Aiken Fall Festival I
Sunday, September 12th – Aiken, SC – The first week of the third annual Aiken Fall Festival Horse Show series wrapped up today. The show, a USEF A rated event and Jumper 3, took place September 9-12 at Highfields in Aiken, SC. Equus Event’s Inc. and JP Godard handled the managing duties for the event.
The show started on Thursday with the professional hunter divisions kicking off in the hunter rings. Action in the jumper ring also began with classes taking place out on the grass field. The day ended with the $5,000 Welcome Stake at 5 pm as well as an Exhibitors Welcome Party sponsored by DFG Stables and Daniel and Cathy Geitner under the tent. Harold Chopping of Southern Pines, NC and Kendra Bullington’s Patent Pending were the first of 21 competitors to navigate the course and ended up being the best to take home the blue ribbon. Daniel Geitner and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bostwick’s Sympa were second and Daniel also picked up third place honors on Ann Ritter’s Jumbo Jet. Rounding out the top 4 was another local Aiken professional, Michael Tokaruk and his Roger Rabbit.
On Friday, things heated up in the hunter rings as the professional divisions were awarded their championships. One of the show’s busiest riders Daniel Geitner of Aiken, SC took home the Green Working Hunter Championship on Laura Regan’s Zelano and the Reserve Championship in the Regular Working Hunters on Janet Peterson’s Damocles. Other Hunter Champions for the week include:
Regular Working Hunter – Cezanne and Vick Russell
Junior Hunter – North C and Jaime Steinhaus
Amateur Owner Hunter – Shem Creek and Ann Rice Ervin
Amateur Owner Hunter 3’3 – Taruso and Sandy Randolph
Pre-Green Hunter – Fairfax owned by Liz Hudspeth and ridden by Liza Boyd
Pre-Green Hunter 3’3 – Sunday Morning owned by Neill Sites and ridden by Liza Boyd
Medium Pony Hunter – That’s It and Caroline Hargreaves
Large Pony Hunter – Danlynn’s What You Like and Erin Mcguire
Adult Amateur Hunter 18-35 – Bal Harbor and Katherine Ballentine
Adult Amateur Hunter 36 and over – Westside and Cindi Prestage
Children’s Hunter 14 and under – Maverick and Aleece Jarman
Children’s Hunter 15-17 – Ransom owned by Aubry Hill and ridden by Lily Foy
The jumper ring was the place to be on Saturday evening. As a nice breeze started too cool down the temperatures, a large crowd gathered to watch 24 the southeast’s best riders compete in the $15,000 Aiken Fall Premiere Jumper Classic. Exhibitors and spectators were also treated to a Prix Party and dinner under the VIP tent. Proceeds from the evening’s event under the tent went directly to Children’s Place in Aiken, SC www.childrensplaceinc.org. Hometown rider Michael Tokaruk and his Roger Rabbit came home victorious in the class with a second round jump off time of 37.369 just edging out second place Angel Karoyli and Mclain Ward’s Galant by a margin of .481 seconds. Michael also trained Sara Ketcham to a fifth place finish on Still Creek Farm’s Vodka Bay. Daniel Geitner qualified three mounts for the jump off taking the yellow rosette on Kyle Register’s Trading Places, fourth place on CDS Stables Neville, and eighth on Aiken resident’s Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bostwick’s Sympa. For complete class results please visit http://www.equusevents.com/results.html.
The prestigious South Carolina Hunter Jumper Association Governor’s Cup Medal Finals took place on Sunday, the final day of the show. The riders and trainers were also treated to a breakfast sponsored by Equus Events that took place ringside. The class featured the top 17 riders that had the most points accumulated in the SCHJA Medal throughout 2010. Eliza Hay came home victorious in this year’s finals taking home a custom cooler, trophy, and her name engraved on the Governors Cup Perpetual Trophy. Eliza is trained by Irene Reed. Complete class results are as followed:
The final day in the jumper ring brought the $2,500 NAL/WIHS Children’s Adult Jumper Classic and the $2,500 Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic. Local rider Heather Crespo went 1 and 2 in the Children’s/Adult Jumper Classic. She took home the blue on her Nyteri and second place honors on Fritz R.B. owned by Helen Krieble. Crespo is trained by J.F Gagne of Gagne International in Aiken, SC. In the Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic it was Fly Girl and junior rider Jenna Friedman that rode away with the blue ribbon. Friedman, of Alpharetta, GA, is trained by Daniel Geitner.
Week two of the Aiken Fall Festival starts Thursday, September 16th. Next week’s show will feature:
Thursday September 16th
$5,000 Welcome Stake
Wine and Cheese Social Sponsored by Oak Manor Saddlery 4 pm (at Oak Manor Saddlery)
Friday, September 17th 4pm
3rd Annual Aiken Fall Festival Hunt Night and Hunt Night Social
(hors d’oeuvres and beverages under the tent)
featuring a Stella and Dot Jewelry Show
Saturday, September 18th 5:30pm
$15,000 Aiken Fall Festival Jumper Classic and Prix Party
featuring the retirement ceremony for Artur 28
For more information and complete class results please visit www.equusevents.com.
Contact:
Megan Godard
Equus Events, Inc.
Meybohm Realtors
803-295-2094
www.equusevents.com
Meganvgodard@gmail.com
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