Traverse City, MI – July 6, 2011 – A few lingering clouds gave way to brilliant sunshine this morning at the Horse Shows by the Bay equestrian festival in beautiful Traverse City, MI. Held each year in one of the country’s premier vacation destinations, Horse Shows by the Bay will welcome thousands of equestrians over the next four weeks. Hundreds of horse and rider combinations have arrived already, with many putting on powerful performances this afternoon in the Grand Prix ring. Erynn Ballard rode two talented horses to victory in today’s 1.3m and 1.35m jumper classes, setting an upbeat example for the many upcoming jumper events to follow.
Atop brand-new footing in the main jumper ring, Ballard stole the show with two double-clear turns in the Grand Prix ring. In the 1.3m class, generously sponsored by Blue Gate Farm, Ballard showed how it’s fun to fly with Fun 2 Fly, as the two conquered the jump-off in only 40.513 seconds. Also having fun was Kimberly Seay aboard Belvedere; the two came in second with a jump-off time of 41.695 seconds. Emily Short and Grande Finale 3e snagged a third place spot, taking only 42.704 seconds to clear a jumper course that included all the elements of a Traverse City summer: carefully-manicured flowers, nautical flourishes, and of course, cherries.
In the 1.35m jumper class, Ballard was the second to clear the course but the only rider to clear the jump-off as well. She and Buttercup quickly sailed to the top of the scoreboard with a second round time of 41.928 seconds. Calmly navigating Chris Brandt’s vividly colored course, the pair smoothly avoided any rail knockdowns or refusals. David Jennings also steered clear of difficulty, making the obstacles look easy aboard Maximus, Nandy Fontaine, and Cowgirl. With Maximus, Jennings earned a second place finish.
“So far we’ve been loving it here in Traverse City,” said multiple winner Ballard. “The show has been so accommodating, and the weather has been beautiful. Plus, it’s close to home, it suits everything I brought. The town is wonderful, too, and we want to come back for the whole month next year. There’s nowhere else in the summer that I can think of where it’s similar to the experience you get here in Traverse City. I’ve been to a lot of the summer shows, and this place is just made to be a horse show.”
“His show name is Fun 2 Fly,” Ballard added about the first horse she jumped today, “but we refer to him as ‘Brumby’ because he’s very expressive with the way that he goes, and he just looks like a wild thing. My plan is to jump him in the Grand Prix on Sunday. That’s a great place for the two of us to start; I try not to put him in too many big classes – I like to get him used to the ring, and he’s quite fast, and I think it’s a nice start given what he’s done today, so he’ll be ready for the Grand Prix on Sunday.” Fun 2 Fly is owned by Looking up Group, and Buttercup is owned by the Ash Lee Corporation.
Echoing the participants’ enthusiasm is Alex Rheinheimer, Competition Manager for Horse Shows by the Bay. “We’re looking forward to a great circuit,” she commented, “and it’s wonderful to be able to welcome back our Traverse City ‘extended family,’ as well as the many new faces who will be here this month.” Rheinheimer has carefully orchestrated the festival since 2004, making focused improvements every year. This year, noted Rheinheimer, there will be a full four weeks of hunter/jumper events, as well as new footing in the main hunter/jumper rings.
Located in front of a scenic vista, the Grand Prix ring at Flintfields Horse Park now features recently installed, state-of-the-art footing, giving riders and their horses the best possible show ring experience. Dave Steffee of Steffee Surfaces installed a new Ebb and Flow footing system in the ring, which will now be regulated by a computerized underground water irrigation system. Ballard said of the new footing, “They’re doing their best to make it work, and it’s definitely going to be worth it. They’ve been trying hard, and you can tell they’ve been working on it continuously, and it’s plenty good to jump on. It suits the ring beautifully, too.”
Horse Shows by the Bay will continue to welcome riders and thrill spectators over the next four weeks. Feature events for this week include the $10,000 Welcome Prix on July 8, as well as the $30,000 Grand Prix of Traverse City on July 10. Tomorrow on July 7, participants are encouraged to attend the Welcome Wine and Cheese, sponsored by Coldwell Banker Schmidt, in the main hunter tent.
During Series II, held July 13-17, highlights include a new $10,000 Horse Shows by the Bay Open Hunter Classic, a new $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Classic, and a $30,000 Grand Traverse Bay Grand Prix and VIP Sponsor Luncheon. 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, exciting 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.
For more information or to view schedules, please visit www.horseshowsbythebay.com or call 231-267-3700.
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