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We are loving our new horses! Waterstone and Alex Ladove won the Low Junior Jumper Classic and Mackenzie Drazan was 4th in the High Junior Jumper Classic with Rusty Girl! Savannah Dukes and Alex Ladove were 1st and 2nd in the USET. Lauren Kay and O’Hara Saint Clair had a beautiful round with just one rail in their Grand Prix Debut!

The last week of the HITS Desert Circuit 2014 was a great one! Once again a lot of medal wins headed by Alexandra Ladove on the USEF Medal, Savanah Dukes in the Jumper phase and Overall WIHS as well as the USET, and Ransome Rombauer with wins in the WIHS Hunter phase and CPHA Foundation.  Shelby Drazan returned with a win the the M&S Medal and Rachel with a win in the CPHA Junior.  Elli Yeager and Mackenzie Drazan were Champion in each of their Equitation age groups.  Ellie was also 2nd in the Low Junior Hunter Classic aboard Aspen. Lauren Kay and Ohara Saint Clair had just 1 time fault in the $25,000 High Amateur Jumper Classic.

Elli Yeager and Ransome Rombauer received awards for both Grand Circuit Champion and 2nd Half Champion in each of their Equitation age groups. Reserve Grand Circuit Champions went to Morgan Dickerson and Alexandra Ladove.

Great finish Team Healey. We have the nicest group of kids and parents as well as an awesome staff of grooms!

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State equestrian senior Samantha Harrison was named Big 12 Equitation on the Flat Rider of the Month for February, the conference announced today.

Harrison competed in three matches this month and was undefeated. Harrison scored an impressive 90 when she defeated Auburn’s Tory Hoft, 90-83. Against TCU, Harrison picked up her fifth win of the season in the event over Caitlin Ader. Her score earned her Most Outstanding Performer honors and it was her second of the season in the discipline.

She was also named National Collegiate Equestrian Association Rider of the Month for January in the equitation on the flat event.

Harrison and the Cowgirls (6-3) take on Texas A&M (2-7) on Saturday, March  8 at 10 a.m. in College Station, Texas, at the Hildebrand Equine Complex.

Reprinted from Oklahoma State Athletics. 

Another great week with tons of wins! Morgan won the Large Junior Hunter Classic once again, Skylar won a section of both the USEF Medal and the Maclay along with a win in the M&S Jr/Am Medal. Alex won a section of the USEF Medal along with the USET. Elli and Alex were each Equitation Reserve Champion in their age groups. Ransome was 3rd in the USET and 2nd to Mitch in a section of the CPHA, Lurana was 2nd in the other section. In the jumpers, Mack was 5th in the High Jumper Classic followed by Morgan in 6th, this was his first High Jumper Classic. So proud of everyone!! More moving up in divisions this week!! Snow on the mountains and temps in the 80s. Feeling very blessed! I love Team Healey!!

Congratulations to all our riders on a great week 4 of the Desert Circuit!

Morgan was Best Junior Rider, Champion in the Junior Hunters 16-17, and won the Classic with Chapel Hill. Ransome won the USET and WIHS jumper phase on Lalonde, took first place in the M&S Jr/Am Medal on Margin Call, won the CPHA Foundation and was Champion Equitation 14-15 with Gaston, and was 7th in the Low Junior Jumper Classic with Bigelo. Elli won the Onondarka, was 3rd in the M&S Jr/Am medal, and was Reserve Champion in the Equitation 11 and Under with BB Quiberon, she also received top ribbons in the Childrens Hunters 13 and Under and was 4th in the Classic with Aspen.

Alex won the USEF, was 2nd in the WCE and 3rd in the USET with Copperfield 39, and won the M&S Jr Medal, and was Reserve Champion in the Equitation 16-17 with Rousseau. Skylar was 2nd in the CPHA Foundation and received top ribbons in the medals with Lamont. Emily Sowski was 3rd in a huge Level 5 class aboard Conroy.

All in all a great week with more to come this weekend! Killian and Emily were both amazing this week helping to prepare the horses, Tasha was her usual fantabulous self, and our guys led by Hector, are simply the best! So blessed to be a part of this team!

The first half of the 2014 HITS Desert Circuit was a complete success!

