Askaban, both owned by Riverview Farm LLC. Charles Jacobs also avoided faults on two different horses in the first round. Leap of Joy, owned by Deeridge Farms, and Flaming Star, owned by CMJ Sporthorse LLC, both blazed into the jump-off with Jacobs at the helm. The suspenseful second round saw 10 out of 31 riders return for a shot at the top prize, with Genn, like Marano and Jacobs, also making it to the jump-off on two different horses. Incurring just a few faults on his own Happy Z, Genn ultimately triumphed on Marlo. The pair fired up the crowd with an excellent time of 36.9 seconds, never missing a beat but always missing the rails. The first rider in the jump-off, Beisel on Always Cullohill, also elicited applause with a clear round and a time of 39.433 seconds. Following Beisel was a cool and steady Marano, who flew past the timers on Urban in just 38.163 seconds. Charles Jacobs and Flaming Star were the last to tackle the second round, and produced an astounding time of 34.244 seconds with just one fault.
TRIUMPHANT GERMANS MAKE IT FIVE-TIME GOLD, HAT-TRICK FOR ROTHENBERGER by Louise Parkes
Young Rider Individual medallists (L to R): Cathrine Dufour DEN (silver), Sanneke Rothenberger GER (gold) and Carina Nevermann Torup DEN (bronze). Rothenberger also won Young Rider Team and Freestyle gold. Photo: FEI/Ridehesten.
Lausanne (SUI), 24 JULY 2011 – German riders had it almost all their own way when claiming both the Young Rider and Junior team titles as well as three of the individual gold medals on offer at the FEI European Dressage Championships for Young Riders and Juniors 2011 at Broholm Castle in Denmark this weekend. But the host nation did themselves proud when finishing a close second in both team events and then coming out on top in today’s Junior Freestyle Championship won by Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Millibar.
For Germany’s Sanneke Rothenberger these championships have been a particular triumph, as the 18 year old daughter of Olympians Sven and Gonnelien Rothenberger continues an ever-upward trajectory in her already impressive career. She won team gold as a Pony rider, and in 2007 made history in the German Youth Riders Championship when clinching silver in both the Pony and Junior divisions. She won team and individual gold at the FEI European Junior Championships in 2009 and last year claimed team gold and individual silver at Young Rider level. This weekend, with her 10 year old Oldenburg gelding Deveraux which she has been competing for the last four years, she stepped up her game even further when taking Young Rider Team, Individual and Freestyle gold, firmly placing herself at the forefront of her sport and displaying an awesome talent in the making.
HRH Princess Benedikte of Denmark, the dedicated and active patroness of the Danish Equestrian Federation, attended the event and today the FEI President, HRH Princess Haya, was also at Broholm Castle to present the medals to the winning riders. It has been a testing few days in every respect, as the weather did all it could to disrupt this year’s fixture with pouring rain and high winds creating a less-than-perfect competition environment. But the next generation of top-class dressage competitors rode through it with determination and emerged triumphant in the end.
Johns Island, SC — July 24, 2011 — The final week of the Charleston Summer Classics held at Mullet Hall Equestrian Center was much like an adventure packed vacation itinerary. One moment you’re enjoying the sport with friendly competitive rivals, then shopping together for the social gatherings.
This was also the week where the Wee Warriors of the Pony divisions battled for the coveted titles of Grand Pony Kahuna and the glory of being named Most Supreme Pony Kahuna. “I started the Kahuna competition as a fun method for our pony riders to prepare for the USEF Pony Finals, the scoring uses the same numerical judging system with daily accumulated points moving forward to their respective division Classic rounds. We award a Supreme Grand Kahuna in each of the six divisions and an overall Most Supreme Grand Kahuna Champion. The prizes are nice – Essex Classic Shirts, custom Cooler, featured in an Ad – but the best reward is the knowledge and experience they can take into Pony Finals,” Classic Company president Bob Bell said.
The 2011 Most Supreme Grand Pony Kahuna is Paige Parker partnered with Champlain Sovereign, owned by The Hill Farm. This marked Paige’s second occasion as top Pony Kahuna having won the title in 2009 with Cherrybrook Skye Blue.
At last year’s Markel/USEF National Young Horse Championship, Caroline Roffman and Bon Chance won the Five-Year-Old division. (Photo courtesy of fireandearthphoto .com)
Wellington, FL (July 21, 2011) – At last year’s Markel/USEF National Young Horse Championship in Lamplight, Illinois, Caroline Roffman and her Hanoverian gelding Bon Chance won the Five-Year-Old division. This year, Roffman will compete three horses at the National Young Horse Championships and the Developing Horse Championships. San City will compete in the Five-Year-Old division, Bon Chance will compete in the Six-Year-Old division, and her Hanoverian gelding, Pie will compete in the Developing Horse Championships. Roffman is hoping that three is truly a charm.
