Highlighted by two $20,000 Grand Prix events, four separate hunter derby sections, and jumper classics and derbies from 0.90m to 1.40m, the Fieldstone Spring Festival schedule offers feature classes for exhibitors of all ages and divisions.
The Fieldstone Spring Festival, consisting of two USEF nationally-rated weeks (May 12-16 and 19-23), is the opening event of the venue’s 2021 show schedule. Pre-entries close April 30, 2021, with the Official Prize List and entry forms coming soon.
Among the weekly feature classes are:
$7,500 Open Welcome Stake 1.30m — Thursday, May 13 and May 20
$1,000 0.90m Open Jumper Derby — Friday, May 14 and May 21
$5,000 3’3″ Open Hunter Derby — Saturday, May 15 and May 22
$1,500 2’9″ Open Hunter Derby — Sunday, May 16 and May 23
$1,500 — 2’6″ Child/Am Adult Hunter Derby — Sunday, May 16 and May 23
$20,000 Grand Prix 1.40m — Sunday, May 16 and May 23
An esteemed group of officials will return to Fieldstone in 2021, headed by Show Manager Tom Hern. Hern will also serve as a course designer at the Fieldstone Spring Festival alongside Diamond Bar, CA’s Mike Nielsen, setting tracks for Fieldstone’s five all-weather GGT hybrid/felt competition arenas and popular all-grass Grand Prix Field.
David Wilbur, Brian Lenihan, Susan Horn, and Jeff Nowak make up the group of hunter judges slated for the Fieldstone Spring Festival, while judges Jay Mullen, John Bahret, and Mike Nielsen will oversee jumper competition. In the office, Charlene Brown will head up operations as Show Secretary.
Penny Brennan rode to the top of the $2,000 Fieldstone Speed Derby with Japan on the first day of the Fieldstone Spring Festival. Photos By: Kendall Bierer/Phelps Media Group.
Halifax, MA – May 16, 2013 – Speed was the name of the game today at the Fieldstone Spring Festival, and Penny Brennan played her cards right. She rode Japan to the top of the $2,000 Fieldstone Speed Derby leader board in a blazing time of 80.91 seconds. Riders gathered on the green Grand Prix Field at the Fieldstone Show Park in Halifax, MA, to welcome the second day of first-class jumper competition. Exhibitors tackled the courses with dexterity as they crossed the finish line to seal their fate in the long-awaited speed derby, as well as the $1,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers.
The $2,000 Fieldstone Speed Derby was no easy feat for the field of entrants this afternoon. Keith Bollotte of Culleoka, TN, created a course consisting of 15 efforts including the use of two banks, a vertical-oxer double combination, vertical-vertical combination, triple bar and liverpool. His course gave riders the ability to create many options to slice the seconds and trim the time as they took each obstacle. They were challenged by hard rollbacks and tight turns, demanding agility and thinking on their feet as they pushed forward in an attempt to earn the coveted first place finish.
It was Penny Brenan who took a go at the course first, riding Pay It Forward, owned by Wright Star. With four faults early in the course, it seemed as though the riders would have to think on their feet as they navigated the serpentine of obstacles. Brennan concluded the first ride with a time of 113.841 seconds for the eventual seventh place award.
“Pay It Forward won the 1.25m Open Jumpers this morning, but when we started the course today he got a bit spooked and off balanced by the people next to the wall watching the class,” Brennan explained. “He is a super horse, a new mount for me, but he has so much potential. He won the Puissance at WEF last year at 6’11”. He is only 11 years old, and I am excited to see how he continues to go.”
David Oliynyk and Sumas Luxury
David Oliynyk was the next to take on the derby course, and aboard Sumas Luxury, owned by Melissa Nicholas, he knew he could set the pace. Using the mare’s open stride and quick turns, he was able to make up the seconds to finish with added faults in a time of 86.188 seconds. They wore a target on their back as each consecutive rider attempted to best his quick and tidy round. Oliynyk has only been riding Sumas Luxury for about three weeks, but she is no newbie to the show scene.
