Traverse City, MI – July 13, 2011 – A few clouds and a chilly morning opened up to sunny skies on the first day of week two at Horse Shows by the Bay in beautiful Traverse City, MI, yesterday. Series two is proud to have been selected to be a World Championship Hunter Rider event. Horse Shows by the Bay is one of just seven shows chosen for this great honor. The points accumulated in the hunter ring this week will go toward qualifying points for the 2011 World Champion Rider Finals, toward the 2011 Mid-West Regional and the National WCHR awards program. For more information on the WCHR program visit www.ushja.org. In the R. L. Polk Family Main Hunter ring the Green and Regular Conformation horses were the first to ride the course. In hunter ring three, the ASPCA Maclay kicked off the equitation classes with spectacular form and style. The Pessoa USEF Hunter Seat Medal followed the ASPCA Maclay with even more great rides and a win by Virginia Ingram.
Prior to the equitation-filled afternoon, the Polk Family ring saw some great hunter performances. Kelley Farmer excelled in the High Performance Hunters aboard Clearly and Red Sky, while also winning the First Year Green classes on Habana and Straight Talk. Farmer and Straight Talk also did well in the Green Conformation section, winning the first class of the day in the main hunter ring. Sarah Young and Bel Canto was a can-do pair in the Green Conformation over fences class, with Farmer and Straight Talk also winning in the Green Conformation category over fences. Farmer continued her success in the Regular Conformation Hunters, placing in the top four in classes in that division yesterday. In the Second Year Green classes, Lisa Cudahy and Ooh La La scored winning points for their smooth approach, with Cudahy also picking up wins in the same division aboard Last Call.
After the various hunter classes drew to a close, the medal hopefuls took to the two main hunter rings. With a challenging course at hand, the ASPCA Maclay riders took it all in stride and did their best to show their form and precision. With a field of 25 riders, that was no easy feat, but Meehan Shirey was able to float through the course with ease, as well as conquer the flat phase. Maddison Hayes took home the second place ribbon, working in smooth turns and ideal form over fences. Marissa and Cara Monforton earned the third and fourth place spots, respectively, showing that it runs in the family. These talented young riders drew quite a crowd yesterday, filling the bleachers and producing an impressive show.
With a total of 24 competitors, the Pessoa USEF Medal also drew a large crowd as they completed the first round of the medal course. After scoring all the riders, the top four were called back to be tested. In an equitation test, riders are called back into the show ring, lined up, given an order of go and a shorter, more difficult course to complete. This second course is given using the jump numbers, according to the order in which they were jumped in the first course and is only repeated three times.. Competitors being tested are allowed no outside help with the course and can use it in a way to best show off their skills. Yesterday’s call back included Meehan Shirey, winner of today’s ASPCA Maclay Virginia Ingram, Lily Kubly, and Madi Rohl. Their test included such tasks as a hand gallop, halt, and counter cantering to a fence. Virginia Ingram prevailed in the test and took home the blue ribbon. Shirey placed second, just above Kubly, who earned third and Madi Rohl, who earned fourth place.
When asked about her strategy for today, Virginia Ingram, 14, said, “I like to look at what the other riders do really well and do the same thing.” She also had this to say about her horse, Comanche, and his personality: “I’ve been with this horse for about a year and a half. He’s really loving. He has the best personality ever, he always looks for treats and is always fun to ride. He likes a loose ride and doesn’t like you to hold him at the fences, he just likes in nice and light.”
While the hunters were working on their form and finesse, the High and Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers were strutting their stuff in the prestigious Grand Prix ring. Junior and Amateur-Owner riders proved proficient over obstacles 1.35m (high) and 1.25m (low). Among those shows skills were especially impressive were Ashley Charpentier aboard Buttercup and Carly Morrison on Duvel. Both won their respective classes, with two clear rounds each to get the week off to a promising start.
In the high jumper class, generously sponsored by Kilkenny Insurance, two-thirds of the class were able to make it to the jump-off, but tight turns and high rails prevented most of them from progressing further. Charpentier and Buttercup, who is owned by the Ash Lee Corporation, were a formidable duo as they calmly but quickly traversed all obstacles without a single fault. In their jump-off round, the two produced another clear round in 39.484 seconds. Miranda Travers-Cavill and Col de Rousset, owned by Natalie Smith, were the only other pair to clear both rounds, with a swift jump-off time of 41.873 seconds. In the Low Jumpers, Carly Morrison and Duvel beat a crowded field to clear the jump-off in just 35.126 seconds. Very close behind was Anna Levy on Papageno, clocking in at 35.287 seconds.
“I think the designer did a really nice course,” said Alex Parrish, who rode her own horse, Frisco, to the jump-off in the day’s high jumper event. “Both last week and this week were a lot of fun, and today’s was a nice flowing course, so it was good preparation for the rest of the week.” Course designers for week two of Horse Shows by the Bay include Guilherme Jorge of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Evie Frisque of Ontario, Canada. Parrish, who has been a strong presence in the jumper ring during week one, trains with Donald Cheska of Bayside Farm.
Horse Shows by the Bay will continue to offer riders and fans the ideal horse sports venue throughout the next three weeks. Highlights for this week include a new $10,000 Horse Shows by the Bay Open Hunter Classic and a new $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Classic, making week two an ideal setting for World Championship Hunter Rider week here in Traverse City. There will also be a $30,000 Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix and VIP Sponsor Luncheon later this week. Series III, which occurs July 20-24, includes a $20,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby, a $10,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Amateur-Owner Jumper Prix, and a $30,000 Grand Prix of the Great Lakes and VIP Sponsor Luncheon.
During the fourth and final week of competition, notable events include the $30,000 D-BRAIDER Cherry Capital Classic Grand Prix, as well as a $10,000 Children’s/Adult Jumper Prix and VIP Sponsor Luncheon. Over half a million dollars in prize money will be awarded by the conclusion of this month-long celebration of equestrian athletes.
For more information or to view schedules, please visit www.horseshowsbythebay.com or call 231-267-3700.
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