Show News & Results

2007 Jump Orders/Results by Date Numerical Jump Orders/Results

• Pennsylvania National Horse Show Shakes Up the Schedule for Its 62nd Year
• Pavarotti Sings in NAL Open Jumper Speed Final
• Kimberly McCormack Wins Medal Finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show
• Zone 10 Wins Prix de States at Pennsylvania National Horse Show
• Quick Study Scores Big Jump
• Ward Wins Gambler's Choice
• Upset for Upchiqui
• Three Times a Lady
• 2006 Show Recap
• 1999-2007 Show Results

Pennsylvania National Horse Show Shakes Up the Schedule for Its 62nd Year

Venerable national horse shows like the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, held October 18-27 at the Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA, are all about tradition. Much of the thrill of winning one of the 11 national championships decided at the show is joining the lists of equestrian greats in whose footsteps winning riders follow. So, year after year, competitors can almost set their watches by checking what's in the ring.

Until now, the $65,000 Budweiser Grand Prix de Penn National, the show's signature event, has traditionally led off the final night of the show. In 2007, the Grand Prix – one of the most coveted events in show jumping and the hour that decides the American Grandprix Association horse and rider of the year – will be the last class of the competition's ten day run. The Grand Prix will be preceded by championship classes for hunters, jumpers, draft horses, and American Saddlebreds, which will run almost continuously from 8 am to about 8 pm, when the horn will sound for the country's top riders to enter the ring for the show's biggest event.

Between the show's opening horn at 8 am Thursday, October 18 and the Grand Prix's exciting conclusion, nearly 1,200 of the finest American and international show horses and riders will compete at the show, America's largest indoor multi-breed horse show and one of the equestrian world's premier events. $340,000 in prize money is offered. Tens of thousands of horse enthusiasts from throughout the region and across the US will enjoy the unparalleled competition, special attractions, excellent shopping, and the opportunity to watch the cream of equestrian sports in action.

The same top riders, many of them Olympic, World Cup and Pan Am Games medalists, who compete in the $65,000 Grand Prix Saturday night, spend nearly a week at the show contesting a number of horses. Each evening session, Tuesday through Friday, October 23-26, opens with an exciting jumper class.

The Pennsylvania National begins with four days of competition for junior riders under age 18. Among the eleven national championships decided at the PNHS is the Adequan/USEF National Junior Jumper Championships. Held Friday night, October 19, the competition is the only USA Junior Olympics-Equestrian jumping event and one (more) of three legs of competition for these talented young riders. On Sunday, October 21, more than 200 young equestrians ride for hunter equitation's pinnacle, the prestigious Pessoa/USEF National Hunter Seat Medal Final. Thirty percent of past winners have gone on to represent the US in international competition. More than 1,000 qualifying classes are held at recognized competitions, resulting in about 400 qualifiers.

For the sixth year, the Pennsylvania National Horse Show will host the National Horse Show ‘Good Hands' Saddle Seat Equitation Championship, which was held for 70 years at the National Horse Show in New York City. In addition, the PNHS will host the American Saddlebred Horse Association Northeastern Regional Championships, awards for the top American Saddlebred horses from the northeastern US region that stretches from Virginia to Maine, and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Saddle Seat Equitation Challenge. The PNHS is also the site of the North American League championships for adult and children's hunters and jumpers, open jumper speed horses and pony jumpers.

A week of varied equestrian competition begins Monday, October 22, as mid-Atlantic foxhunters gather for Hunt Night, an evening of friendly rivalry. Spectators will be treated to an amazing variety of equestrian athleticism Wednesday through Saturday, October 24-27 with competition for graceful hunters, thrilling jumpers, high-stepping American Saddlebreds, thundering draft horses, easy-going western horses, and speedy roadster horses and ponies.

The World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales will make an appearance each evening, Wednesday through Saturday, October 24-27. Families can treat the kids to free pony rides and other activities on Saturday, October 20 and Friday, October 26, when one child 12 and under is admitted free with a paying adult.

