|
|
[ back ]
Chagrin riders
(by Candy Lawrence - July 30, 2008)
Chagrin Valley riders
are gaining ground
By CANDY LAWRENCE
It's been a long road for 16-year-old Jennifer Waxman, of Chagrin Falls, as she travels around the country competing at horse shows, but it was at the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic earlier this month where an equestrian epiphany manifested in her own back yard.
Aboard her warmblood gelding Venturo, Jennifer realized a childhood dream by competing in the Cleveland Grand Prix, an event which holds the historic accolade of being the oldest grand prix jumping competition in the United States.
"I ride a lot of horses in a lot of different classes but this is really what it's all about. Riding in the Cleveland Grand Prix was so exciting for me. I wish we didn't have two rails down but then later I thought about it and decided it wasn't so bad after all for this caliber of competition and since I'm so new at it," Jennifer said. "I have such amazing horses and am really lucky."
Jennifer may have placed out of the money in the Cleveland Grand Prix, but she knocked the bridles off the competition throughout the weeklong show. In the $10,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic aboard Outline, a horse she acquired two years ago from veteran grand prix rider Margie Engle, Jennifer cleaned up and finalized in the top slot.
"In the Classic, when I got back on Outline to do the jump-off, my reins were really slippery because it had rained and there was so much humidity. I actually lost my left rein over the last fence. I couldn't hold on to my rein no matter what. It slipped right out of my hand. But it was a good thing because I was thinking we should do one more stride to that last fence but I had nothing to check him with, so he just did what he's supposed to do and it turned out alright," Jennifer said.
"He was my first real jumper and has a little bit of a funny style but he is the sweetest horse I've ever ridden. He would do anything. He's got a heart of gold."
After pocketing the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 championship on Golden Point Farm's Cento and also winning the Small Junior Hunter Championship on John Ingran's Red Panda, Jennifer captured dual Junior Hunter Grand Championships with both horses equally tied.
"I started riding Red Panda at the end of the winter circuit in Florida. He's been around for awhile and was very accomplished before I got him. He just fell into my lap. It's a great opportunity to have a horse like him. Cento is a really fun horse. He's only 7 years old and he was a jumper. His owners are two of the nicest people I've ever met and so supportive. He is an awesome horse and I'm so glad they let me show him," Jennifer said.
After winning second in the hunter phase of the Washington International Horse Show Equitation Classic, and pocketing a first in the jumper phase of the same class, Jennifer and Falcon were the overall winners of the Washington Equitation Classic.
"Falcon is my equitation horse. We do him in the derbies to spice things up for him. It's something fun and different. We had a little bad luck in the derby and only got a fourth. He was pretty excited after the hand gallop in the handy hunter round," said Jennifer, who also piloted Zoom to win the ASPCA Horsemanship class.
Mindy Blackford, of Chagrin Falls, who locked up both championship and reserve honors in the $2,500 North American League WIHS Adult Jumper Classic riding both Foul Play and Gypsy Rose. Aboard Foul Play, Blackford shared a three-way championship with Hidden Creek Farm's Remarkable and Double Diamond owned by SBS Farms Inc.
In the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper division, Russell's Craighead Farm and Sierra Del Sol's Idole Du Chateau shared a three-way tie for championship with national competitors.
The Pony Grand championship went to Stepping Stone Farm's Dragonheart with 14-year-old Leylan Gleeson, of Moreland Hills, at the controls.
"Although my younger daughter, Eve, usually shows this pony, her older sister, Leylan, rode the pony this week because we wanted to solidify his lead changes and Leylan's legs are a bit longer," trainer Cari Gleeson said.
Leylan and Dragonheart also secured the championship in the Small Green Pony hunter division.
In the Large Junior Hunter 15 years and under division, Leylan piloted Stepping Stone Farm's the Golden Compass to reserve championship. The pair also won the Pessoa-U.S. Equestrian Federation National Hunter Seat Medal as well as securing first place in the hunter phase of the WIHS Equitation Classic.
"Golden Compass is an 8-year-old Hanoverian gelding and a nice equitation horse," Leylan said. "He is amazing to ride. He's a little hard on the ground to work with but is getting better When we first got him it took five people to bridle him but now I can do it by myself. He's so awesome. I never want to sell this horse. I never said that before but that's how I feel. I love the equitation classes because they are so fun. They keep you thinking. You have to stay on your toes."