“She had been in Florida with Peter Leone, and he sent her to me to play with her a bit, and show in some nice classes in the meantime. This was only the second class I have shown her in. I don’t know how far we will be able to go, but we are having fun finding out,” Oliynyk said.
“Sumas Luxury is a bit aggressive, strong – but not in a bad way. She hauls me along, but every time she goes in the ring she gets better and better. I don’t think she has shown for about a month or so, and I think she might be excited to get back in the ring,” Oliynyk stated. “She rode really well today, and was very efficient about her turning. It was helpful in the speed class; we weren’t as fast in the open space, but our turns allowed us to keep a good pace. The banks add a challenge to the course; it makes it a challenge and different. You don’t see those everywhere; it is nice to have a change.”
Oliynyk continued, “I have been coming to Fieldstone since the ‘80s, and I love the improvements. I am hoping that more people will come out and see how wonderful this show is. We are aiming for the Grand Prix on Saturday, and hopefully things will go our way out there.”
Brennan returned to the field with her eye on the prize, taking the reins and chasing Oliynyk’s time to beat. She posted a time of 88.347 seconds aboard Sun Tzu, leaving all of the rails in place as she cleared the final triple bar to cross the finish line. Her speed across the open areas of the field was fierce, but nearly two seconds separated her from knocking Oliynyk out of the top spot. Daredevil also presented a fantastic speed round, excelling through the banks and turning tightly; however, his time of 93.946 seconds proved good enough for the fourth place award.
“Sun Tzu is a new mount for me; this is the first time I rode him. He is a 10-year-old. I am going to show him in the Grand Prix,” Brennan said. “Daredevil was also a first ride with me today. He did really well out there, and I trust Johnny when he tells me to get on and ride it. He knows a rock star when he sees one.”
It wasn’t until Brennan returned upon the 9-year-old Japan that the first place came into question. She picked up a blazing speed from the start, taking the opening vertical with ease and making a hard left rollback over the second oxer. She used her horse’s natural stride to open up through the lengthy distances, and sliced several turns in an attempt to push Oliynyk out of the top spot. Her plan proved successful as she broke the beam in 80.950 seconds to take home the first place.
“He is insanely good about speed derbies; I won my first Grand Prix with him in New Jersey with him in October last year. Right now he is my top horse, and also my best friend,” Brennan smiled. “He loves pace; he loves to run at the jumps, but he also loves to be held back. He is 15’3, but he thinks he is 18 hands. It doesn’t matter how big the jumps are; he will take them – he’s just that good.”
Brennan continued, “Japan is so fast that he normally wins. If he loses it is usually because of me. With Japan you have to think slow because he is already fast; if you think fast he will outrun his legs. When Johnny Maher and I originally found him he was doing the Children’s Jumpers. I knew that he was the kind of horse that takes a special ride – he would either go for you or not – I guess I am that special ride.”
“Japan loves it here; he won both derbies here last time. They have three big classes here that are really great, and I love the use of the Grand Prix Field. The management here is fantastic, and it is a friendly atmosphere. I love coming to Massachusetts and Fieldstone for the relaxed atmosphere.”
Juan Jose Lavieri and Don Pedro, owned by Jessica Herman, took the fifth place finish behind Brennan and Daredevil. Securing the sixth place finish was Kristen Bumpus and Cupid.
Gwen Goodwin and Fedel
It was a story of fate earlier in the day for Gwen Goodwin and her very own 16-year-old Swedish Warmblood Fedel. The pair went up against a field of talented riders in the $1,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers to take the victory with the only clear first round effort, confirming their success with a second clear effort across the short track.
Fedel did not have the easiest of beginnings, Goodwin described of the bay gelding. It was about three years ago when Goodwin visited Florida and saw the 13-year-old horse in the pasture after a rough colic surgery. Goodwin described the moment she saw him in rehab in the field as the moment she fell in love. Time brought the two of them back together only a year ago.