Shopping is so popular with both spectators and competitors that many visit the show mainly to shop. More than 50 vendors offer hours of shopping for exclusive apparel, furniture, fine arts, gifts, equestrian supplies and much more.

Since its inception in 1945, the event has raised $1.5 million for youth literacy, educational, therapeutic and recreational programs through the Harrisburg Kiwanis Youth Foundation and the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation.

October 18-23, general admission is $12 or $7 for seniors and children ages 12 and under. October 24-27, general admission is $18. Tickets are $10 for children and seniors October 24-26. No discounts are available Saturday, October 27. Reserved premium seating is available Grand Prix Night, Saturday, October 27, and tickets range from $20 to $45. The show begins at 8 am or earlier each day and continues through the evening every day but Sunday, Oct. 21, when it ends around 7 pm. For a FREE brochure or more information phone (717) 770-0222 or visit www.panational.org.

(Photos, interviews and press passes are available: Please contact steph@paequestrian.com)

Pavarotti Sings in NAL Open Jumper Speed Final

Pavarotti outshone an illustrious field to win the $25,000 NAL Open Jumper Speed Finals at the 62nd PA National Horse Show. Seventh on course, Todd Minikus had the advantage of watching other riders and he used it. He and Pavarotti turned in the second clean round a whopping 7 seconds faster than Overlook Farms' Carnivale.

"I really didn't think my time would hold," said Minikus afterwards. "I really thought it might get us third or fourth. The course was good; for raw speed, it wasn't big, but you had to extend your horse and bring them back several times and that takes a toll on the horses and riders. I actually didn't think we executed some of the rollbacks very well…"

Guilherme Jorge's course featured an opening jump with a not-too-sharp left turn followed a strong left bend and a hairpin right to the fourth fence, a combination. Out of the combination was a gallop, bending left again to a vertical and left hand hairpin to a narrow jump. Horses galloped on to the right for combination of a4'9" high by 4'7" wide oxer and 4'9" vertical less than a stride away. Several horses made turns but arrived in front of the fences unprepared to jump and, so they didn't. A refusal adds time to your score but two, eliminate you.

Pavarotti handled it quite well enough considering the night before, he lost by a single stride to finish second. It was clearly satisfying, to Minikus, to come back on top. Pavarotti, a chestnut gelding is called "Super Runt," because he is diminutive—a bit more than 15 hands. "But," said Minikus, "he doesn't notice, he knows he's special. I've had him about a year and he did well on the European Circuit this summer. He came back nicely after a fall at the Pan Am Games to win in Sao Paulo a week or so later."

Second place went to Leslie Howard aboard S'Blieft Group's Youp who despite an electrifying round was nearly a full second slower than Pavarotti. Beezie Madden with Onlight was third, three-tenths of a second off Youp's pace. Overlook Farm Inc.'s Carnivale and Kimberly Prince finished fourth.

Of the 24 contestants, only six went clear. The course definitely demanded riders control their mounts. Tonight, the $65,000 Budweiser Prix de Penn National headlines the finale of the 10-day equine extravaganza. Some of the same horses and all of the riders will have a go at this Grand Prix. The evening session begins at 7 pm, tickets are available for unreserved seating.

Thursday, October 26, 2007

Quick Study Scores Big Jump

Thirty-two horses took the $25,000 PA Big Jump challenge – 16 jumps of more than 5 feet -- at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show Thursday night, October 25. Surprisingly, 15 put in clear rounds to qualify for the seven obstacle timed jump-off. Todd Minikus aboard Pavarotti led the way both rounds. In the jump-off, they appeared to have squeezed out every last second with a final time of 29.32 seconds. Four horses tried to match Pavarotti's performance before Quick Study, ridden by Lauren Hough raised the stakes.

The 8-year-old French-bred bay gelding took Pavarotti's high note and dropped it along with a single stride going into the final fence to cut three-tenths of a seconds off their round. That tiny change made the difference. Only the final contestant, Raimond with Leslie Howard up broke the 30 second, despite the audience's enthusiastic urging.

Quick Study, at 8, is young to this discipline, but Hough has very high hopes for Lauren Mateo's horse. "This is his biggest win to date," she said. "He's growing up quickly. He could not have gone better tonight. Todd got seven strides into the last fence and we took six.