“Bon Chance has developed wonderfully and has truly matured and come into his own. He has so much talent and presence and I can’t wait to show him off,” Roffman said, adding that in addition to winning the Five-Year-Old Championship, Bon Chance was Reserve Champion in the Four-Year-Old Championship in 2009.
Roffman also has the chance to defend her Five-Year-Old Championship title, this time aboard San City, a five-year-old stallion owned by Linda Crabtree. “He was shown by Linda’s daughter and successful event rider Katie Wooten last year in the Four-Year-Olds,” Roffman said. “I was given the ride on San City last fall and have trained and developed him with these championships as our goal. San City has the presence of a stallion but the rideability and character of a gelding. He is both beautiful and talented and has developed beyond what I thought he could have in a relatively short amount of time.” Roffman said she has even bred one of her mares to San City. “I like him that much!” she said. “He is San Remo x Bolero and bred by Marefield Meadows.”
Roffman, who was named the 2010 FEI Rising Star by the International Equestrian Federation and received her award at the FEI Awards ceremony in Taipei, is also looking forward to riding her horse Pie, a Hanoverian by Worldly, in the Developing Horse Championships. “Pie is very special to me, not only because I have had him for many years but because of his loving character and overachieving nature,” she said. “Pie showed as a six-year-old and qualified for the championships, but was unable to attend. He had nearly two years off and underwent a last effort surgery. To my delight he came back and has developed rapidly. This has been his first full year of showing and he has exceeded my expectations.”
Q-Racing Journal, July 21, 2011 – Carl Pevehouse’s homebred Haulin Candy Salt tries for her first stakes win in the $385,500 Speedhorse Gold and Silver Cup Futurity (RG2) and Heritage Place Derby (G2) winner Capo De Capi shoots for a second derby victory in the $100,000 Speedhorse Gold and Silver Cup Derby (RG3) at Fair Meadows on Saturday night.
Haulin Candy Salt (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Salt Lake Spitty by Salt Lake (TB)) moves up to the stakes ranks for trainer Clinton Crawford after winning two of her three starts and one second-place finish. She won her career debut at Remington Park and then finished in a dead heat for second in a second-level
allowance race.
Those races put her in top form for the Gold and Silver Cup trials and she responded with a length win in :17.641 for the 350 yards, the fastest-qualifying mark from seven trials.
Mary Passmore’s Second Painted Sign (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Stylish Sign by Vital Sign) also comes into the futurity in winning form. After finishing off the board in his first two starts, he stepped up with a pair of wins. The Jackie Kirby-trained colt rolled to a daylight maiden score with the second-fastest qualifying time of :17.644.
Trainer Eddie Willis has the two-fastest qualifiers to the Gold and Silver Cup Derby with Capo De Capi and Blackwater Command.
James Sills’ Capo De Capi (Corona Cartel-A Shot At Glory by Strawfly Special) has already made six starts this year and is riding a four-race winning streak. Highlighting the winning streak is his neck win at 30-1 odds in the Heritage Place Derby. He substantiated that upset score in his Gold and Silver Cup Derby trial with a length win, and his time of :17.514 was the quickest from the three trials.
Mike Vaughn’s homebred Blackwater Command (PYC Paint Your Wagon-Soxolene by Whirling Fastball) also scored a stakes win at Remington Park last spring with a nose score in the Mr Master Bug Handicap (R) over Oklahoma-breds. The winner of three of four 2011 outs dominated his trial by 1 1/2 lengths with the second-fastest time of :17.573.
American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104
Rave reviews for new Grand Prix footing, riders use Culpeper as their stepping-stone to qualify for the Pfizer Million and Diamond Mills Hunter Prix Final, while sponsors Pfizer Animal Health and Purina Mills enjoy some southern hospitality
CULPEPER, VA (July 22, 2011) – HITS Culpeper enjoyed two strong weeks of competition during its July shows – the Showday National and the Cavalier Classic – with higher than expected entries as exhibitors flocked to Culpeper, Virginia from all corners of the country. An action-packed schedule, which included two more qualifiers each for the Pfizer $1 Million Grand Prix and Diamond Mills $500,000 Hunter Prix Final, along with new Grand Prix footing, made Culpeper a “must show” for many exhibitors looking to punch their ticket to this year’s Grand Finale in September.
