Harrisburg, Pa. – The team from Zone 5 hoped to defend their championship title from last year and they did just that Friday night in the 2013 Randolph College/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships. Not far behind, Zone 2 claimed the Silver medal and Zone 1 took the Bronze. Held during the 68th Annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show, the championships follow a modified Nations Cup format. Teams jumped the same course twice with one drop score permitted from each round. Alan Wade’s course proved to be quite challenging, with the electric atmosphere also seeming to have an effect on the horses and riders.
After the first round of competition, Zones 1, 2, and 5 were all tied with four faults. Seven riders had clear rounds, with six of those riders being from one of the top-placed teams. The second round proved to be the deciding factor of who would take home the Gold medal.
Under the guidance of Chef d’Equipe Alex Jayne, Zone 5 was able to perform well under the pressure and once again take home the Gold medal. The team, made up of Gabriela Mershad and Skara Glen’s Basel, Lauren Tyree and Audi’s Top Secret, Vivian Yowan and Ralvesther, and Kalvin Dobbs and Tea Party, finished with a total of 12 faults to stay atop the leaderboard. After having a clear first round, Mershad (New Albany, Ohio) had four faults in round two with Mershad Stables, LLC’s 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. Tyree (Chicago, Ill.) had four faults in round one but had a clear second round with the 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Missy Clark. Yowan (Lexington, Ky.) went clear in round one with Cloverleaf Farm’s 15-year-old Royal Dutch Warmblood mare but knocked two rails for eight faults in round two. Dobbs (Carmel, Ind.) had four faults in both rounds with Treesdale Farms’ 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding.
Zone 2 earned the Silver medal with a final score of 16 faults. With the help of Chef d’Equipe Jeff Brennan, the team of Charlotte Jacobs on Kachina, Michael Hughes on Luxina, Katherine Strauss and Chellando Z, and Lillie Keenan and Londinium was able to perform well in the face of adverse conditions. Jacobs (East Aurora, N.Y.) went clear with the Deeridge Farms’ 15-year-old Selle Francais mare in round one but knocked two rails in round two for eight faults. Hughes (Allendale, N.J.) crashed through fence three during round one with the nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by Christina Fried for four faults but came back and went clear during round two. Strauss (Southampton, N.Y.) had an unfortunate fall from the 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Katherine Strauss, LLC at 5b during round one resulting in elimination. Keenan (New York, N.Y.) rode Chasonette Farm LLC’s 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding to an immaculate clear during round one but knocked a single rail in round to for four faults.
The Bronze medal went to Zone 1 after they finished on a score of 20.Chef d’Equipe Darren Graziano guided Sydney Shulman and HH Narcos du Marais, Megan McDermott and Bull Run’s Becky Blue, Dana Scott and KM Whatever RV, and Victoria Arute and Zakenman Zaffier to a medal-winning performance. Shulman (Greenwich, Conn.) had four faults in round one and knocked two rails in round two for eight faults with Back Country Farm’s 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding. McDermott (New Milford, Conn.) and Madeline McDermott’s 11-year-old Holsteiner mare went clear then had a rail for four faults in round two. Scott (Wilton, Conn.) had a lovely clear in round one with Nod Hill Farm’s 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding then knocked a rail in the second round. Arute (Avon, Conn.) had four faults to start off followed by eight faults in round two with Olympic Dreams, LLC’s nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding.
The scores from Friday’s Phase II and Thursday’s Phase I carry over into Phase III of the Randolph College/USEF National Junior Jumper Individual Championship, with the top 60% qualifying for Saturday’s competition.
Be sure to watch all the action from Pennsylvania National Horse Show at www.usefnetwork.com/featured/2013PennsylvaniaNationalHorseShow.
By Kathleen Landwehr