"The first round was a little soft, perhaps, though I was happy with it. Usually there are fewer horses going clean in the first round, but this is a strong group of horses and the size didn't seem to faze them. Course Designer Guilherme Jorge is a good designer. I expect the Grand Prix Saturday will be a lot more difficult," she said.

This was Hough's second time winning the PA Big Jump at Harrisburg, though it's been more than 10 years.

In winning she defeated Olympians from both the United States and Canada, the top American Grand Prix Association rider as well as several upstart just-out-of-juniors jumper riders.

Many of them, including Minikus, will return for Saturday's rematch in the $65,000 Budweiser Prix de Penn National. Friday evening features the North American League (NAL) Open Jumper Speed Final at 7 pm.

Kimberly McCormack Wins Medal Finals at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show

Nearly 300 young riders earned the privilege to compete for the coveted USEF/Pessoa Hunter Seat Equitation Medal Final. They represented the best equitation riders from 34 states, British Columbia, Ontario and the District of Columbia. Despite an early lead being held throughout the daylong competition, the winner, Kimberly McCormack of Clermont, NJ, emerged from the final 42 riders.

"Her round was fantastic, just great," said Judge Geoff Teal of Wellington, FL. "Her round just stood out." After 251 rounds, that's saying something. Twenty-nine horses and riders returned to jump another round. The course layout was the same, but the jumps had changed in particular spots.

"Our goal was to create a course that would sort the riders," said Teal. "You had to have a good first round, even a small error cost the riders a chance to have a second round." By changing the type of jumps, the judges were testing the riders' abilities to control and guide their mounts into fences that required different styles of jumping.

"When you have a group whose basics are as good as this whole group, it's hard to design a course that is comfortable, won't demoralize, still separates the riders but does offer all competitors some ‘homework,' said Julie Winkel, Reno, NV, the other judge. "There were only three falls – one in each round."

McCormack was glad to ride late. That's where she's ridden the last three years here at Harrisburg. "It gave me a chance to relax and watch how the other riders rode the course. The two rounds suited my horse really well—he prefers to turn to the left and there were more left turns. He has a big stride, but can adjust well. The second trip demanded you rate for the fences differently." Clearly McCormack and Sundance were up to the task.

Even Missy Clark, McCormack's trainer, was a little surprised by the apparently simple changes. "Initially, I thought "this is weird, but then I came to understand. The courses were interesting and innovative. Both courses had options for the riders to take," she said, "and, that makes for great courses."

Instead of asking competitors to trade mounts, which, according to Teal, has become almost standard, he and Winkel asked the riders to do a short course focusing on transitions: lead changes, counter canters, halts and trotting over fences. In short, testing the actual control the rider had.

Again McCormack rose to the challenge. "The pressure was on her," said Teal, "it was hers to lose. She didn't."

Hannah Selleck of Thousand Oaks, CA, took Reserve and was quite pleased. "I was nervous. This is the first year of Equitation competition for her horse. I was happy keeping him in. Her plan for the final round---come into the first fence ‘brightly.'"

Tina Dilandri, the third place finisher, was thrilled. "Last year I crashed through most of the course, so this was a definite improvement. I liked the courses. They were challenging enough; but, if you planned and rode it well, it came out well."

Plc	Rider	City, State
1	Kimberly McCormack	Clermont, NJ
2	Hannah Selleck	Thousand Oaks, CA
3	Tina Dilandri	LaJolla, CA
4	Shelby Wakeman	Westlake Village, CA
5	Addison Phillips	New York, NY
6	Jacqueline Lubrano	Glenmoore, PA
7	Emma Lipman	Bedford, NY
8	Jennifer Waxman	Chagrin Falls, OH
9	Mallory Olson	Newport Coast, CA
10	Sophie Verges	Berkley, CA
11	Saer Coulter	San Francisco, CA

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Zone 10 Wins Prix de States at Pennsylvania National Horse Show

"That's long enough—11 years" the riders from Zone 10 (CA, NV) seemed to say, as they ran away with the $7,500 Adequan/USEF Prix de States Junior Jumper Team Championship at the PA National Horse Show. Following the World Cup model, the top four riders from each of 10 geographic zones in North America ride as a team, combining their scores from two trips around the same course.

