Tag Archives: hunter/jumper

Miss Lucy and Jersey Boy Take Championship Honors with Jennifer Alfano at Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show

Jennifer Alfano and Miss Lucy at Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show Photo By: Heather Bellock/PMG.

Katy TX – April 7, 2011 – Today was another beautiful, sunny day for riders at the Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show held at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center. This morning the professional hunter divisions wrapped up in the Main Indoor and awarded championship honors. Jennifer Alfano, Tamara Provost, and Erynn Ballard secure championship honors with impressive performances.

Jennifer Alfano took home the championship award in the Second Year Green Hunter Division aboard Helen Lenahan’s Miss Lucy. Alfano and Miss Lucy earned first and second place in their over fences classes and won the under saddle class yesterday. Today the pair earned two blue ribbons and accumulated an impressive 46 points to secure the championship honors.

“Miss Lucy was great; I was really thrilled with her. Yesterday, she was a little fresh, but still jumped great. She was definitely a little up, but today she was really relaxed and she felt great,” noted Alfano. “I thought the courses were nice. I thought the handy rode really nicely and I liked the courses. This is the first time I have shown here and I love it. I love this ring it is really fun and nice to ride in and the footing is good.”

Continue reading Miss Lucy and Jersey Boy Take Championship Honors with Jennifer Alfano at Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show

Atlanta Spring Classic II and Updates

First I want to thank you for a wonder set of winter circuits.  We started in January in Green Cove Springs, followed by a week off and then Gulfport followed by another week off and Conyers.  A great 12 weeks all over the corners of the southeast.  Thanks for making this a great winter of horse shows.

Second, I want to thank all the sponsors who help to make the circuits possible along with Equestrian Travel who make our housing simple and cost effective.

We had lots of fun this winter and we still have lots in store for you in our summer shows that are listed at the bottom of this message.  We have made some giant changes to our summer shows in Atlanta and Charleston due to requests from our exhibitors and trainers.

This week in Atlanta ends our 12 weeks together and it was a wonderful week.  I do want to thank Southern States for the donation of 500 lbs of Southern States Feed.  It was won by Leah Heithold of Denver, NC.  Congrats.  I also want to thank Southern States for the Dipin Dots they brought to the show last week too.

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Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy Light Up the Night in $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy. Photos © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – April 2, 2011 – Jennifer Alfano and SBS Farms’ Jersey Boy have led the USHJA International Hunter Derby program since its inception, winning classes all over the country in the last few years and proving their expertise in the handy rounds and finesse over the jumps. Tonight was no different, as the pair jumped their way to victory in the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the twelfth and final “Saturday Night Lights” event at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.

Competition for the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby began on Friday afternoon in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring where sixty of the nation’s most talented horses and riders jumped the first round course. The top twenty five were invited back to compete under the lights in the International Arena this evening, coming back in reverse order from lowest to highest returning scores.

Presented by Dietrich Insurance and Hosted by Tailored Sportsman, the class was held in the International Arena at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center. The series is also generously supported by Charles Owen & Co., Dover Saddlery, The Clothes Horse, and Essex Classics.

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Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show Thanks Generous Sponsors

The Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show would not be possible without the generous support of its sponsors. Photo Courtesy of the Client.

Katy, TX – April 1, 2011 -The Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show is just a few days away, and this prestigious hunter/jumper event would not be possible without the generous support of its sponsors. The competition offers over $250,000 in prize money, with an unprecedented $150,000 in hunter prize money. This exciting weeklong event will get underway on Tuesday, April 5, 2011, and run through April 10, 2011 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in beautiful Katy, Texas. This unique hunter/jumper event draws the top competitors to Texas from around the country and benefits the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

This year’s incredible sponsors of the Spring Gathering Charity Horse Show include:

Carole and Jim Looke Family Fund for the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby
Claudine & George Pletcher for the $25,000 Pre-Green Classic
Seashore Acres for the $25,000 Spring Gathering Grand Prix
Grand Prix Stables and Chris Nelson for the $20,000 National Hunter Classic
PJP Farm for the $18,000 Green Hunter Divisions
Roger & Jamie Jarvis for the $10,000 High Performance Working Hunter Division
Steeple Chase Farm for the $9,000 Amateur – Owner Working Hunter Divisions
Hobby Family Foundation for the $8,000 Junior Hunter Divisions
Wise Family Foundation for the $8,000 Conformation Hunter Division
John & Kristi Schiller for the $5,000 Pony Hunter Divisions
Eric & Nancy Littlejohn for the $5,000 Junior Hunter Classic
Kate & Steve Gibson of Shady Side Farm for the $5,000 Amateur-Owner Classic

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Stewart and Empire Wow the Crowd with Their High Scores in the Qualifying Round of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

Scott Stewart and Empire win the first round of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby during the twelfth week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – April 1, 2011 – It was an important day for hunters at the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Sixty entries took their shot at a chance to compete in the $50,000 USHJA Hunter Derby, one of the biggest purses offered for hunter competitors in the world. The class began this afternoon in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring. With a large number of spectators standing by, each horse and rider combination took their turn over a course of eleven jumps, with four high option fences.

There were two teams of judges – Danny Robertshaw and Jim Clapperton (Panel 1 – tiebreaker), John Barker and Scott Williamson (Panel 2) – one team on either side of the ring. Each team of judges awarded a numerical score plus a bonus point for each high option fence that was jumped. The sum of the scores was given as each rider’s final score for the first round of competition.

Scott Stewart wasted no time getting down to business on the first of his six mounts in the class. Going fourth in the order, Stewart led the Fashion Farm’s entry Dedication to a combined score of 186, which was good enough to leave the pair in fourth overall going into tomorrow night. “Dedication is a First Year horse, who has been champion a few times here. He’s very scopey and very easy, but he just turned six, so he’s still pretty green. I was very happy with him,” beamed Stewart.

Continue reading Stewart and Empire Wow the Crowd with Their High Scores in the Qualifying Round of the $50,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby

Pony Hunters Are a Force to Be Reckoned With during Week 11 of the FTI WEF

Kate Ross and Won Up. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 27, 2011 – It is the last day of action for week 11 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which means that numerous championships were awarded throughout the day. One place where there was a particularly large amount of awards being given out was Pony Land. Rings 11 and 12 were packed with children and their ponies and family members. Competition was fierce as they vied for some last minute points in their divisions.

A busy rider that always has a presence at the pony rings is Meredith Darst. The second day of competition, Darst rode the KAR LLC entry, Won Up, to secure the championship in the Equisport Insurance Large Pony Hunters. Won Up is usually ridden by Kate Ross. Won Up was awarded three blue ribbons and a third place ribbon in the division.

Darst was also awarded the reserve championship on the Megan MacPherson entry, Mapleside Magic Dancer. Darst secured the reserve championship by winning two classes, placing second in two more classes, and also receiving a fifth place ribbon as well.

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Atlanta Spring Classic I and Updates

We started out this week in shorts and ended the week in sweaters.  I simply wanted a quick shower to wash some of the pollen off my car.  I always say be careful what you wish for… well we had some rain.  Not as bad as it was north and south of us but it was wild last night here in Conyers after the Grand Prix.

Our Cherry Blossom Grand Prix was won by On My Way MB, owned and ridden by Natalie Geller.

2. Tokade De Kalvarie, Natalie Johnson
3. Merlin, Frances Land
4. Sympa, Mrs. Charles Bostwick
5. Nepal, Jay Land
6. Urioso, Sara Ketcham
7. Fieona, Kelly Maloney
8. Lucky One, Lillian Hahn
9. Wonder Pomme, Parker Booth
10. Fabulous, Cheryl Ainsworth
11. Ruby Tuesday, Robert Donaldson
12. Cincinnati, Vicky Miller

Best Child Rider: Bergen Sanderford

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Mary Katherine Shaughnessy and King Lear Bring the Championship Home in the Camping World Adult Amateur Hunter 51 & Over Section A

Mary Katherine Shaughnessy and King Lear are the Camping World Adult Amateur 51 & Over, Section A champions during the eleventh week of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Photo © Sportfot

Wellington, FL – March 25, 2011 – The FTI Winter Equestrian Festival continued today with 12 rings of competition. The featured division in the E. R. Mische Grand Hunter Ring was the Camping World Adult Amateur 51 & Over Hunters Section A. Mary Katherine Shaughnessy of Wellington, FL, and King Lear, owned by Shamrock Ventures, rode to the championship.

