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University of Georgia wins USEA Intercollegiate Championship at Virginia Horse Center

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Devon Olivier and Karisma riding Training for the University of Georgia Red team USEA/Shelby Allen Photo

Nine teams from eight colleges and universities competed in the inaugural United States Eventing Association Intercollegiate Championship on May 26-29 at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington. The title came down to a nail-biting finale with the first and second place teams separated by less than a point. University of Georgia’s Red Team moved ahead of the overnight leaders, Clemson University, on the final day of competition to ride away with the top spot with a combined score of 99.06.

Georgia’s team was made up of seniors Emily Cox, Kaityn Ruff and Devon Olivier in the training division and sophomore Emily Cardin in the novice division. They held second place after their dressage and show jumping phases on Saturday. Cox, Olivier and Cardin had the lowest collective scores, giving them the win after three double clear cross-country runs.

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Alex Peterson and Willie Wiggins riding in the CCI* for Clemson University USEA/Kate Boggan Photo

Clemson University saw some unfortunate rails for their CCI* combinations which set them back in the rankings, but the Tigers still finished as the reserve champions. Clemson’s team was made of seniors Samantha Hay and Anna Fogerty, junior Sarah Pyne and sophomore Alex Peterson.

Auburn University finished in third on a combined score of 105.27. Team members Andrea Glazer, Sallie Johnson and Kayley Bush competed in the training division and Lydia Kennedy rode in the novice division.

In addition to walking away with top honors and as many prizes as they could hold thanks to the Intercollegiate Program’s generous sponsors, the University of Georgia girls also claimed the coveted Spirit Award for showing the most school pride throughout the weekend. “We went all out,” said team president Emily Cox. “We wore all our matching gear and we did something special for cross-country — we covered our horses in paint.”

University of Georgia riders could be spotted across the hillside at the Virginia Horse Center with the famed “Georgia G” painted across the rump of each horse.

“Overall this team has so much spirit. We’re all there for each other, and we each had somebody waiting at the finish line for us on cross-country, and it was just great team spirit all together,” Cox elaborated. Team members earned refunded entries from the Virginia Horse Trials for their impressive show of school spirit.

This inaugural championship brought together students from across the East Coast for a weekend of great riding, school spirit and competition. Event organizer Andy Bowles was thrilled with the outcome of the weekend commenting, “I’ve officiated at young rider championships all around the world, and the camaraderie I saw here rivals those events.”

Many schools met here for the first time, sharing strategy and tips for the weekend and beyond. “It was cool to see the whole collegiate atmosphere and to compete with [the other teams]. It’s really fun to be able to stable with them, and all of the colleges talked through courses together. We all really wanted everyone to do well,”  Cox said.

Next year’s Intercollegiate Championship is slated to return to the Virginia Horse Trials next year, and all affiliated colleges and universities are asked to send teams. The weekend was made possible by the sponsors of the Intercollegiate Program, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), Ride Safe, Fleeceworks and the Virginia Horse Trials.

TEAMS:

CLEMSON TIGERS

  • Sarah Pyne / Call Me Commander – CCI*
  • Samantha Hay / Tre’ Jolie -Training
  • Anna Fogerty / Dunlavin Fox – Novice
  • Alex Peterson / Willie Wiggins – CCI*

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA RED

  • Devon Olivier / Karisma – Training
  • Emily Cardin / Schwalbestrum – Novice
  • Emily Cox / FR’s Check It Out Now – Training
  • Kaitlyn Ruff / Shadowfax – Training

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA BLACK

  • Katie Harivel / Counterpoint – Training
  • Johannah Crumpton / Tip Share – Novice
  • Erin Jarboe / Arsiero – Novice
  • Morgan Barnhardt / Come and Get It – Novice

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

  • Ellen Bouchard / Gibstar – Beginner Novice
  • Melissa Fox / Diamond Legacy – Training
  • Alex Reed / On Broadway – CCI*

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

  • Jordan Litter / Timekeeper – Novice
  • Jennifer Price / Timely Fashion – Training
  • Rachael Miller / Tough Enough – Novice
  • Claudia Romeo / Little Valkyrie – Training

AUBURN

  • Lydia Kennedy / Subtle Dream Unveiled – Novice
  • Andrea Glazer / Arctic Fernhill – Training
  • Sallie Johnson / One Moore Miracle – Training
  • Kaley Bush / Cooper – Training

BRIDGEWATER COLLEGE / AVERETT

  • Zach Hinch / Chamaco Loci – Novice
  • Michaela Bragg / Prado-Gee – Beginner Novice
  • Amelia Bayer / Road to Redemption – Prelim
  • Alex Argentieri / San Marco – Training