Pressure for these young riders? "Yes, there is," said 16-year-old Aurora Griffin of Westlake Village, CA. "If you knock down a rail, you disappoint three other people instead of just yourself." Griffin aboard the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood Tucker, kicked-started the competition by riding first.

"As the first rider on the team, it's your job to set the pace. Going clean, I set the pace for the entire class. I'm excited." Griffin had good cause, Tucker turned in two perfect rounds. "The course design with its tight turns and shorter lines was an advantage for him. He likes to get in deep to his fences and he's got enough motor in him not to lose speed on the turns. He really enjoys this, the more excited he gets the more he puts into his jumps and, the more he wrings his tail," she said.

Teammate Tina Dilandri, 15, of La Jolla, CA, was just ecstatic with her horse, Chanel 292. This is her first year riding in the Junior Jumper Division and she met her goal -- to get around with only one fault each round. Paris Sellon and Karl Cook were the final two riders for Zone X. Sellon, of Beverly Hills, and Cordelia B were clean both rounds and Karl Cook on Notorious Utopia didn't have to ride his second round for Zone 10 to claim victory.

Zones 4 (AL, FL, GA, MS, TN, SC) and 5 (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH) were in second and third respectively going into round two. Separated by a single time fault, Zone 4 represented by Julianna Fischer, Taylor Land, Ann Walker and Corthie Wetherill held on to that margin through the second round, saving Wetherill's horse River his final tour.

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Ward Wins Gambler's Choice

If you play your cards right, like McLain Ward did in the $10,000 Gem Twist Gambler's Choice, you could win. For Ward, his hand is his daring and skill combined with his hold card -- Larioso. The bay Selle Francais gelding, owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock, dealt with the 11 options with due alacrity, acquiring a high score of 990 prior to successfully clearing the final fence, the 1.4 meter Joker. The pair scored 1190 points to shiver past Leslie Howard at 1180 and Todd Minikus at 1170.

"He's a very fast horse," said Ward. "And, he's very careful. He won this class at Washington two weeks ago. I wanted to get his confidence up and prep him for Saturday's Grand Prix. Doing this class makes the horse concentrate."

"My plan was to keep it simple. Sometimes, if you get too fancy, you can shoot yourself in the foot," he said. Also he acknowledged that Laura Chapot, speed fiend exemplar, was not in the class, which made it easier.

The Gambler's Choice allows each competitor to customize a course of fences for their horse. The value of the fence depends upon the difficulty either in height or width. Riders know what the values are and have a final opportunity to bet 200 points that their mount can clear the highest fence. Of course, if the Joker is lowered, so too is the score. All three top finishers chose and cleared the Joker, so the difference in their rounds was route and speed.

For Howard on Lady in Red 4, she was pleased. "My horse did everything I asked her to do. Ward was just faster," she said.

Minikus was pleased with Ultimo Van Ter Moude's effort. The flashy gray stallion lashed his tail as well as kicked out between fences and even added a few half bucks. He seemed like bottled lightening—yearning for more speed, bigger fences than his rider thought best. Still, his performance was exciting for all his sass.

Several just-out-of-junior amateurs bellied up to this table and played great cards.

Hillary Dobbs, winner of the Junior Jumper Individual Championship last year, turned in two rounds with final scores of 1150 to earn prize money for both. Of the 19 entries all but two chose the try the Joker. Only three were not successful and two others took too long to jump it and despite clearing it, the score did not count.

Upset for Upchiqui

Riding early in the competition can be a disadvantage. Not for 26-year-old Kent Farrington on UpChiqui who won the $65,000 Budweiser Prix de Penn National going away. Eleven horses qualified for the jump-off from a field of 32. Farrington decided he wasn't going to back off.

