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Haley Gassel and Quite Dark 2 Dominate $25,000 Devon Speed Challenge

Haley Gassel and Quite Dark 2.

Devon, Pa. – June 3, 2016 – Friday night at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair was all about speed, and only one athlete had all the answers during the $25,000 Open Jumper Devon Speed Challenge sponsored by the World Equestrian Center. Haley Gassel and Quite Dark 2 were the only duo able to master the speed track and leave all the fences intact to capture the winning prize.

“This is unbelievable,” the young rider said, smiling. “People dream of just coming to Devon, and people dream of just getting a Devon blue. For me, to win a grand prix at Devon, it boggles my mind. That wasn’t even in my wildest dreams!”

Kelvin Bywater designed a very technical course for the 1.40m faults converted speed class. Featuring multiple inside options and areas to make up time, competitors had to carefully navigate the course to have the fastest time, while also leaving the obstacles intact.

Three athletes secured Gassel’s time, but it came at the expense of rails coming down. The first was Laura Chapot with ISHD Dual Star, who would claim fourth place with a time of 67.607 seconds after the added fault conversion. She was only 2/1000ths of a second slower than Great Britain’s Amanda Derbyshire aboard Goldbreaker, who clocked a time of 67.605 seconds for third place. The only other rider with a better time was newly minted Longines FEI World Ranked Number One Rider, McLain Ward. It looked like he had the ride of the night on HH Best Buy, and while they were faster than Gassel across the ring, the faults added to their time would mean they broke the beam at 67.279 seconds for second place.

Gassel had both the speed and the accuracy with Quite Dark 2 that it took to win the Friday night highlight event. The pair left all the fences intact as they dashed across the finish line in 65.500 seconds for the Devon blue ribbon, as well as bragging rights over Ward.

“That is unbelievable,” expressed Gassel about her victory over the world’s best. “That will never happen again, that is a bucket list right there! He was really nice about it, though. He put in a really good round and it just wasn’t in his favor tonight.”

This is only Gassel’s second year competing at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, and it’s her first year competing in the Open Jumpers with Quite Dark 2, who she has been riding for three years.

“It was a really fun course,” said Gassel. “That course fit my horse to a T. He is really great at the spin back turns. He’s massive, he’s 17.3 hands, so for him to be able to do those spin back turns is unreal. When I first got him, everyone said he’s too big, he’ll never be able to go fast, spin fast, he’ll never be able to win like that and he’s proved all of them wrong.”

Gassel continued, “Our relationship has developed so much. He trusts me, I trust him. He’s just gotten better, faster, stronger. I do my best to try to keep him the best shape possible so he can jump tonight and jump tomorrow. He’s been a great horse.”

Earlier in the afternoon, the Amateur Owner Jumpers took center stage in the Dixon Oval where it was Jacob Pope that rode away with the top prize aboard Zilvana. Reid Patton set the pace to beat as the first to show over the short course with Twisther, clearing all the fences in a time of 33.592, which would be good enough for second place. Pope and Zilvana were the next pair to be faultless over the jump-off, and by leaving strides out and taking the inside turns they narrowly edged out Patton with a time of 32.291 seconds. Caitlin Hope rounded out the top three aboard Total Touch, producing a double clear effort in 34.106 seconds.

“Zilvana is a really fast horse, she’s small, and she’s careful, so I am not worried about having to steady her,” explained Pope “She’s really fast and I knew that we would be quick and smooth. I went inside everywhere else. She was clear and great.”

Earlier in the day, Pope placed second in the first Amateur Owner Jumper event, which kicked off the day’s competition. The victory in the speed competition belonged to Christina Firestone on Arwen, while Anna Cardelfe and Dollar Van’T Eigenlo DH rounded out the top three.

“Our goal for this year was Devon, so I am really happy with how it’s gone so far,” smiled Pope, a senior at Rollins College. “Zilvana is a really sensitive mare, which I grew up riding. I just let her do her thing!”

The Amateur Owner Jumpers will compete on Saturday afternoon in the $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Amateur Owner Jumper Classic as they try and earn the division’s championship title and the Leading Amateur Owner Jumper Award. The final show jumping event will be the $50,000 Idle Dice Open Jumper Stake, sponsored by Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar.

Great Start for Beth Bidgood, Kaitlyn Van Konynenburg in Amateur-Owner Hunter Divisions

The Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions began on Friday at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, and it was Kaitlyn Van Konynenburg and Beth Bidgood who outshined the rest to finish the day at the top of the pack.