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY / TRANSYLVANIA

  • Michaela Yowaiski / Darla Doll (UK) – Intermediate
  • Renata Petraitis / Tappin’ to the Music (UK) – Training
  • Charlotte Pruet / Valadour (Transylvania) – Training
  • Abby Blackburn / Joy Girl (Transylvania) – Novice

BRIDGEWATER / CLEMSON

  • Amelia Bayer / Handsome Devil (Bridgewater) – Prelim
  • Sarah Pyne / Quinntisential (Clemson) – CCI*
  • Kaitlyn Bardos / The Myth of Arion (Clemson) – Training

COLUMBUS STATE UNIVERSITY / UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

  • Melissa Fox / Command Approval – Training
  • Lily Barlow / Tullymor’s Houdini – Beginner Novice
  • Erin Chalmers / Light the Lights – Novice

To account for differences in level difficulty, each rider’s score is multiplied by a coefficient appropriate for their level, and then the individual scores are added together to determine the team score. Only the best three individual scores will count towards the team score, so teams of four dropped one score.

Cross View Open Horse Show has something for everyone

Halter. Showmanship. Leadline. Coached classes for new/young riders. Classes for beginner riders. English Pleasure. Western Pleasure. Ranch horses. Trail. Miniature horse jumping. Miniature horse trail. English equitation. Stock seat equitation. Speed. Racking. There was a class for every kind of horse at the Cross View Rock & Roll Open Horse Show.

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Just along for the ride with your horse-crazy companion? (Or like my daughter, dragged along with your mother.) There was stuff for you, too! Corn hole and roping practice was a fun diversion from the horses going round and round.

Gillian Davis won the day’s Go As You Please Jackpot class on her red roan quarter horse gelding, The Roan Rangger (registered AQHA as VS Red Solo). And they were winners in many other classes throughout the day and won the Western high point award under judge Ken Davis.

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Turnout was good for the show, with many English youth classes with more than 10. Adult riders typically saw 3 or 4 entries. The Western Pleasure classes were a bit smaller, with between 2 and 5 entries, typically. However, the Ranch horse classes had over 5.

The Cross View Show Series will continue on June 25-26 with the Aloha Shows. Katie Jackson, owner of Sneek A Peek Farm in Spotsylvania, Virginia, will judge the hunters on June 25 and Beth Gouthro of BMG ShowHorses will judge the open show.

 

Cross View opens 2016 horse show series

The Cross View Horse Show series opened Friday night at Green Hill Park Equestrian Center in Salem with a special jumpers edition, which then rolled into Saturday’s Hunter/Jumper show.

Despite rains that fell overnight, the show had a nice turnout with about four to five riders  in the morning hunter divisions. More horses began to mill about the show grounds at lunchtime for the afternoon divisions, and by then the sun was shining and the temperatures were warming.

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The arenas seemed to actually benefit from the overnight rains. While there were puddles here and there, the wet weather kept the sometimes-hard Green Hill Park footing softer than on a typical day.

The show continues Sunday with an Open horse show that includes classes for hunters, gaited, western, ranch and more.

Jason Berry rides Cobalt Blue R to USHJA National Hunter Derby win at Virginia Horse Center

Jason Berry and Cobalt Blue R
Jason Berry and Cobalt Blue R. Photo by Teresa Ramsay Photography

Jason Berry was on top of his game May 6, 2016, claiming three of the top four spots in the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby. He picked up the victory aboard Cobalt Blue R with a score of 185.0. Elizabeth Bailey and Acido 7 scored the second place spot with a score of 173.5, while Berry also placed third and fourth on IAmWhatIAm and Attila, respectively.

Berry imported Cobalt Blue R, an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Oak Ledge Farm, last year. Everything came together for them in the derby class. “For the handy tonight he was just on it.” Berry said “From the time I picked up the canter it was like they put the jumps where I needed them to be. He was super easy to ride for that.”

A Virginia native, Berry was enthusiastic about his win at the Virginia Horse Center. “It’s definitely our home show,” he expressed. “It’s great to win a class here, it’s great to have this facility in your backyard. They have a great indoor Coliseum where they had the class tonight. To have the weather that we’ve had, pouring down rain for the last few days, the option of having a good class no matter what the weather is the best thing about the Virginia Horse Center!”