Full galloping the length of the arena from a high spread, he turned taking another oxer of nearly 5' at a surgically slim angle, wheeling around at the ring's end to hurtle over a vertical and open gallop back down the ring to launch over the last oxer. It electrified the crowd. He stopped the clock at 37.24 seconds. Now the wait started, nine others were aiming at his time.

"McLain Ward with Larioso is always fast. So is Beezie Madden especially on Authentic, so I didn't think my time would hold," he said, "but Alex Warner and I decided to take a shot. If I took a rail down, then I took a rail, but at least I was going for it."

Madden dropped a rail and became the fastest for the 4-faulters. Ward riding last was definitely in the hunt. Charging round the ring, executing near pirouettes to cut corners, he opened up between the final two fences. Larioso's ears were pinned and the crowd was cheering when Ward checked a couple of strides out from the fence.

Whether he did it because he wanted Larioso's full attention or if he saw the distance as slightly off, the price was steep. Larioso cleared the final jump, but the clock stopped at 38.17, 9/10ths of a second slower than Upchiqui.

Guillerme Jorge's course sorted the field clearly, despite the number of clean first rounds. Seven contestants retired before finishing the course. The middle vertical of the triple combination was lowered by an inch or so which made a difference, according to Farrington.

"My horse is full of energy. He has a big heart and seems willing to jump as bigger and bigger fences. I have a great team behind me: my owners, Boone/Dobbs/McNerney/Bass as well as Alex Warner. It was just awesome. Another night it might have gone the other way, but not tonight."

Farrington moves on to Syracuse with the Prix de Penn National, a World Cup Qualifier under his belt.

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Three Times a Lady

She came, she rode, she conquered the entire Pony Division at the 62nd Annual Pennsylvania National Horse Show. According to Peter Doubleday, show manager for the past 20 years, this was a first.

The recently turned 11, Lillie Keenan is a bit like Goldilocks: slip of a girl with long blond braids and a big smile. She brought her green, small pony, Pink Floyd. Hoping he would gain experience “for next year,” she wasn't surprised when he didn't place in his first class. After all, he only started showing a year ago. He won the next round, 4th in the third class and was 6th on the flat. She was very excited that he had done so well. And, in the process, they also won the Small Pony Division.

Lillie wasn't finished. For the medium ponies, she was riding the seasoned Enchanted Forest, who won the 2006 Medium Pony Division. Under Lillie's guidance, he repeated his winning ways. “He's really comfortable and fun. He is smooth and even in his movement,” she said. “That is when he's not trying to fall asleep on my shoulder.” Lillie is only 2 inches taller than Forest. Lillie and Forest won the Medium Pony Division.

Still hungry for competition, Lillie took her game to the Large Pony Division as well. This time riding Vanity Fair, who stands two inches taller than her. She just cleaned the Harrisburg house winning the Large Pony Division, too.

In the Large Pony Division, she was riding against riders with up to eight years more experience. These are riders who may have qualified for the Equitation Medal Finals and they are just bigger and stronger riders for bigger and stronger ponies. This disparity is what makes Lillie's accomplishment so remarkable. Even more astounding is this is the second time this year Lillie has swept all three pony divisions of a major Horse Show. She also won, riding the same trio of ponies, the Pony Finals in Lexington this past August.

Lillie, a New York City native, rides with Heritage Farms of Katonah, NY and has for five years. The trip to the barn takes between an hour and two each way, twice a day. Her mother, Pamela Carmichael Keenan, understands. She, also, showed and won at Harrisburg and the other top indoor circuit shows.

Horses are not Lillie's only interest. She plays piano and danced ballet twice in the NYC Nutcracker. Her older sister is a dancer in the New York City Ballet and her brother plays hockey for Harvard University, a Division 1 school. She attends Spence Academy, picking up her homework for Fridays on Thursday and doing it on the drive to the barn.

She did choose to drop the dance in favor of horses, but still does gymnastics at Chelsea Pier once a week.

Why? “Because I think it helps me and I like it,” she says with a big smile and recounts a recent time when her stumbled, pitching her off and she landed a reasonable front layout. This triple Championship is a nice close to a good year. She may take some new ponies to some local shows before heading to Florida in late January.

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