Kaitlyn Van Konynenburg and Wish List
Kaitlyn Van Konynenburg and Wish List

In the Amateur-Owner 18-35 3’6″ Hunter division, 18-year-old Van Konynenburg and Wish List made their trip from California worthwhile by earning the highest score in the division. After placing eighth in the first class, the duo returned ready for the second round, and the judges awarded the trip a score of 88, which secured Van Konynenburg the blue ribbon.

It was a close race, however, as second place went to Callie Seaman and Skorekeeper and their score of 87, and third went to Laura Sexton and Set To Music with a score of 86.

The first class in the division was won by Samantha Schaefer and Classified with a score of 85. Second place went to Krista Weisman and Reality and their score of 84, while Stephanie Danhakl took home third aboard Golden Rule with 83.5 points.

“The first round was really fun, but I got a little nervous into the two-stride coming home and we jumped a little low,” Van Konynenburg explained. “In the second round, I said ‘OK, let’s just put everything that happened behind us and just go in and have a good time.’ I was just focusing on having fun. I don’t know when I’m going to be back here again, so I just wanted to have a good time with him and have solid round.”

Van Konynenburg will be graduating high school next week and will start college at USC in the fall. She said that she will continue to ride as an amateur, as Wish List will only be 30 minutes away at trainers Carleton and Traci Brooks’ Balmoral Farm.

“He’s just the greatest horse,” Van Konynenburg said. “He comes to the party 100 percent every time and puts all his heart into it. He really is a special horse; I’m very lucky. It was a big team effort to get my horses out here, and I definitely wouldn’t be here without everyone backing me up.”

Van Konynenburg said she purchased the gelding three winters ago in Cleveland after failing to find the perfect horse in Florida.

“It was freezing, and we had one jacket,” Van Konynenburg laughed. “It was so cold, but it was worth it all the way. He’s just the sweetest horse. We love him.”

The Amateur-Owner Over 35 3’6″ Hunter division was the next to show, and Becky Gochman took home the blue ribbon in the first class after earning an 89 with Empire. Beth Bidgood was hot on her heels, however, coming in second by only one point in the irons on Uprising.

In the second class, Bidgood and Uprising returned to deliver a lovely round that earned the duo a score of 88 and the blue ribbon. Second place went to Jean Sheptoff and Heartcore with a score of 87, while John Ingram and Airport 48 took home third with a score of 86.

“I am so excited,” Bidgood said. “This is my first Devon. I love the tradition and everything; I’m having a blast. I was really nervous, then when I went into the first class, I was OK once I started going. I’m just thrilled. My horse is going incredibly.”

Before transitioning to his hunter career, Uprising was a jumper. Bidgood said she purchased the 9-year-old gelding just over a year ago in Florida.

“We were able to turn him into a hunter, and he’s just been fabulous,” Bidgood explained. “He’s the easiest horse I’ve ever had. He’s just so sweet. He’s only been doing the hunters for a year.”

The Amateur-Owner Hunter divisions will wrap up on Saturday with the awarding of the Devon Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter Championship and Devon Leading Amateur-Owner Hunter Rider award.

John White Joins Winner’s Circle at Devon Horse Show for First Time

John White has been competing at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair for the last six years, but has never driven away with the championship title until Friday night. The New Jersey resident drove into the Dixon Oval with a bit more confidence this year, already securing three first-place finishes in the division.

In the Four-in-Hand Timed Obstacle, White locked in the first clean round of the night and set the time to beat with 160.350 seconds in his Road Coach Excelsior. However, Paul Martin had just enough of an edge in his Park Drag to beat out White’s time and hand him his second, red ribbon of the division.

With a total of 21 points accumulated and a two-point advantage over Martin, it was White who earned the Mr. & Mrs. Foster Bright Perpetual Trophy.

“We’ve had a very good show,” White explained. “The horses have been excellent. I’m very happy with that and I’m very happy with all the people that have helped us. We’ve been here a number of times, but this is the first time we won the overall champion.”

The crowd watched in awe as his four grey Kladruber horses pulled the carriage around the Dixon Oval for the honorary victory lap.

The night was filled with first-time winners, as Carson Kressley earned his first tricolor ribbon in the Open Three-Gaited Park Horse Stake.

“I’ve shown in a lot of places, but there’s nothing as special as the crowd support at Devon,” Kressley said. “Showing in front of thousands of people in the Dixon Oval is a thrill like no other. I’ve shown this horse a couple times this season and we’ve been second every time. So, to pull it together and win a big class like this here is a huge thrill. Devon is one of the greatest shows in the country. It’s where you come, watch and dream of competing.”