USHJA National Hunter Derby placings

1    COBALT BLUE R    BERRY, JASON
2    ACIDO 7        BAILEY, ELIZABETH
3    IAM WHAT I AM     BERRY, JASON
4    ATTILA            BERRY, JASON
5    WATERFALL        VENEZIA-WHITE, CAITLIN
6    STRING OF PEARLS    MOYLAN, GAVIN
7    CARNAVAL ELITE    PHILLIPS, BENJAMIN
8    CONSIGLIERE         OKUN, KELSI
9    PARK PLACE        OKUN, KELSI
10    BLUE MONDAY    KENNEDY, RACHEL
11    TUSCAN SKY        MORRISON, TAYLOR
12    CHAPMAN ET        HILER, RALEIGH

Manuel Torres rides Christofolini H to $30,000 George L. Ohrstrom Grand Prix win

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Manuel Torres and Christofolini H gallop to the final fence of their winning jump-off round.

Manuel Torres put in two clean rounds to win the George L. Ohrstrom Grand Prix on Saturday, May 7, 2016, as part of the Lexington Spring Encore horse show at the Virginia Horse Center in Lexington, Virginia.

Torres, a five-time Olympian for his native country of Colombia, rode Christofolini H, owned by Andrea Torres Guerreiro, to the win. Torres now operates Santa Catalina Farm in Waterford, Virginia.

Final placings in the $30,000 George L. Ohrstrom Grand Prix

1 CHRISTOFOLINI H, MANUEL TORRES
2 CARLOT, MARYLISA LEFFLER
3 CLASSIFIED, BROOKE KEMPER
4 ZILVANA, JACOB POPE
5 CORDOVO, IAN SILITCH
6 VAVOOM, TIFFANY CAMBRIA
7 ALETTA, MATTHIAS HOLLBERG
8 BLING BLING, MARYLISA LEFFLER
9 FVF SAILOR MAN, MARYANN CHARLES
10 FIFTY SHADES, GUERREIRO TORRES
11 PERNOD, GAVIN MOYLAN
12 ROCKY W, KAITLIN CAMPBELL

Botetourt County Horseman’s Association holds first Lunch & Learn event

A young participant gives her pony a hug during the ground phase of the natural horsemanship clinic.
A participant works on moving her horse’s forehand.
A participant listens to George Shaefer.
George Schaefer works with Tamla Nichols horse.
Karen Corvin works with her horse, Whiskey.
George Schaefer bends this horse’s head, patiently waiting for the horse to move his hind end.
Karen Corvin works with Whiskey.
Natural Horsemanship morning ground session.
Susan Byrd and Rain.
Whiskey
Clinician George Schaefer
Gabi Hooten works with her horse during the morning ground session.
George Shaefer demonstrates using his own horse during the clinic.
Tamla Nichols listens to George Schaefer speak on natural horsemanship techniques.
Gabi Hooten works with her horse.

If you wanted to get out for the day with your horse but not face the pressure of a horse show, the Botetourt County Horseman’s Association’s first Lunch & Learn event was a perfect spring outing.

While the weather was a little bit cool and misty, about 25 riders and their horses came out of Green Hill Park Equestrian Center to ride with local clinicians. George Schaefer taught both morning and afternoon Natural Horsemanship sessions. Gabi Hooten worked with riders on Classical and Western Dressage, and Dedi Spradlin offered jumping critiques and spoke about hunter etiquette. Some riders also used the trails at the park.

The day also included a lunch of grilled hotdogs with sides, and a chance to catch up with friends, look over used tack for sale.

BCHA is planning another Lunch & Learn event Oct. 1. Contact BCHAHorseClub@gmail.com for more information or if you are interested in being a clinician.

Below are more photos from the day. Click on a photo to make it larger.

 

Karen Corvin and Whiskey
A horse waits at the trailer.
Dressage
Western dressage session
Judy Sanders listens during the afternoon session of Natural Horsemanship.
JoAnn Dester
George Schaefer works with a Rocky Mountain Horse.
Tamla Nichols takes part in the Dressage clinic.
JoAnn Dester works with her horse.
Judy Sanders
George Schaefer demonstrates.
JoAnn Dester asks her horse to give.
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George Schaefer demonstrates.
Carol Bernstein
Carol Bernstein and Judy Sanders
Judy Sanders
Carol Bernstein
Dressage session
Mounted Natural Horsemanship
Karen Corvin
Tamla Nichols
Dressage session
Gabi Hooten instructs the Dressage session
Gabi Hooten instructs the Dressage session
Tamla Nichols
Gabi Hooten talks to riders in the Dressage session.
Karen Corvin
George Schaefer gets his clinic participants ready to mount.
Tamla Nichols
Dressage rider
Dressage riders