“I wasn’t shopping for a horse at the time,” Goodwin said. “He was just getting into work when I had first seen him, and last year when one of the trainers asked if I knew of someone who needed a Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper, something told me it was Fedel, and I had to have him. I bought him without riding him, and it has worked out really well. It has been a fate thing.”
This was Goodwin and Fedel’s first time showing on the grass at the Fieldstone Show Park, and the bay beauty rose to the challenge. They completed the first course sans faults, and secured the win with a faultless jump-off in 35.328 seconds.
“This was our first time out on the grass. He seemed ready and good, and the footing was fantastic here,” Goodwin stated. “He was really fantastic, and he jumped great. He didn’t have the easiest start. It is nice to see him blossoming into everything everyone thought he could be.”
Goodwin continued, “I was worried about the time allowed in the first round, so I tried to be neat with that. Once he jumped as well as he did, and he was pretty rideable, we pushed for the win. We have really been working on his rideability, and today he jumped super. He has always been ridden by a man, but Gretchen Anderson has helped so much with his style and teaching him to have a woman ride him. We work great together. The more you can stay out of his way the better. He worries when you try to tell him to do so much. I am a bit of a control freak – but the more you leave him alone the better.”
Addison Gierkink and Lady Macbeth DH were awarded the second place ribbon for their round. They posted a beautiful round with no fences down; however, two time faults kept them from the victory. Michael Janson and Sangre Azul rounded out the top three for the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers.
Friday commences the third day of the Fieldstone Spring Festival. The Grand Prix Field will welcome hunter riders and horses to attempt the traditional hunter derby course in the 2’9″ and 3′ Fieldstone Hunter Derbies. The jumpers will continue to raise the heat in the Jumper Ring as they get prepared for the approaching classics, as well as the $25,000 Fieldstone Grand Prix. For more information on Stadium Jumping and the approaching Fieldstone Spring Festival, please visit www.showfieldstone.com. You can also follow the Fieldstone Horse Shows on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/fieldstone.equestrian.
Kendall Bierer for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
David Oliynyk and Generous claimed the Performance Working Hunters Championship during the Fieldstone Spring Festival. Photo By: AnLi Kelly-Duram/Phelps Media Group.
Halifax, MA – May 16, 2013 – Blue skies welcomed competitors back into the Main Hunter Ring on the second day of the Fieldstone Spring Festival. The professional hunter divisions wrapped up this morning with a strong finish by David Oliynyk, who claimed the Performance Working Hunter Championship and Reserve Championship aboard his two mounts, while Thomas Hern and Picture Me were awarded the championship title in the Pre-Green Hunters. The Amateur-Owner Hunter division got off to a great start this afternoon with Lisa Foster and Castleguard taking blues in both over fences classes.
The Performance Working Hunters were up first in the Main Hunter Ring. Many competitors laid down solid trips, but it was ultimately David Oliynyk who claimed both the championship and reserve championship for the division aboard his mounts Generous and Cascor’s Splendor.
Oliynyk and Generous rode to the top of both classes in today’s competition, taking a clean sweep over fences. His two first place wins today, in addition to his two firsts and one second from yesterday, secured him the title of champion. Generous is owned by Lori Gaudet of Lexington, MA, and when he is not winning Performance Working Hunter classes with trainer Oliynyk, he can be seen in the Adult Hunters showing his owner the ropes of competition.
“Generous just has the mentality to do that; it’s taken a number of years for that to happen but now that he is 10 years old, he is much better about going in and doing the Adult Hunters,” smiled Oliynyk. “I think he is more experienced now; when he was younger he was not as tolerant. I will take Generous in the 3’3″ Fieldstone Derby. He feels great, but jumping out on the field is a whole different ball game so anything can happen. He has been out on the field before, so I am looking forward to repeating that experience.”
Not far behind was Oliynyk’s second mount, Cascor’s Splendor, an entry owned by Maria Moalli of Groton, CT. The pair received a second and third place over fences this morning, good enough for the reserve championship.
