Tag Archives: equitation

Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show Circuit Wrap Up: December 27-31, 2012

Photos By: Shane Rux

Tampa, FL – January 3, 2013 – The Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show was a huge success, welcoming top riders from across the country as they competed for the winning honors.  Held December 27-31, 2012, at the Florida State Fairgrounds’ Bob Thomas Equestrian Center in Tampa, FL, the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show featured five full days of events including Hunters, Equitation, Reining, Western Pleasure, Trail Riding, Driving, Showmanship and Halter classes. The show ended on the 31st to help exhibitors take advantage of the six shows needed to accumulate points before the end of the year for the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA).

Tommy Sheets, one of the AQHA’s leading trainers, was thrilled to compete at this year’s event. “The Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show provides us with a great facility to come show our horses in multiple arenas with multiple judges at one time,” he commented. “They always hire expert judges for this show. This is one of the most prestigious horse shows in our industry; the level of horses is the upper end of the show horses. With AQHA starting a new progressive program and intermediate program, it has also encouraged all levels of horses to come to this show. The weather has been wonderful here. We’ve had multiple circuit champions in the Trail and Western Riding events. The office staff has also been very accommodating to meeting the trainers’ and exhibitors’ needs.”

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Happy New Year from the Classic Company!

The $25,000 Pony Hunter Derby at the Atlanta Summer Classic will bring the best out to show!

The Classic Company wishes everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!  There is a lot to celebrate this coming year with the Classic Company!

Classic Company will continue to offer its award winning and exhibitor friendly AA competitions at all of its locations with the addition of increased prize money.  That’s right, you heard it here: increased prize money and an increased grand prix schedule for 2013!  There was always a reason to show at Classic’s vacation destination-like locations; now the prize money and class offerings have just given you another reason!

Pensacola will continue to offer its weekly $25,000 Grand Prix and the USHJA National and International Hunter Derbies.  The USHJA National Hunter Derby is scheduled each week of the three week series and the USHJA International Hunter Derby is set for Week II.  There really is no better show this winter to get your young horses in the ring.  A show that will raise your horses’ and riders’ confidence levels is just the way to get 2013 started.

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Showcase Your Sale Horse by Donating to the College Preparatory Invitational!

Wellington, FL – December 31, 2012 – The College Preparatory Invitational Horse Show (CPI) will hold its third annual competition on January 18-20, 2013, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, FL. Welcoming more than 180 college-bound hunt seat equitation and dressage riders at the nation’s premiere College Equestrian Recruiting event, the 2013 CPI offers grades 8-12 participants comprehensive education and insight to future equestrian collegiate competition, horsemanship skills, and the ability to be recruited by the nation’s top colleges and universities offering equestrian competition programs.

To fulfill the dreams of the students, CPI is reaching out to the Wellington, FL, equestrian community for barns and/or individuals willing to donate horses that will help college-bound riders showcase their horsemanship and riding talents to top recruiters while trying to earn equestrian scholarships.

If your horse is available for lease and/or for sale, the 2013 CPI is the perfect venue to showcase its talent and skills to over 180 participants, trainers, coaches and spectators. All horses loaned to the CPI will be featured in The CPI Horse View Book, a horse preview book complete with pictures of each horse, descriptions and information on sales and/or leasing opportunities.

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USHJA Zone 4 Free Riders Clinic Announces Cynthia Hankins as Clinician

Cynthia Hankins will be the clinician for the Floridian Community Bank USHJA Zone 4 Free Clinic this February 25, 2013. Photo Courtesy of Client

Wellington, FL – December 28, 2013 – The USHJA Zone 4 Hunter and Jumper Committees are working in tandem with Floridian Community Bank to offer a free Riders Clinic for Zone 4 members at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach on February 25, 2013. The clinic is open to all Zone 4 USEF/USHJA members of varying levels at absolutely no cost. Zone 4 is pleased to announce Cynthia Hankins as the clinician for the first Riders Clinic this year.

Hankins is a native of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and has a resume and reputation that speaks for itself with numerous accolades and years of experience in the equitation, hunter and jumper rings. Hankins was the fifth place finisher at the ASPCA Alfred B. Maclay Finals when she was only 12 years old, and continued on to achieve many of the most coveted junior awards.

Her most successful junior weekend came at Harrisburg’s Pennsylvania National Horse Show where, aboard Nissen, she was Small Junior Hunter Champion with three blue ribbons, Grand Hunter Champion and Best Child Rider. Hankins also went on to win the USEF Hunter Seat Medal.

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Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show Circuit Welcomes Top AQHA Judges

Tampa, FL – December 11, 2012 – The Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show will be welcoming six top American Quarter Horse Association judges for this year’s competition. Scheduled for December 27-31, 2012 at the Florida State Fairgrounds’ Bob Thomas Equestrian Center in Tampa, FL, the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show features five full days of events including hunters, equitation, reining, western pleasure, trail riding, driving, showmanship and halter classes. This year, the show ends on the 31st to help exhibitors take advantage of the six shows needed to accumulate points before the end of the year for the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA).

The judges for this year’s Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show include:

Brian Ellsworth from Kendall, Wisconsin, who is an AAAA Rated, and has held his AQHA Judges Card for 32 years, He is also a NSBA Judge. Ellsworth has had the opportunity to judge the Youth, Amateur and Open AQHA World shows. He has also judged the Quarter Horse Congress, NSBA Breeders Championship Futurity and APHA World Shows. He and his wife Patty own and operate Ellsworth Quarter Horses.

