Tag Archives: Caroline Weeden

Championships, Competitions, HITS, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping, USHJA

Lisa Goldman-Smolen Makes It Two in a Row Winning $25k HITS Grand Prix at HITS Chicago

Lisa Goldman-Smolen is on a streak with no signs of slowing down. After winning the first week’s $25,000 HITS Grand Prix at HITS Chicago with Sovereign, she returned this Saturday with her winning mount from the Great American $300,000 Grand Prix, Ivaro N, and took home the top prize after holding the lead from start to finish. Not to be outdone by his barn mate, Sovereign took home third with Smolen, while Katie Leverick and Hardy slid into the second-place position.

After taking his 8-year-old year off due to Smolen’s pregnancy, Ivaro N stepped into his own in 2022 and continued his streak into 2023 for owner Barbara Disko. “Last year was amazing and then he has been amazing this year too,” expressed Smolen after her win. “He kept the streak rolling over the winter. He did very well in a lot of those Sunday $100,000 Grand Prix classes at HITS Ocala. He’s been nothing but incredible. I think giving him that little bit of time as an 8-year-old was really great for him.”

Mechlin Farm Shines in $5,000 USHJA National Derby

Mechlin Farm had a dominating performance during Friday’s $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby at HITS Chicago. Sarah Mechlin Duhon led the way with her veteran mount Monterius after executing a flawless handy round. Katie Kantrovitz and Shenanigans, who are trained by Duhon, followed closely in second place, while Duhon also nabbed both third and fourth with Rold Gold and Zinc, respectively.

“I’m super proud of the program – we have such an amazing team,” expressed Duhon after leading the lap of honor. “Winning these classes is not about the person in the irons; it is about everybody on the team!”

Caroline Weeden and Spellbound Capture Performance 3’6” Hunters Championship

Professional hunters once again kicked off the week at HITS Chicago as riders returned for the second week of the Lamplight Spring Classic. The Performance 3’6” Hunter divisions took center stage, where Caroline Weeden had a standout week aboard Spellbound. The duo took home two blues over fences on their way to the division’s championship title.

“We got Spellbound from Spencer Smith when he was 5, and we actually named him after Smith and call him ‘Spencer’ at home. Spellbound is 9 now, and he always produces and goes so nice. He’s just super fun to ride and have in the stable.”

For more results and information, visit HitsShows.com.

Competitions, Events, Hunter/Equitation, Phelps Media Group, Show Jumping

Performance and Conformation Hunters Have Red-Hot Day at Horse Shows by the Bay

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Kelley Farmer and Clearly. Photo Credit: Katie Anich/PMG

Traverse City, MI – July 21, 2011 – With the weather hot and steamy today at Horse Shows by the Bay Series III, riders were literally rolling up their sleeves and getting down to business. Hunt coats were waived as the day progressed, adding visible intensity to the competition in the hunter rings. By day’s end, Peter Pletcher had earned the impressive Grand Performance Hunter title, blazing past the host of skilled equestrians entered in this week’s classes. Kelley Farmer continued to impress as well, sweeping the Conformation Hunter division with a scorching set of wins. Both the Performance Hunter and Conformation Hunter classes took place in the R. L. Polk Family main hunter ring at Flintfields Horse Park in Traverse City, MI.

With nine entries, the 3’6″ Performance Hunter division was bound to be both competitive and fun. Peter Pletcher and Sleepy P Ranch’s Primero earned the top honors with 31 points throughout the division. Primero and Pletcher have had a very successful time so far at Horse Shows by the Bay in the High Performance division. There was a tie for reserve champion this week in the 3’6″ Performance Hunters between Kara Roposa on Carentino, owned by Alexander Cooper, and Caroline Weeden on Condanas, owned by Lacey Gilbertson. Both horse and rider pairs earned a total of 16 points and with neither riding in the under saddle portion, they both had the same number of points over fences and were able to share the title.

Elizabeth Scoville and Bianca Buschor’s The New Yorker also had impressive rounds in 3’3″ Performance Hunters, taking home second place in both over fences classes today. When talking about her rides today, she said, “I think practice makes perfect, but perfect practices makes perfect. The New Yorker is a young, very inexperienced horse that actually has a little bit of mileage in the jumpers. We’ve been doing these types of hunter courses to give him the mileage that he needs, and what’s been really exciting here has been to see him understand his new job. Like now, for instance, to see him standing so calmly here at the ring, waiting for the jog and practically falling asleep, is so great because previously, he would start to get anxious when it was jump-off time. He’s been very excited here so far, we’ve been doing the greens and the performance hunters, and we just keep going back in until we get it right, and we got it right this afternoon.”

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