MORELAND HILLS, Ohio – July 16, 2013 – Shawn Casady, 19-years-old, had a great weekend at the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic. Casady and Twister won both the $10,000 Welcome Stake and the $30,000 Cleveland Grand Prix during Week 1 of the Classic.
The Cleveland Grand Prix, the highlight of the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic, was North America’s first show jumping grand prix, debuting here at the Polo Fields in 1965. This year’s event featured competitors from around the world, including former Olympians from the United States (Joe Fargis) and Argentina (Federico Sztyrle), and a local professional, Megan Moshontz-Bash of Chagrin Falls.
Casady dominates the competition
Shawn Casady and Twister won both the Welcome Stake and Cleveland Grand Prix during Week 1 of the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic. Photo by Anne Gittins Photography.
With no faults and a jump-off time of 30.576 seconds, Casady and Twister dominatedthe competition in Friday night’s Welcome Stake. Their success continued on Sunday in the Cleveland Grand Prix, again with no faults and with a jump-off time of 38.978. Olympic gold medalist Joe Fargis, 65-years-old, and Lariat, took second-place with a jump-off time of 39.171. Richard Cheska, of Waukesha, Wis., and Quick Tempo took third-place with a jump-off time of 40.611.
Five competitors went clean in the first round to make it to the jump-off. With the first four rides in the jump-off round the first place position changed each time. Joe Fargis said, “It was a well-done course. Every jump was it’s own challenge. Everything was well done, the footing, the course, everything.” Fargis has been competing at the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic since it began in the 1960’s.
Spectators enjoyed beautiful weather throughout the weekend
Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy won the International Hunter Derby for the fifth time in six years. Photo by Anne Gittins Photography.
Leading up to the Cleveland Grand Prix was a weekend full of exciting competition and fun for the whole family. Top honors in the sixth annual $10,000 International Hunter Derby on Saturday evening were taken by Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy, for the fifth time.
Saturday was Family Fun Day, featuring arts and crafts, hair spraying, face painting, the Horseless Horse Show, cowboy roping, bouncy horses, hula hoops, a bounce house, an appearance by Hunter the Horse, carriage rides and pony rides. Michelle Nicastro and her 13-year-old Clydesdale mare, Ellie Bellie, of Sweetheart Stables in Chesterland, provided the carriage rides.
Ellie Bellie and her carriage were a part of the opening ceremonies before Sunday’s Cleveland Grand Prix, which included an appearance by the miniature horse Rick O’Shay of the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, the horses and hounds of the Chagrin Valley Hunt, the Color Guard of the Mounted Ranger Unit of the Cleveland Metroparks, and a dressage exhibition by George Williams.
About the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic
The Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic is presented by the Chagrin Valley PHA (Professional Horsemen’s Association) Horse Show, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization headed by a voluntary Board of Trustees, comprised of local residents, business leaders and equestrians, who run the show with the help of a large volunteer team.
The show continues Tuesday, July 16, and runs through Saturday, July 20, with free general admission Tuesday through Friday. This second week of national competition will conclude with the third annual $25,000 CVPHA Grand Prix on Saturday, July 20.
For more information visit www.clevelandhorseshow.com or call 440-252-1030. Follow the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic on Facebook athttps://www.facebook.com/clevelandhorseshow and on Twitter athttps://twitter.com/CleveHorseShow.