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US Riders Ready to Compete at Saddle Seat World Cup

The U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup team in South Africa (R. Millin)

Parys, South Africa – Ten riders and four coaches will represent the U.S. at the Saddle Seat World Cup in Parys, South Africa on December 5-8. The team, made up of two sections, Three-Gaited and Five-Gaited, will compete against four other countries as they vie for top honors in saddle seat equitation.

The Three-Gaited section is made up of team members Brooke Boyer (Johnston, IA), Emily Chapman (Tucson, AZ), Brooke Jacobs (Georgetown, KY), Alexandra Lawson (North Salem, IN), and team captain Abigail Muturx (St. Louis, MO). Jacobs is a five-time member of the U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup team and was the 2011 UPHA Adult Challenge Cup Grand Champion. Mutrux, the 2012 USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final Reserve Champion, was a member of the 2010 U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Three-Gaited section. Lawson was the 2011 USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final Champion while Boyer and Chapman have had several top ten placings at major competitions. The traveling alternate for the Three-Gaited section, Kristen Smith (Crestwood, KY), was the 2012 USEF Saddle Seat Adult Amateur Medal Final Champion. This experienced group is coached by Kristen Cater (Dunbarton, NH) and Cindy Mugnier (Belchertown, MA).

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Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show Circuit Announces 2012 Dates and Schedule

The Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show Circuit will return to the Florida State Fairgrounds on December 27, 2012. Photo Courtesy of the Client

Tampa, FL – November 26, 2012 – The Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Show is pleased to announce that it will be returning to the Florida State Fairgrounds’ Bob Thomas Equestrian Center in Tampa, FL from December 27-31, 2012. In the past, the quarter horse event has been held through January, but this year the show ends on the 31st to help exhibitors take advantage of the six shows needed to accumulate points before the end of the year for the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). The Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit Show features five full days of events including hunters, equitation, AQHA reining, western pleasure, trail riding, driving, showmanship and halter classes.

The first and third day of the horse show will feature matching schedules that focus on hunters and equitation, including youth, rookie, novice, and amateur divisions. Riders will have the opportunity to showcase their mounts over fences and under saddle. On the second and fourth day of the competition, there will be additional hunter seat and equitation under saddle classes, as well as four driving classes, and western pleasure classes including walk/trot, rookie, novice, amateur, and youth divisions.

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New SMU Mustang Charlotte Jacobs Travels to Europe for Competition

Charlotte Jacobs recently signed to Southern Methodist University, and will be traveling to Europe next week to compete. Photo By: Parker/Russell - The Book, LLC

East Aurora, NY – November 23, 2012 – North Star Ventures is pleased to announce that young rider Charlotte Jacobs was recently signed to the Southern Methodist University (SMU) Equestrian Team, and will be attending the prestigious school in the Fall of 2013. Next week, Jacobs will round out her stellar year in Europe, competing at the Gucci Masters in Paris, France, and the Pappas Amadeus Horse Show in Salzburg, Austria.

“I am really excited to be attending SMU next year,” commented Jacobs. “I have been considering the school for the last year and I think they have one of the best teams in the country. I also think SMU is very strong academically, so it’s the best of both worlds.”

SMU equestrian coach Haley Schoolfield added, “Charlotte has had an outstanding junior career and is one of the top equitation and jumper riders in the country. She will be an immediate asset to our hunter seat team, and we are very excited to welcome her into the Mustang family.”

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Hunter Chancellor Claims USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final Title

Hunter Chancellor, winner of the 2012 USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final, riding Imagine My Surprise. (Howard Schatzberg)

Kansas City, MO – In an extremely competitive USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final at the United Professional Horsemen’s Association (UPHA) American Royal National Championship, Hunter Chancellor (Evansville, IN) demonstrated precise equitation skills in her rail and pattern work on Steven Chancellor’s Imagine My Surprise to take the Championship title. After earning Reserve Champion honors in 2011, Chancellor received the Gold medal from the judging panel comprised of Michael Craghead (Fresno, CA), Marilyn Mac Farlane (Simpsonville, KY), and Nancy Troutman (Salem, VA).

For taking top honors, Chancellor’s name will be engraved on the Adrian Van Sinderen Trophy and the Helen K. Crabtree Perpetual Bronze. She also received a USEF custom leather travel bag, USEF medal, rose bundle, Triple Crown Custom/Horseware Ireland cooler, and an engraved stable halter for her mount.

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USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final Set to Begin at UPHA American Royal National Championship

Alexandra Lawson, winner of the 2011 USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final, aboard Imagine My Surprise (Howard Schatzberg)

Kansas City, MO – The USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final will be held Saturday, November 17, at the United Professional Horsemen’s Association’s American Royal National Championship in Kansas City, MO. This medal final brings together the best saddle seat equitation riders from across the country who will perform for a judging panel comprised of Michael Craghead (Fresno, CA), Marilyn MacFarlane (Simpsonville, KY), and Nancy Troutman (Salem, VA).

Four of the riders competing in the medal final are members of the U.S. Saddle Seat World Cup Team, which will compete next month in Parys, South Africa. Those members are Brooke Boyer (Johnston, IA), Hunter Chancellor (Evansville, IN), Emily Chapman (Tucson, AZ), and Abigail Mutrux (St. Louis, MO).

To qualify for the competition, competitors must be 17 years or under and have placed first or second in qualifying classes during the qualification period. The USEF Saddle Seat Medal Final is held in two phases beginning with a preliminary round where all entries complete rail work in groups of 15 or less and perform an individual pattern. The judging panel will select finalists who will then compete in the closing round which is comprised of additional rail work and a second individual pattern. The preliminary rail work, preliminary workout, final rail work, and final workout each count equally toward the outcome of the class.

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