Kressley had the honor of riding Annika Bruggeworth’s American Saddlebred, Famous Kiss. The two have been friends for nearly 25 years.

“She’s shown him and now, he’s in a new division,” Kressley added. “He’s just a grand horse.”

For Lynn Finelli, the night was about defending her Western Country Pleasure Horse Championship.

“It’s unbelievable to win here,” Finelli said. “It’s so incredible. To win last year and this year just takes my breath away.”

It was a repeat win for Finelli’s mount, CH Winsdown Edgecliff, as well. The 11-year-old was converted from the English discipline to Western and has been showing successfully, winning the World Championships in Western Country Pleasure in 2012.

For more information, please visit www.DevonHorseShow.net.

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Gassel Pilots Quite Dark 2 to the Winner’s Circle in the $35,000 Classic Grand Prix

The $35,000 Classic Grand Prix, presented by EMO, took place Saturday night in the Olympic arena at the Atlanta Fall Classic. Former Olympic Assistant Course Designer, Manuel Esparza, set the first round time allowed at 82 seconds and only five horse and rider teams advanced to the jump off.

The field of Grand Prix riders competing in Saturday night’s $35,000 Classic Grand Prix, presented by EMO, are all well known, but it was the youngest amateur rider, Haley Gassel of Lenoir City, Tennessee and her own Quite Dark 2, who won the class.

“I’m kind of the underdog here,” said Gassel. “This is just my second full year showing Grand Prix and I’ve had ‘QD’ [Quite Dark 2] for about two and a half years,” she said. “I worked my way up, starting with the Highs then the Grand Prix. After I won my first one [Grand Prix] last July, I always thought that if I could win one per year, that would be good,” she said. “I knew that this year was almost done and although I have had good placings, I was trying not to be too hard on myself if I didn’t make my goal,” she said.

Gassel and Quite Dark 2 were the last to go clean in the first round, posting a time of 78.098 seconds, earning the enviable last to go spot in the jump off round.

Gemma Paternoster of Wellington, Florida, winner of Thursday’s $7,500 Horseflight Open Welcome, and fresh back to the competition ring after recovering from a broken shin bone, was the first to take on the jump off round on her own Osiris. The pair had turned in a clear first round effort in a time of 77.767 seconds and followed it with a fault-free jump off round in a time of 49.612 seconds, well within the 66 seconds time allowed.

Lauren Hester of Lexington, Kentucky, in the irons of Hester Equestrian LLC’s Clueless P, followed Paternoster and turned in a clear round with a time of 43.958 seconds and set the new time to beat.

One of most well-known, high speed Grand Prix riders, Laura Linback of Morriston, Florida, followed Hester in the irons of Rolling Acres Farm’s Whittaker MVNZ. The pair turned in a fault-free jump off round in a time of 42.613 seconds and took the lead.

Glenn Hartigan of Canton, Georgia, riding his own Z-Coco Cabana, followed Linback in the jump off round. A rail at the second fence with a time of 46.678 seconds would see the pair finish in fifth place overall.

Hassel and Quite Dark 2 were up next. “I’ve gone up against Laura for the past couple of years and I know she is extremely fast,” commented Hassel. “When I ride against her, I have to find ways to beat her,” she said. “But I didn’t watch her go and I didn’t know her time. I only watched Gemma and part of Glen’s and it worked out,” she said. “Sometimes I imitate what they are doing and by not watching them, it allowed me to have my own ideas on what to do and that worked out for me,” she added. Gassel turned in a fault-free round in a time of 40.729 seconds, winning the $35,000 Classic Grand Prix, presented by EMO.

“The jump off was really fun,” commented Gassel. “He [Esparza] made it so you couldn’t run around the whole course, which I prefer. There were a few tight roll backs and my horse is really good at turning tight. Even though he is huge and almost 18 hands, he can really turn that fast,” she added. “I thought he did a great job with the course and included lots of galloping and turns,” she said.

“I love Manuel Esparza courses,” she continued. “He is very fair and builds according to who is in the classes and he builds appropriately. The jumps were plenty big enough at m 1.40-m 1.50 and the technicality was right on,” said Gassel.

With Gassel and Quite Dark 2 stealing the lead, Linback and Rolling Acres Farm’s Whittaker MVNZ would finish in second place. The yellow ribbon was awarded to Hester and Hester Equestrian LLC’s Clueless P. Fourth place honors went to Paternoster and her own Osiris. This is the last horse show Osiris will compete in before being shipped back to England to enjoy retirement.