Oliynyk was pleased by the improvements he saw in both horses, noting, “I though they both felt even better today, even more relaxed. I thought they both jumped very well and rode very easily. I think they both improved today, just by going around again. The weather was very nice today; there was no wind; it was a nice environment for them to kind of just go in and comfortably go around. I wanted to get some consistency out of both of them so they are prepared for the weekend, whether that’s jumping in the derby classes or jumping for their owner. Whatever it is they are going to do, I want them to feel comfortable in the ring and happy about what they are doing.”
Next, the Amateur-Owner Hunters took their turn in front of the judges. Lisa Foster and Castleguard were on top of their game today; their solid performance in the first over fences class and brilliance displayed in the handy put them on top in both. Other ribbon winners included Upper Ten and Laura Kadane, taking home a second and a fourth, and Rain King with Nora Keefe in the irons, claiming the third.
“I was very happy with my horse because we haven’t shown since Week 12 of WEF, so I was glad that he went around and did what I asked in all of my trips. I love doing handy classes with him, because despite his large size, he is very agile and great at turning,” explained Foster. “We were able to create a couple of sharper turn options, and then really step it up and do a bold hand gallop to the last jump in the handy. Doing the handy class is a lot of fun with him.”
Foster continued, “I bought Castleguard as a 3-year-old, so I’ve had him for about 10 years. I ride with Tommy Serio, so way back when Tommy did him in the Pre-Greens, and then I’ve been doing him in the Amateurs. We had a great winter; he was Reserve Circuit Champion at WEF so he had a well-deserved vacation after that. This is his first show back, so we are just getting the rust off and getting going again. Tomorrow, I want to make sure he gets in the ring in the morning and is quiet, and then hopefully he will do his part and I will do my part.”
Rounding out the hunter action today was the Pre-Green Hunter division, where Picture Me was named division champion with Thomas Hern in the irons. The pair added a first and a second over fences to their first and third from yesterday. Picture Me is owned by Jennifer O’Donnell of Somerville, MA. Garnering reserve championship honors with a first, second, and third was Kristen Bumpus and Chiquita, a Louisa Kania entry out of Peterborough, NH.
The Fieldstone Spring Festival will continue tomorrow with the week’s highlight events – the $2,500 2’9″ Hunter Derby and the $10,000 3’3″ Hunter Derby, both featured on the Grand Prix-turned-Hunter Derby Field. For more information on Stadium Jumping and the approaching Fieldstone Spring Festival, please visit www.showfieldstone.com. You can also follow the Fieldstone Horse Shows on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/fieldstone.equestrian.
AnLi Kelly-Duram for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
Halifax, MA – May 22, 2011 – The 2011 Fieldstone Spring Festival concluded its final day of competition on Sunday with an exciting schedule of hunter derby events all held on the Fieldstone Equestrian and Show Facility’s beautiful grass Grand Prix Field. The $10,000 3’3” Hunter Derby was the feature event of the day with a great win for local professional rider and trainer Cory Hardy, of Waltham, MA. Hardy guided Mary Chase’s seven-year-old German Warmblood gelding Connor to the win following two rounds of competition. A $2,500 2’9” Hunter Derby immediately followed with a victory for 17-year-old Susan Huyett, of Concord, MA, riding her ten-year-old Oldenburg gelding Huckleberry Finn.
Course designer Nathan Panetta, of Warner, NH, set the tracks for today’s hunter derby classes. The $10,000 3’3” Hunter Derby was held first on the beautiful grass field with 22 entries and the top twelve returning for round two. Class winners Cory Hardy and Connor finished round one with a score of 78 and then had a fantastic trip in round two to score an 85, tallying the highest two round total of 163.
Elizabeth Kenny and Donald Stewart’s Don Juan finished in second place, just one point behind the winning pair, with a 162 total from combined scores of 80 and 82. David Oliynyk and Generous, owned by Lori Gaudet, finished with scores of 81 and 80 for a 161 total in third place. Hardy and his second mount Le Chasseur, also owned by Mary Chase, finished in fourth with scores of 83 and 77 to total 160. Robert Lee and Shock Top scored a 76 in the first round and then earned an 83 in round two to finish with an overall score of 159 for fifth place.
