WAYNE, IL – October 26, 2011 – The Marshall & Sterling League Mid-West Finals were held September 13-18 at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois. This regionally-located Final took place during the Showplace Fall Classic and featured a total of 92 hunter, jumper and equitation riders.
Child riders have been the cornerstone of the Marshall & Sterling League since its inception as they compete all year for a chance to show at the Finals. The $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Children’s Jumper Championship and $1,000 Marshall & Sterling Children’s Hunter Championship saw two rising stars achieve top honors.
The $2,500 Marshall & Sterling Children’s Jumper Championship featured 18 horse-and-rider combinations as Ryan Goodman of Vernon Hills, Illinois took home the Championship aboard Adrienne Marciano’s Pulsatilla W.
“She [Pulsatilla W] and I have an amazing connection,” said Goodman of his 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood. “She is always there to help me out when necessary. The class was a great opportunity for me, especially being so close to home.”
He sealed the victory with the fastest clear round in a competitive jump-off.
“I knew that from one to two I had to make a really tidy and clean turn, but we were able to use our gallop to our advantage in the rest of the jump-off and it cut out a lot of time,” Goodman added. “I enjoy the competitiveness among all of the riders in the Marshall & Sterling League. My goal is to move up in show jumping and eventually start doing the Grand Prix someday.”
The future looks bright for Goodman, as he moves one step closer to his goal with his recent Championship victory.
“I would like to thank my trainer, Sara Rhodes, for helping me come this far in my riding career and for also standing by me through the hard times in my career,” he added. “Also, I would like to give a special thanks to Caren Goodman and Adrienne Marciano for their continuous support.”
Thirteen-year-old Rachel Turk of Glen Ellyn, Illinois had a star performance in the $1,000 Marshall & Sterling Children’s Hunter Championship. Rachel, who has been riding horses for about two and a half years, enjoyed her very first year showing in 2011. Making her debut at an A-rated show in March, she became a Marshall & Sterling League member and impressively captured a Regional Championship aboard her own Patriot. Turk was one of 13 riders in the classic-style class and sealed the victory with the best overall score after two rounds.
“Patriot is a Dutch Warmblood and I owe my win to him,” she said. “He’s such a good boy, we show in the equitation together as well, but I prefer him as a hunter.”
Rachel has found success quickly in her young career and plans to continue in the sport.
“I’d like to move up and do the bigger hunter classes,” she said. “I really enjoy doing the hunters since you get to show off your horse.”
The Marshall & Sterling League is proud to be the premier national grass roots league for child and adult riders coast-to-coast and to be represented at the most prestigious show jumping facility in the mid-west.
“I’d like to thank my trainers and my parents for all of their help in getting me to where I am today,” Turk added. “It’s wonderful to compete in a nationally recognized class and this was the highlight of my show year.”
About the Marshall & Sterling League
The Marshall & Sterling League was designed to enhance the level of competition for children and adult riders, with an opportunity to qualify for a prestigious National Finals competition. Now celebrating their 21st year, the Marshall & Sterling League features 14 divisions of competition. Riders who are members of the League had the opportunity to earn points throughout the year by competing in Marshall & Sterling classes in order to qualify for the Marshall & Sterling League Finals, held at HITS-on-the-Hudson in Saugerties, New York.
The Marshall & Sterling League is proudly sponsored by Marshall & Sterling Insurance, Inc. Marshall & Sterling Insurance, Inc., founded in 1864, is among the largest privately owned insurance agencies in the United States. For more than a quarter century, Marshall & Sterling has protected precious equine assets with unparalleled service and support, whether the family hunter, a champion racehorse or a commercial farm. An employee-owned company, Marshall & Sterling is recognized throughout the nation as a leader in providing exceptional service and support. The company maintains a national presence and is licensed in all 50 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For more information contact Joe Norick at 800-333-3766, extension 270, 805-338-0099 or JNorick@MarshallSterling.com.
Membership for the 2012 Marshall & Sterling League is $40 and applications are available at all member horse shows, as well as online at the Marshall & Sterling League website. For more information on the Marshall & Sterling League, contact Patti Guerriero, League Coordinator, at Patti@HitsShows.com.
About Lamplight Equestrian Center
Lamplight Equestrian Center is a unique 55-acre facility devoted exclusively to the production of the highest quality regional, national, and international horse shows. The guiding principle throughout the development of Lamplight has been to create an environment commensurate with the elegance and majesty of the sport.
Lamplight is located in Wayne, Illinois, 45 minutes west of Chicago in the heart of horse country. The nearby cities of St. Charles and Geneva, five minutes away, provide numerous lodging, dining and entertainment options. The countryside surrounding the equestrian center is home to the Wayne-DuPage hunt.
For hunter and jumper competitions, Lamplight provides a 250′ by 275′ grand prix ring (divisible into two rings), two 250′ by 150′ competition rings, a 225′ by 175′ competition ring and a 200′ by 125′ competition ring. There is also a 250′ by 150′ warm up area for the grand prix ring and a 275′ by 200′ warm up area for the three main rings. All competition and warm up areas are sand over limestone base, all weather, three season footing.
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