Hartigan and his own Z-Coco Cabana finished in fifth, followed by Daniel Geitner of Aiken , South Carolina and Lionshare Farm’s Creativo. Geitner and Creativo turned in a four-fault, first round effort in a time of 73.383 seconds.

Linback returned for the seventh place ribbon, this time in the irons of Woodrun Acres Farm’s HH Dauphin. The pair turned in a first round effort in a time of 73.514 seconds and four jump faults.

Leann Kelly of Valatie, New York and Honorway Farm LLC’s Leander finished in eighth place after a first round effort resulting in eight jump faults in a time of 80.034 seconds.

Richard Cheska of Waukesha, Wisconsin and his own Alonso du Monselet finished in ninth place, followed by Amy Yoder’s Stitch, ridden by Carlos Aramburo of Red Banks, Mississippi. Paternoster returned with her own Zonneglans to pick up the eleventh place ribbon.

“I’m really excited that I won,” said Gassel. “I have been coming here since I was a kid showing Short Stirrup. So just to be out there with them makes me happy,” she added.

Kastel Denmark Style of Riding Award

Annie Miller of Salt Lake City, Utah, winner of Sunday’s $10,000 Barry Lane Memorial Jumper 1.15 m Classic, was awarded the Kastel Denmark Style of Riding Award. This honor is awarded to the rider who exhibits the best American style of riding and possesses the respectful, dignified, courteous and workmanlike manner of a true sportsman.

The 20th anniversary show of the Atlanta Fall Classic kicked off at the Georgia International Horse Park, home to the 1996 Olympic Games, on Wednesday. There are few stalls available, so if you haven’t sent your entries in yet, call the office at 843.768.5503 or email jonathan@classiccompany.com to reserve your stalls now. Then enter online at horseshowsonline.com and remove the hassle from filling out entries!

The Classic Company is a USHJA’s Members Choice Award winner, recognized for producing top quality show jumping events in the United States. For more information on Classic Company and its exhibitor-friendly, top quality hunter jumper events, please visit them at classiccompany.com or call them at 843-768-5503.

All sponsorship, marketing and press inquiries should be directed to Lisa Engel, Sponsorship, Marketing and Public Relations Director at lisa@classiccompany.com.

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The Classic Company, Ltd.
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Haley Gassel’s Double Clear Effort Wins High Amateur-Owner Classic at Kentucky Summer Horse Show

Haley Gassel and Quite Dark 2.

Lexington, KY – July 28, 2013 – As the first week of competition at the Kentucky Summer Series concluded, it was Haley Gassel who stepped into the center of the Rolex Stadium to claim her winning prize for the $5,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Amateur-Owner Classic, sponsored by Audi of Lexington. The talented young rider piloted Quite Dark 2 to the lone double clear effort to capture the victory. In the $7,500 Show Jumping Hall of Fame High Junior Jumper Classic sponsored by Sleepy P Ranch, Mexico’s Juan Pablo Gaspar and his lucky mount Shamrock dashed through the finish to best a seven-horse jump-off.

For today’s High Amateur-Owner and Junior Classics, Richard Jeffery of Bournemouth, England set a track mimicking’s last night grand prix. The test included an open water, a vertical-vertical double combination, and the triple bar-oxer-vertical triple combination. For the jump-off, riders had to show over a wide oxer and roll-back to a vertical before turning to a new oxer and jumping the last two parts of the triple combination. Then they continued over a single oxer, rolling back to another vertical with a bending line to an oxer and finishing over a single vertical just passed the gate.

Only four horse and rider combinations managed to best the course and advance to the tiebreaker during the High Amateur-Owner Classic. Friday’s winners Haley Schaufeld of Leesburg, VA, and Harley 86 were the first to return. They had the pace, but they made an error coming across the single to the single oxer after the combination. Their four-faults in a time of 37.810 seconds would hold up for second place.

Chelsea Moss of Medford, NJ, attempted to catch Schaufeld’s time with Dolce D’ive Z, but after rolling back to the first vertical they lowered the height of the new oxer, incurring four faults as well in a time of 41.305 seconds, which was good enough for third place.

Haley Gassel, of Lenoir City, TN, was only focused on one thing with Quite Dark 2: going double clear. Although the pair had a conservative pace as they made their way through the track, the scopey horse left each rail in place, tripping the timers at 44.620 seconds.