Mary Lisa Leffler and Bling Bling win $30,000 Rockbridge Grand Prix at Virginia Horse Center

 
Mary Lisa Leffler riding Bling Bling. Photo by Teresa Ramsay Photography
Mary Lisa Leffler and Bling Bling are kicking off the spring show season in winning form at the Virginia Horse Center. After earning a win in Ocala and a win in Atlanta, the duo can now add winning the $30,000 Rockbridge Grand Prix during the Lexington Spring Premiere to their growing list of accomplishments.   
Leffler and Bling Bling’s double clear performance in the Saturday night’s highlight event was strong enough to earn them the top honors. “We’re still a new partnership,” Leffler said. “I know she’s fast and she’s clever. She turns and burns, so for me, I could jump all those jumps on angles and not have to worry.”

The pair went fourth in the order, and Leffler did not have a chance to watch anyone go before her in the jump-off. She knew that the first few of riders had rails, and her quick wit combined with her horse’s agility sent them straight to the top of the leaderboard, while last year’s winners, Brooke Kemper and Classified, ended up in second place.

Leffler has been competing at the Virginia Horse Center for as long as she can remember. She said, “It’s just one of my favorite events. Their hospitality — they try so hard, the evening Grand Prix. They really put on a good horse show.”

“The best part of the whole thing was that my sister drove my parents down, so they got to see their horse finally go,” Leffler continued. “So having them there and winning was great!”

In the hunter ring, it was Joy Janouskovec that went home with top honors. Janouskovec and her mount Walk the Line won Friday night’s feature class, the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby, besting a field of 21 competitors.
Joy Janouskovec and Walk the Line
Photo by: Teresa Ramsay Photography
The competition at the Virginia Horse Center continues this week, hosting the Lexington Spring Encore on Wednesday through Sunday, May 4-8. The Spring Encore will boast many  exciting events, featuring both the $30,000 George L. Ohrstrom Grand Prix and the $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby.
The $30,000 George L. Ohrstrom, Jr. Grand Prix will be held on Saturday, May 7, in the Anderson Coliseum arena. Along with the winning presentation, there will be a Groom’s award presentation to the groom of the winning mount. Guests are also invited to join the course designer, Mr. Anderson Lima of Sao Paulo, Brazil, for a course walk before the class.

The $5,000 USHJA National Hunter Derby will take place Friday, May 6, at 5 p.m. in the Hilltop arena. In honor of the Virginia Horse Center’s 30th Anniversary, there will be a “Celebrate 30” Wine & Cheese Party held at the Hilltop ring. The party will begin at 5:30 p.m. and run until the conclusion of the derby.

Equine community mourns death of Hollins riding coach L.M. “Sandy” Gerald

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L.M.”Sandy” Gerald

The Roanoke Valley horse community is mourning the death of local horseman L.M. “Sandy” Gerald, head coach of the Hollins University riding team.

Besides his work at Hollins, Gerald was a well respected course designer and USEF “R” judge; was awarded the Virginia Horse Show Association’s Susan H. Hagan Memorial Trophy; was a seven-time ODAC Coach of the Year; was inducted into the Southwest Virginia Hunter/Jumper Association Hall of Fame in 2006; was the VHSA Horseman of the Year in 2006 and 1992 (making him only the second person in the history of the VHSA to earn the honor a second time) and also was inducted into the Roanoke Valley Horse Show Hall of Fame in 2015.

Gerald also served as hunter/jumper manager for the Roanoke Valley Horse Show from 2009 – 2014. The Roanoke Valley Horsemen’s Association released this statement today:

“The Roanoke Valley Horsemen’s Association along with the Roanoke Valley Horse Show were shocked and greatly saddened by the sudden loss of our very dear friend LM Sandy Gerald. He has been a great asset to our association and show for many many years, but more importantly he was a very dear friend who was above all else a true Southern Gentleman. His absence will be felt for many years to come. Out thoughts and prayers are with His family, His Hollins family, his friends, and the hundreds of riding students he has impacted over the years.”

He is reported to have fallen while decorating  a jump at Hollins and later died while in surgery to repair a broken hip.

Related:

Market for well-broke horses remains strong at the Great American Trail Horse Competition and Sale

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The Great American Trail Horse Sale offered a variety of horses, from quarter horses and mules, to Friesian Sport Horses and Percheron crosses and ponies. There were horses with star-studded pedigrees, and ones with no pedigrees at all. Polka-dotted appaloosas and multiple shades of buckskin, dun, palomino and roan colored the choices. But for all their differences, what they did have in common is that they were broke, broke, broke. And because of their training, registration papers or not, several horses sold for more than $10,000.

