Wayne, IL – August 1, 2013 – Course Designer, Allen Rheinheimer started to get the hunters in derby mode with today’s courses which included plenty of brush, bending lines and a log trot jump for the handy rounds. Sunny Chicago skies made it a very pleasant day for showing in the windy city.
High Performance Hunters were the first to hit the ring. Tina Judge of Naperville, IL, gave her best today to get in the running for the CWD saddle, which will be awarded to the horse and rider combination earning the most points in a rated division. Judge won all four over fences classes in the division and was second in the under saddle, earning the tricolor with Shannon Kelly’s Trust Me.
Katana O’Brien was able to steal the blue under saddle ribbon from Judge, adding a second, two thirds and the fourth in the over fences to win the Reserve Championship with Courtney Link’s first year horse, Limerick. Limerick is an 8-year-old warmblood gelding O’Brien started showing in the First Year Greens at the Lake St. Louis Winter Series. O’Brien owns and operates KEE West Farm in Wildwood, MO, approximately 40 minutes from the Lake St. Louis shows. Owner, Courtney Link, of Chesterfield, MO, rides the horse in the Small Junior Hunter Division as well.
Tina Judge and Trust Me won all 4 over fences classes for the High Performance/First Year Green Hunter Championship.
In the combined Performance 3’3″-3’6″ Hunters, Kathleen Caya and Susan Schmitt’s Conelly won three of the four over fences classes, the second over fences, as well as the third in the under saddle to clinch the championship. Conelly and Caya are no strangers to the winner’s circle. The team won the USHJA National Hunter Derby at the Ledges Sporting Horses in July and at Showplace Productions’ Spring Spectacular at Lamplight in June. Caya will ride Conelly in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby this week, as well.
They affectionately call the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding “Cal” and keep him full of his favorite stud muffin treats. Schmitt has had the horse for about two years, and shows him in the Adult Hunters, too.
“I’m really lucky that his owner (Schmitt) lets me ride him in the derbies,” said Caya.
In a whirlwind was Meagan Murray and Fidelia, owned by Jenna Selati, took the reserve championship in the Performance Hunters. Murray, of Zion, IL, shipped into Equifest II planning to get the horse in the ring before the Junior Hunters. Arriving 25 minutes before the under saddle, they tacked up, won the under saddle and the Open Hunter class, and placed second and third in the Performance Hunters to take the reserve. Murray operates Buena Vista Farm and just returned from Horse Shows by the Bay in Traverse City, MI. Selati will show Fidelia in the Junior Hunters this weekend.
Sarah Robertson of Michigan rode Tim Sullivan’s Denmark to the Pre-Green 3’3″ Championship. Robertson, 26, rides sale horses for Sullivan’s Oakland Hills Farm. Sullivan has been coming to Lamplight for years and this is Robertson’s third year.
Tim Sullivan’s Denmark was Champion in the Pre-Green 3’3″ Hunters with Sarah Robertson in the irons.
“I love it here, ” said Robertson. “The improvements are great and the place looks fantastic.”
Denmark is a 6-year-old Hanoverian they have had for two years. The pair will be doing the derby tomorrow.
“We don’t have high expectations for him, it’s only his second derby,” stated Robertson. “We did the high options last week, and he was awesome, so we’ll try to do those again this week. We just want him to jump well, stay focused and do his best.”
Taking the reserve spot in the Pre-Green 3’3″ Hunters was Remy Martin ridden by Erin McCabe and owned by Nancy Gordon. The team won two of the over fences classes, as well as the fourth and fifth with a second in the under saddle.
Wrapping up the day with the Pre-Green 3′ Hunters was Molly McAdow and Barina. The pair won two over fences classes, placed second in today’s two classes and won the under saddle for the tricolor. Barina, owned by Nina Donnelly of Evanston, IL, won the USHJA National Hunter Derby last week and they have their sights set on a prize in this week’s derby. McAdow and Barina just seem to hit it off, putting in smooth rounds trip after trip. McAdow had plenty of rides this week for Lorrie Canady’s Galway Farm in Long Grove, IL. Canady has a selection of young horses she brings up and shows, giving them a track record for their new owners. McAdow also rode Abby Simpson and Charlie Brown, owned by Becky Mati, to ribbons in the division.
Molly Mcadow and Barina, owned by Nina Donnelly, took the Pre-Green 3′ Hunter Championship at Equifest II.
The reserve championship in the Pre-Green 3′ Hunters went to Josey Gentry riding Leslie Richman’s horse, The Boyfriend. Gentry placed first, third, fourth and fifth with a second in the under saddle to rack up points for the longer ribbon.
Equifest II continues tomorrow with the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby starting off the day and the $35,000 Grand Prix de Lamplight on Saturday.
To find out more about Lamplight Equestrian Center, go to: http://lamplightequestriancenter.com/.
