McLain Ward hammered down the iron spike in his trophy after winning the first leg of the CN Precision series. The winner of the next CN (Performance) will get a bronze spike that will go beside the first one. The 3rd winner of the leg (ATCO Queen Elizabeth II Cup) will get a silver spike; finally if a rider wins all four competitions, a gold spike will be awarded Photo by Spruce Meadows Media Services
Catching up: For the second year in a row, SBS Farms’ leading duo of Jennifer Alfano and Jersey Boy proved unstoppable by scoring the winning title during the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby of Devon. Their incredible success at the 2011 Devon Horse Show also included the High Performance Working Hunter Championship, and Jennifer was presented with the Leading Lady Hunter Rider award for excellent effort during the professional hunter divisions. Way to go!
Kate Haley, winner of the USHJA Emerging Athletes Program (EAP) National Training Session will be riding with Callan Solem for 30 days of advanced training. Kate placed first in the 2010 National Training Session, and chose to train with grand prix rider Callan, a member of the EAP Committee and a USHJA Certified Trainer, is based in Chester Springs, PA.
We tracked down Geoff Teal and the rumors are true. He did leave his “client based business” to devote more time to judging and teaching clinics. However, he is still calling Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex home. Geoff is so much in demand it would be hard for him to leave the business all together. We are sure thrilled he is still around……he has given so much to our industry.
Taylor Adams, nicknamed “Texas Taylor,” has moved back home to Dallas to get ready for her senior year in high school. Taylor has been the adopted house guest of Larry and Marnye Langer for the last year, while she has honed her jumping skills with trainers Steve and Jenni McAlaster.
Wedding bells: Cynthia Keating tells us she and her husband Jim are planning a trip to New Hampshire in August for Jamie Coigley’s wedding. In keeping with the destination theme weddings, Cynthia tells us that the happy couple will be married on top of Gunstock Mountain and it involves a chair lift ride for all in attendance!
Ned Towell, the eldest son of Finally Farm’s Lisa and Jack Towell, walked down the isle with Lydia Reynolds, daughter of horseman Bucky and Linda Reynolds, at the St. James Episcopal Church in Warrenton, VA, the beginning of June.
Congratulations to 18-year-old Renata Vieiria and all 41 entries and over 400 votes, the Sidelines Magazine Definition of Style contest was a success! The winner is from. . . . wait for it. . . Aveiro, Portugal! Since we didn’t specify that the contest was closed to entrants outside the US, that means we’ll be sending Renata her bridle and Sidelines subscription to Portugal.
Congratulations also to all the junior handlers at the hound shows, but a special tip of the cap to Boyce and Justice Myers of Aiken. Justice won the Junior Handler Champion Division at the Carolinas District Hound Show in Camden as well as the10 and under Junior Handler Division at the Virginia Hound Show with her hound Faust; Boyce, along with Brook Miller, won the Junior Handler Pack Class! In Virginia, Justice and Boyce met none other than famous hunt photographer Jim Meads, who, of course, could not help but keep telling Justice, “…how much he LOVED those freckles!”…. It was magical! Were it not for Aiken’s huntsman, Katherine Gunter having encouraged the children to become involved with presenting hounds, they would not have known these wonderful opportunities.
We are so proud of all our Young Riders, building on their win in the Nations Cup at CSIOY Lamprechtshausen. They capped off a successful weekend with a one-two finish in the Young Rider Grand Prix. Reed Kessler took the top spot for the U.S. on Ligist, she jumped the only clear round in the jump-off for the win. Jessica Springsteen was second on Cincinnati La Silla. She had the fastest short-course round by more than five seconds, but had one rail to settle for second. Catherine Pasmore and Karen Polle rounded out the top 10 in ninth and tenth respectively. Catherine and Van David were a fraction faster in their four-fault first round effort, edging out their teammates, Karen on What Ever.
Bumps and Bruises: We are all wishing a speedy recovery to Joie Gatlin, who landed hard on her feet at the water jump in the Blenheim June Classic 1 show and popped out one of her knees. It looks like three months on the injured reserve list after the required surgery.
Horse Show News: When the Alltech folks take on a project they certainly put all the resources behind the event. The world was aware of their involvement with the World Equestrian Games and they are treating the National Horse Show with the same energy. Stay tuned folks, Alltech is here for the long haul. We heard the rumor that they are negotiating with the National Horse Show folks for a five year commitment.
The Zone 10 (CA & NV) Junior and Young Rider teams were selected last week at the June Classic 1 show in San Juan Capistrano. 2011 is evidently a re-grouping year, with a lot of brand new faces on both teams. Maybe the dominance of Zone 10 is not such a sure thing this year.
What is Tim Postel thinking? He is planning to hold summer shows back again at Pebble Beach, and at the same time is planning a series of competing shows at Rancho Murietta, three hours away. And in the middle of it all, Sally Hudson has horse shows at the same time at the Sonoma Horse Park in Petaluma. Good luck everyone!
Horses: The Devon Horse Show proved to be a very emotional event for Derbydown, as they retired the great hunter Gray Slipper, who was successfully campaigned for many years by Louise Serio and owner Bridget Hallman. The Dixon Oval was a fitting location for the ceremony, as Gray Slipper claimed two Grand Championship titles during his competitive years.
What’s this we hear about a new horse from Europe arriving in Steve and Jenni McAlister’s barn? We are told it is a new young jumper for Marnye Langer, but the silence is deafening.
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