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Touched by Treasure sold for $16,000.

Some of the sale’s top sellers included:

  • Touched by Treasure, a 2006 AQHA gelding who was a grandson of Zips Chocolate Chip and Radical Rodder, sold for $16,000.
  • A 2008 APHA gelding, Firstrate Cutter Bug, sold for $13,000. He was also the winner of the obstacle challenge and it’s $1,000 grand prize.
  • A 2010 AQHA buckskin gelding, Sparetime Smokin Doc who had points in ARHA competition, sold for $15,000.
  • Bo, a 2008 Bay Roan pony gelding who would ride and drive sold for $15,000
  •  JK Pat, an AQHA gelding, sold for $14,200.
  • Buckeye’s Dream, a 2012 buckskin Percheron/QH cross who rides and drives sold for $12,600.
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Torned Hearts, a 2002 grey mare, sold for $9,500. She has been shown English, Western, over fences and in games.
A pinto pony.
An Appy mule sold for $3,700.
A roan pony lies on the ground while a horse was sidepassed over him and a bullwhip cracked over his body.
This palomino did not sell.
Children ride a pinto pony.

The sale was filled with sellers trying to demonstrate just how broke their horses were. Some had the help of children to ride their horses around the arena. Some stood up in the saddle. Others got the horses to lie down while cracking bullwhips around their heads. At this sale, being broke was much more impressive to the crowd than having good breeding.

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Bidding for this 2011 AQHA buckskin gelding, High Brow’s Ace, reached $17,000 but it was not enough. He was also the Reserve Champion of the obstacle challenge competition.

While the sale captured good prices for many horses, there were also a large number that didn’t sell. One buckskin gelding reached a bid of more than $17,000 but the owner said they were no where close to what the horse was worth and shook their head for a “no sale.” Every mule except one that went through the sale didn’t reach the reserve set by the owner. The one that did sell went for $3,700.

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This AQHA Cremello mare sold for $2,400.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t deals to be had. A sweet, quiet Cremello AQHA mare sold for $2,400. And a really nicely made Mustang mare who had placed fifth in a Mustang Makeover event, sold for $1,900.

Despite it being a trail horse sale, and the popularity of gaited horses among trail riders, there were only a few gaited horses in the sale and they didn’t sell for as high a price as the ranch-type horses. A little chestnut Rocky Mountain Horse sold for $700, and a “Single Footing Horse” sold for $2,800. A bay Kentucky Mountain Horse who was the crowd favorite in the rack-off the night before sold for $5,200.

If the Great American Trail Horse Sale shows horse owners anything, it should be that investment in training and giving your horse a job is worth it. Broke horses are needed and wanted.

Related:

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An Appy mule sold for $3,700.
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FQHR Poco Cackles Bar, a 2012 AQHA mare, sold for $12,000.
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This mule did not sell after bidding reached $3,400. The owner was looking for $5,000.
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Bidding for this leopard Appaloosa did not meet the reserve of $6,500.
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A bullwhip is cracked next to quarter horse JK Pat, a 2010 Grulla gelding, as bidding continues. The 6-year-old sold for $14,200.
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A roan pony lies on the ground while a horse was sidepassed over him and a bullwhip cracked over his body.
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Bolena San, a 2002 palomino quarter horse gelding who was built like a tank, was seeking a bid of $4,000 but did not reach it.
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This palomino did not meet the reserve.
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This mule did not meet the reserve.
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This Friesian Sport Horse sold for $9,700.
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A pinto pony lies down on command. He sold for $6,000.
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Children ride a pinto pony who sold for $6,000.
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A 1999 Connemara/TB Cross mare sold for $2,300.
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A pinto gelding sold for $1,950.
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A palomino
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A greyhound sleeps through the bidding.
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A young new owner gets a hug after having her photo taken with her new horse.

 

 

 

Franklin County Equestrian Club named Equine Club of the Year by Virginia Horse Council

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The Franklin County Equestrian Club was presented the award for Equine Club of the Year at the Virginia Horse Festival on April 2. Pictured, from left, Terri Bentley, former club secretary; Michaela Bentley, member; Emma Brubaker, member; Nancy Brubaker, DVM, member; Patricia Wray, club co-founder and president; Tim Wray, club co-founder; Charles Brubaker, member.

The Franklin County Equestrian Club (FCEC) was named the Virginia Horse Council 2015 Equine Club of the Year award for its service and commitment to the Virginia Horse Industry.

The award was presented at the Virginia Horse Council’s annual meeting and luncheon during the Virginia Horse Festival in Doswell, Va., on April 2.