Earlier in the week, Leylan threw caution to the wind and competed against the professionals in the first-year Green Division aboard Practical Magic, earning the pair several credible placings in individual classes. "Practical Magic is the sweetest horse," Leylan said. "She's a Danish warmblood and a real special horse.
The Champion Best Young Horse was won by Fein Tanzen and owned by Victoria Pirko, of Auburn.
Megan Udelson, of Russell, guided Udelson Show Stable's All the Best to reserve championship in the second year Green Working hunter division.
Championship in the Green Pony Medium-Large Hunter division was won by Jenna Petrie aboard No Deal, ahead of Double G Stable's Heart to Resist, ridden by Kristen Dengler, of Concord.
In the Children's Hunter 15-17 year division, Clare Karlovec, of Shaker Heights, guided Show Me Mo to the championship. She also won the Children's Hunter Grand Championship. Both Jenna and Clare train with Scott Petrie.
Another Moment, ridden by Wendy Adelman, of Moreland Hills, captured the Adult Amateur Hunter 36-45 championship. Kelley Corrigan, of Chagrin Falls, piloted South Paw to reserve championship in the Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 division.
In the Children's Hunter 14 years and under division, Bianca Buschor, of Solon, piloted Manhattan, a 10-year-old thoroughbred gelding to reserve championship.
"The first day we didn't do that well," said Bianca, 14, who attends Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights. "We came back the second day and redeemed ourselves. There were a really lot of nice horses. I wasn't really expecting to do that well. My trainer, Karen Lenehan, really helps me. When I come out of the ring, we discuss every single jump in detail and I learned how I can improve my round.
"No one believes Manny is a thoroughbred. He's very stocky and built more like a quarter horse. He's actually really fun to ride and kind of surprises me sometimes. I never know how he's going to act. He could be fresh in the morning or dead in the ring. Every now and then if I do something wrong, like lean to a jump, he'll let me know."
Last month Bianca and her horse won the Chicago NAL Children's Hunter Classic and when she took her lilac lined shadbelly out of the closet this month, memories and anticipation flooded her thoughts.
"We placed ninth at the Children's Hunter Classic here," Bianca said. "I was disappointed, but we'll do better next time. I'm really proud of Manhattan and how far he has taken me, whether we win or not."
Bianca and her horse are leading in the Children's Hunter division of the Ohio Professional Horsemen's Association standings.
"We're currently ranked third in the nation in the Children's Hunter NAL and are qualified for the national finals that will take place in October in Harrisburg, Pa. We are also currently qualified for the Taylor Harris Insurance Services National Children's Medal that I will hopefully compete in this fall as well. I owe all of my success to my trainer, Karen, because she has taken me so far in the short time that I've been with her. She really takes the time to pick out the details in my riding and show me how to improve as well as picking out Manny's strengths and weaknesses."
Paige Weisberg, of Chagrin Falls, rode Boomerang, owned by Claire Weibel, of Troy, to the reserve championship in the Children's Large Pony Hunter Division.
Christie Petrelli, of Russell, guided Pipe Creek Chip N Dale to lock up a reserve championship in the $1,000 Ashland Farm Pony Hunter Classic. The pair also won the Large Pony Hunter championship.
In the $750 NAL-WIHS Children's Hunter Classic, Eva Merela, of Chardon, captured a reserve championship aboard Lord of the Ring.
Candace Lubar, of Shaker Heights, locked up a reserve championship riding Coimbra 5 in the NAL/WIHS Children's Jumper Classic.
Twelve-year-old Chloe Johnson, of Chagrin Falls, piloted Maple Lane Farm's 10-year-old Welsh cross pony, Champlain Clementine, to a reserve championship in the Small Pony Hunter Division.
"I felt really good to win," Chloe said. "My pony is really easy but I have to keep her straight by using both legs and both hands to keep her in the middle. She drifts a little to the left. She lives in my back yard and she's like a pet to me. She's a lot of fun because I've had her a really long time. My mom, Lexi Johnson, trains me at home and we meet up at shows with Peter Fletcher from Magnolia, Texas. He helps me at the shows. I was really excited to win, especially because this show is so close to my house."
[ back ]
|
|
|
