Vivian Yowan and Crackerjack.
Lexington, KY – May 9, 2014 – As a Lexington native, Vivian Yowan is no stranger to competing and winning at the Kentucky Horse Park. Today, she added to her list of victories in her own backyard with a win in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Class at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show.
Yowan bested the field through an over fences and a flat phase to ride away with the win aboard Crackerjack, owned by Saddle Ridge, LLC. Finishing in second behind Yowan was Emma Kurtz aboard Scott Stewart’s VIP Z. Lizzie Van Der Walde rounded out the top three riding Gregor, owned by Dasilva Investments.
While riding at the Kentucky Horse Park and in the equitation division is nothing new for Yowan, it is new domain for her winning mount, Crackerjack.
“Cracker just started doing the equitation in Florida, so he’s just figuring it out,” Yowan said of the 8-year-old gelding. “He’s a little young, so at home we practice a lot of courses and bending lines to get him a bit more experienced.”
Yowan is also competing in the High Junior Jumpers throughout the two weeks of Kentucky Spring Horse Shows, but she places high value on the equitation classes.
“It really is the basis of all the other disciplines in riding,” said Yowan of equitation. “I really want to move up in the jumpers, so this really helps you with the track work and all of that so, as you move up, you feel even more comfortable doing those bigger jumps.”
Yowan and Crackerjack also finished second in today’s Hunter Phase of the WIHS Equitation, while Kelli Cruciotti and Monterrey finished in first. Both riders will return for the WIHS jumper phase on Sunday at 8 a.m.
Papillon 136 Sees Continued Success in Second Career with Rachel Boggus
When it comes to experience in the equitation ring, Rachel Boggus’ Papillon 136 is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Yowan’s Crackerjack. With Jessica Springsteen at the reins, the gelding won the 2008 ASPCA Maclay Finals, the 2009 Pessoa/USEF Hunt Seat Medal Final, the 2009 George Morris Excellence in Equitation class and countless other equitation classes leading up to the Finals.
Now at 17 years old and with Boggus in the saddle, Papillon 136 has found a new division to excel in – the Adult Equitation. Boggus rode Papillon 136 to the win in today’s Ariat National Adult Medal.
Boggus purchased Papillon 136 in November after she heard from Stacia Madden and Beacon Hill Farm that they were ready to step the older horse down from the 3’6″ equitation. The new pair hit it off, and they come to Kentucky off of a successful winter season at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).
“He was circuit champion in the adult equitation at WEF,” Boggus said. “He’s the best. We don’t really do much at home. He just treadmills; we do a lot of flat lessons and some pole courses, but we try to save him for the horse shows, because obviously he knows what he’s doing. We just try to take good care of him and spoil him.”
Boggus now has her sights set firmly on this year’s Ariat National Adult Medal Finals, and if today’s performance was any indication, she has just the horse to take her there.
Competition continues tomorrow at the Kentucky Spring Horse Show and includes this week’s hunter highlight classes: the $5,000 Hallway Feeds USHJA National Hunter Derby and the $15,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby beginning at 5 p.m. in the Rolex Stadium.
To learn more about the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, please visit www.kentuckyhorseshows.com.
Emily Riden for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
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