Shaughnessy’s Shamrock Ventures purchased King Lear, a fifteen-year-old Trakehner gelding by Induc, last year. “He is really, really perfect! He never does anything wrong. I’d say that he has changed my life,” said Shaughnessy with a smile.

It has been a very special week for Shaughnessy. Not only was she champion during the same week that is sponsored by FTI Consulting, Inc. (her husband Dennis is the Chairman), but she also became a first-time grandmother two days ago. “I would like to add that I became a grandmother two days ago. My first grandchild! Her name is Avery. It’s been a big week!” beamed Shaughnessy.

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County-wide support for The EQUUS Foundation and the Fairfield County Hunt Club June Horse Show

Left to Right, Alison Ashman, Elaine Campbell, Bettina Reynertson, Jennifer Ross, Margie Bondy, Jeannine Flower, Berkeley Soper, and Michelle Ippolito. Photo courtesy of The EQUUS Foundation.

WESTPORT, CT – March 18, 2011 – The EQUUS Foundation is pleased to announce that it has been selected as the beneficiary of the Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show to be held June 21-25, 2011 in Westport, Connecticut, and to recognize the members of the Horse Show Committee.

The Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show offers free admission and welcomes the public to come watch national and local equestrians compete, especially at the show’s culminating event, the $25,000 Grand Prix on Saturday, June 25, 2011, presented by Wells Fargo Advisors and George N. Venizelos.

Spectators and exhibitors are also welcome to attend the EQUUS Benefit Luncheon held in conjunction with the Grand Prix and enjoy a champagne reception, silent auction, and delicious buffet while watching world class riders and horses navigating over the highest level obstacles at racehorse speeds.

In addition to the Grand Prix, the show will feature a Welcome Jumper Class previewing the talents of some of the competitors in Saturday’s Grand Prix and the Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic sponsored by Buick and GMC, the Official Vehicle of the Fairfield County Hunt Club June Benefit Horse Show.

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Gulf Coast Winter Classics Wraps with Circuit Awards, $25,000 Budweiser Grand Prix and a Bittersweet Farewell to Continental B

Wilhelm Genn & Happy Z. ©Flashpoint Photography

GULFPORT, MS — Mar. 14, 2011 — “I want to thank the exhibitors, trainers, owners and my staff for the best winter shows we have ever had in Gulfport. Both Janet McCarroll [Co-Chair of the Winter Classics] and I are thrilled that our shows went so well and were so well attended.  It’s always sad when all the horse trailers and campers start leaving after a circuit, but all good times must come to an end… until next year,” Bob Bell of The Classic Company said Sunday evening as crews began the task of packing up.

This was the most anticipated week; exhibitors were on pins and needles awaiting the announcements for this year’s Circuit Awards. Aiken, SC based Daniel Geitner was the first recipient, taking the Grand Champion title in both the High Performance Hunters with the Robin Hughes owned Living Color and the Green Conformation Grand Hunter with Allison Mills’ Stature. Via text Geitner said he was thrilled with the news and had enjoyed the weeks of competition in the Gulf greatly. Jordan Siegel of the Flower Mound, TX based Summer Hill Farm garnered two Circuit Awards, beginning with the 1st Year Green Working Hunters partnered with Cherry Stone for owner Fallon Bock and later in the Performance Working 3’6-3’9 Hunters piloting Jetset for owner Castle Point Farm, LLC. And Memphis, TN based pro Phoebe Sheets grabbed a pair of Circuit Awards as well, first in the Baby Green Hunters with Jean Tuttle’s Ring Ling and in the Performance Working 3’3 Hunters aboard Casino for owner Cheryl Rubenstein.

Continue reading Gulf Coast Winter Classics Wraps with Circuit Awards, $25,000 Budweiser Grand Prix and a Bittersweet Farewell to Continental B