Although Gassel had left the door open for the final competitors, Wilton Porter of Bartonville, TX, and Neolisto Van Het Mierenhof, they were unable to take advantage of the opportunity. The win was almost in their grasp, but a miscalculation to the final oxer sent rails flying, and they finished in fourth place with a time of 45.109 seconds, sealing Gassel’s victory.

“Quite Dark 2 is a little bit slower. I try to go double clean before I think about the pace, and double clean won today,” said Gassel. “The course was definitely a little bit technical. Some of the lines walked on the half stride, but it was doable. My horse is used to a big German guy, so he takes a lot of leg and a little hand to keep him up and going forward. If he gets too low that’s when he has the rails. If you ride him right he won’t touch the rails.”

Gassel imported Quite Dark 2 from Germany in February, and the college junior is now focused on the 2014 North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC). She noted, “He originally was my backup horse, but now he is my number one horse. He’s definitely capable of doing it. I plan to go to Midway College for Equine Rehabilitation after Young Riders.”

Today’s winner in the Junior Jumper Classic just finished competing in the NAJYRC last week for Mexico, where he finished seventh individually. Today though, all the luck was on Juan Pablo Gaspar’s side with talented mount Shamrock. Seven horse and rider combinations returned to the Rolex Stadium to compete over the short course, but only three could leave the rails intact a second time.

The first to do so was Friday’s winner and NAJYRC Individual Junior Silver medalist Katherine Strauss of Southampton, NY, with her veteran partner Chellando Z. They quickly made their way through the course, jumping each fence with room to spare and clocking in at 39.252 seconds.

Juan Pablo Gaspar and Shamrock
Juan Pablo Gaspar and Shamrock

Gaspar was not willing to let Strauss have the victory today though. He picked up a very quick pace and spun through each of the tight turns, never touching a rail and dashing across the finish line in 38.043 seconds, a full second faster. Strauss attempted to catching Gasper with her second mount, Capacity, and although they were clear she fell short of the time again in 40.289 seconds. Capacity and Chellando Z would take home third and second, respectively, but the blue ribbon went to Gaspar and Shamrock.

“I am very happy, and I thank my horse,” smiled Gaspar. “I think the jump-off was really good, very competitive. Shamrock is a little bit strong sometimes, but I’ve had only him six times, so I am very happy with him.”

Gaspar continued, “I think he is my grand prix horse now. Next week I am looking to do the $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic, and if he jumps really well then hopefully the grand prix as well.”

Earlier in the day, Lizzie Van Der Walde took home both first and second place competing the NAL/WIHS Low Junior Jumper Classic, sponsored by Johnson Horse Transportation. She qualified for the jump-off with her first mount Zibon 2, owned by 2VR Showjumpers of Morriston, FL, setting a clear time to beat of 40. 397 seconds. When Van Der Walde entered the ring with her second mount Zadermus, owned by Dasilva Investments of Ann Arbor, MI, though, there was no stopping them. They left all the fences in place and blazed through the timers in 37.003 seconds, a winning time by three seconds. The third place award went to Andre Mershad and Laqueria, owned by Juan Ortiz of Wellington, FL, while Lucas Porter of Bartonville, TX, and Patriot placed fourth, each producing double clear rounds as well.

“I thought both horses jumped really well,” expressed Van Der Walde. “Zadermus is a little faster naturally; he’s quick-footed. He’s really hot, so it took a little while to get used to him, but we’ve clicked now. He’s really forward and he turns really well, so in the jump-offs you can get him to the long distance and he’ll leave them all up.”

Van Der Walde trains with grand prix rider Aaron Vale, and always enjoys coming to the Kentucky Horse Shows. “I love Kentucky; it’s one of my favorite shows that we come to all year,” she stated. I love the competition and the classes are big enough to be challenging. It’s a really nice show.”

The first class of the day was the Low Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. There were three riders that produced double clear efforts, but a winning time meant Kenzie Donovan of River Hills, WI, and Colando rode home with the blue ribbon. Anne Gardner of Charlotte, NC, and Cassandra Z were just one second shy of the lead for second place, while Cindy Fuller and Ingaletta, owned by Full Stride Farm of Cumming, GA placed third.

Today marks the conclusion of the Kentucky Summer Horse Show, but the Kentucky Summer Classic will get underway on Tuesday. The highlight events in the Rolex Stadium will include the fifth $25,000 Hagyard Lexington Classic and the $50,000 Kentucky Summer Grand Prix, sponsored by Audi of Lexington.

For more information on the Kentucky Summer Series, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.

Rebecca Walton for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International

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