August 19, 2011 – Sunday marked the final day of the 2011 Aiken Fall Festival II. It was an exciting action packed weekend filled with many special classes and events at Highfields Event Center in Aiken, SC. Saturday evening featured the $15,000 Aiken Fall Festival Jumper Classic sponsored by Fenwick Equestrian along with Mexican Fiesta and Margaritas For Mutts in the VIP tent to benefit Danny and Ron’s Rescue. Patrons also had the chance to bid on several silent auction items donated by Hot To Trot Boutique, Oak Manor Saddlery, Equine Divine, and The Gamboa Family. Raffle tickets had also been sold throughout the week for several beautiful gift baskets with all proceeds going directly this wonderful charity. Wendy Arndt and Team IEC sponsored the dinner and the sounds of New Holland Rd. entertained the crowd following the class.
A strong field of 22 competitors was on hand to try their luck at the challenging course designed by J. P. Godard. 6 entries out of the original field graduated to the jump off and with the double 5 AB giving the majority of the class trouble it came down to just two clear rounds. Second to go in the jump off Harold Chopping of Southern Pines, NC and Kendra Bullington’s 8 year old mare Patent Pending turned in a fast and precise trip with a time of 33.129 establishing the time to beat. Last week’s Open Welcome Stake winner Josh Dolan and his Skylands Con Chino Z were the last pair to enter the ring and gave Chopping a run for his money finishing with the only other clear round and a time of 33.939 just .810 seconds behind Chopping and Patent Pending who would end up the victors. Karen Kerby’s T/Salemon and Daniel Geitner finished third, Tokade De Kalvarie and Natalie Johnson fourth, Marie Le Menestrel’s Aero and Dustin Ball were fifth, and rounding out the top 6 was George and owner rider Kitt Ritter. The winners Chopping and Patent Pending received a trophy and Fenwick Equestrian High Performance Body Guard Cooler provided by Fenwick Equestrian.
Action continued in the jumper ring Sunday featuring the $2,500 Jr/AO Jumper Classic sponsored by Integrity Linens and the $2,500 Ch/Ad Jumper Classic sponsored by The Wilcox Hotel, Restaurant, and Spa. Heather Crespo and her Fritz R.B came home victorious again coming off a win at Equus Events Atlanta Summerfest and a second place finish the previous week at the Aiken Fall Festival I. In the Jr/AO Jumper Classic DFG stables dominated the standings with Kitt Ritter and Ann Ritter’s Jumbo Jett winning the blue, Booth Parker and her feisty mare Wonder Pomme came in second, Tum Tum and McKenzie Kasper third, and Laura Regan and her Pavarotti rounded out the top 4. All four riders train with Daniel and Cathy Geitner of DFG Stables in Aiken, SC.
The hunters finished off a successful two weeks of showing with many Championships and Grand Championships being awarded on Sunday. Noel Fauntleroy and her Babette capped off a triumphant weekend capturing the Small Junior Hunter Championship and the Co-Grand Junior Hunter Championship along with Erin McGuire’s Casallo. This is the second year in a row for Babette and Fauntleroy whose names were engraved on the Joyce Lineburger Memorial Perpetual trophy last year for Grand Junior Hunter. Madison Manners also wrapped up a banner two weeks with Meridian Farm’s Unlimited winning the Children’s Hunters 14 and under Championship, the Younger Children’s Hunter Classic, and the Aiken Fall Festival’s Grand Children’s Hunter Champion award. All Grand Champions received a ribbon and a custom cooler provided by Integrity Fine Equestrian Linens as well as their names engraved on various perpetual trophies. Other Aiken Fall Festival Grand Champions included:
*The At a Glance Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Grand Working Hunter – Mrs. Janet Peterson’s Damocles and Daniel Geitner
*The Daddy’s Girl Memorial Perpetual Trophy for Grand Amateur Owner Hunter – McGraw and Kimberly Quinn
*The Good Golly Miss Molly Perpetual Trophy for Grand Pony – Dianne Randolph’s Hidden Spring’s Linus and Paige Wilson
*Grand Adult Hunter – Diplomat and Elizabeth Eubank
*Grand Children’s Adult Jumper – Partizan and Dr. Juan Gamboa
For complete horse show results or for more information on The Aiken Fall Festival and Equus Events or Danny and Ron’s Rescue please go to www.equusevents.com or www.dannyandronsrescue.com.