The Showday National opened up the two-week series and was the first opportunity riders had to test out the newly resurfaced Grand Prix ring. “I thought the footing was excellent and the horses all jumped well,” said Ramiro Quintana of West Palm Beach, Florida who, aboard November Hill Farm’s Versace, captured the $1,000 Level 6 Morningside Training Farm Jumpers during the Showday National. “With all the improvements that are being made in Culpeper I am sure it will once again be considered one of the top destinations in American show jumping.”
Culpeper catches Pfizer Million fever During the Showday National, Kevin Babington of Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania wasted no time at all getting comfortable with the new Grand Prix footing when he rode his own Mark Q to the blue in the $40,000 Strongid C 2X Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, and picked up his second of eight Grand Prix needed to become eligible for the Pfizer Million. Silvio Mazzoni of Leesburg, Virginia was all business on Sunday when he won the $40,000 Purina Mills Grand Prix, presented by Pfizer Animal Health, during the Cavalier Classic aboard his own Remonta Habano, which propelled him into the top 10 of the Pfizer Million Rider Rankings with more than $26,000 in prize money.
Kelley Farmer and Clearly. Photo Credit: Katie Anich/PMG
Traverse City, MI – July 22, 2011 – With few clouds in the sky and a light breeze, it was a lovely afternoon for the $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby at Horse Shows by the Bay Series III. The Flintfields Horse Park grounds were buzzing all day with excitement for the evening’s event, which challenged 21 entries with a traditional course in the Grand Prix ring. Kelley Farmer made a clean sweep of the top four spots on Clearly, Praise, Red Sky, and Bases Loaded. Amazingly, Farmer and her first three rides produced a three-way tie involving an overall high score of 387. Peter Pletcher smoothly jumped into the next three places on Copperfield, Primero, and Tell All, accumulating several highly impressive scores of his own. An enthusiastic crowd turned out for tonight’s derby, making the class a definite favorite among spectators and riders alike.
The event kicked off with an exhibitor party, generously sponsored by Outback Steakhouse of Traverse City, which featured great food, drinks, and conversation. The first horse took the course at 5:30pm, with high scores dominating the scene from the very start. Kelley Farmer and Bases Loaded hit a home run with a combined score of 180 in their first round. Bases Loaded is owned by Am Free, Inc. Peter Pletcher and Copperfield, who is owned by Jennifer Noski, also turned in a great early combined score of 171 in the first round. Carson Gibson and Caden, owned by Shadyside Farm, had a flowing first round that resulted in a solid 163 combined score. Farmer returned on Clearly, owned by Jane Gaston, to add a 185 combined score to her growing list of first round feats. Farmer’s highest first round score came on Red Sky, owned by Larry Glefke. A whopping 196 put Farmer in contention for a second derby win, but Pletcher was also a competitive presence in the Grand Prix ring tonight. On Tell All, owned by Susan Baker, Pletcher earned a 173.5, adding to the slew of stunning scores in the much-anticipated derby. Near the end of round one Farmer returned on Praise, owned by Selma Garber, and received plenty of praise for another high score of 191.
Ashley Jerome of Calgary, AB, and Santa Cruz tied for the win in the $25,000 Full Meal Deal Grand Prix held during the Mid Summer Classic II in Calgary, AB
Calgary, Alberta – Kyle King of Ocala, FL, and Ashley Jerome of Calgary, AB, tied to win the $25,000 Full Meal Deal Grand Prix held July 17 during the Mid Summer Classic II produced by Rocky Mountain Show Jumping at Anderson Ranch in Calgary, AB.
Run in a unique format, the $25,000 Full Meal Deal Grand Prix sees competitors jumping the exact same course set at four different heights – 1.10m, 1.15m, 1.20m and 1.30m. All competitors, regardless of the height they were jumping, had the same time allowed to complete the course designed by Eric Hasbrouck. Of the 67 entries that competed over the four divisions offered, a total of 20 jumped clear.
Working backwards for the jump-off, the 1.30m division went first. Tami Masters was again clear in the jump-off in a time of 47.24 seconds riding Aurora to move into the lead. King then jumped clear in the 1.20m division in a time of 47.09 to move to the top of the leader board.
In the 1.15m division, last year’s defending champion, Breanne McAllister of Calgary, AB, set a blistering fast pace with Zorro, stopping the clock in 44.48 seconds. However, a rail down along the way left the 17-year-old in eighth position overall with the day’s fastest four fault jump-off effort.