Salerno was fourth in his first level 7 jumpers in a very long time the first week.  The rest of the jumpers, hunters, and eq horses did well.  Elli Yeager was named Best Child Rider week one. She was Reserve Champion in the 11 and under equitation, Reserve Champion in the 13 and under Children’s Hunters, won the PCHA and was 2nd in the Onondarka with BB Quiberon.  

Savannah Dukes was winner of the WIHS Hunter, Jumper and Overall, won the ASPCA Maclay and was 2nd in the USET with Contelido. She also won the CPHA Junior with Scirocco.  Morgan Dickerson and Chapel Hill were Reserve Champion Large Junior Hunter 16-17 and 2nd in the Large Junior Hunter Classic. Morgan rode Capital One in a double clean round in the $5,000 Medium Junior Jumper Classic.  Stephanie Fanning and Noble Boy were Reserve Champion in the Adult Equitation.

Congratulations to our mid-circuit Champions: Morgan Dickerson and Chapel Hill in the Large Junior Hunters 16-17, and Elli Yeager with BB Quiberon in the Equitation 11 and Under.  Also to all of our Eq and Medal winners, along with great jumper rounds.  We are so proud of everyone moving up and stepping up!

Good luck to everyone on the second half of the circuit!

Karen Healey Stables and Whitethorne Ranch proudly present
The 2013 George Morris Clinic December 13th, 14th, and 15th.

Three groups daily: Group 1 9-11am 4’+ Jumpers, Group 2 11:30-1:30 Adv. Riding 3’6″-3’9″, Group 3 2:30-4:30 3’3″ Equitation.

Riding is $900 for the three days. $200 non-refundable check is due now to hold a spot. Payment in full is due by Nov. 15th. Auditing is $200 for all sessions all days if paid in advance. Otherwise it is $90 per day or $50 per session. Please reserve in advance when possible so we have correct counts for food and seating. There will still be seats available day of. Tables are available for sponsors or can be ordered with a $100 non-refundable check. Group rates are also available, contact Melissa. Breakfast and lunch will be served each day along with beverages and snacks available all day. Anyone interested in sponsoring meals etc. please contact Melissa. All checks should be made out to Karen Healey Stables and mailed to 5349 Longshadow Ct, Westlake Village, CA 91362. Email [email protected] for more info.

Los Angeles, California– After placing second in last year’s Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West, 15-year-old Olivia Champ (Karen Healey and Michelle Morris, trainers) came back to win it all this year. “This is the most fun day at the horse show and the most amazing final in the entire country,” Champ remarked. “This final is really important to me because it really tests you as a rider and it’s all about how you can ride a jumper course. Since I want to continue in jumpers and maybe eventually ride for the U.S. team, winning this final was one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.”

It is often said that consistency wins medal finals, and Champ demonstrated that throughout the final on Lamont (Catherine Boettcher, owner). She led

Olivia Champ (Flying Horse Photography)

the Flat Phase with a score of 90 and held the lead through the Gymnastics Phase. “My dressage training really helped me, especially in the flat and the gymnastics,” Champ commented. “It’s all about the flat work.” As the leader, she had the opportunity to go last in the jumping phase on the grass field and watched as 31 other riders went before her.

The course, set by Guillherme Jorge (Brazil) with input from judges Mandy Porter and Jimmy Torano, asked several questions of the riders who had to navigate a one stride bank, an open water fence, a triple combination, and several related lines. Though most riders and horses handled the course well, the tight time allowed caused time faults for the majority of the riders. “We really wanted the riders to demonstrate their ability to ride and make adjustments,” Porter explained. “The course gave some of them trouble, but others showed they’d learned something from the Gymnastics Phase.”

After the grueling Show Jumping Phase shook up the placings—for all but leader Olivia Champ—the door was open for Erin Fry (Robyn Stiegler, trainer) and her Whisper to move up from eighth and Julia Nagler (Benson Carroll, trainer) on Vendetta (Sheila Sosnow, owner), who had been in sixth place, to join Halie Robinson (Elvenstar Farms, trainer) on My Boy Balou (Rocking D Ranch, owner) and Champ in the top four for the final phase.

For the final phase of the Talent Search, the top four riders each had to ride a shortened course four times: first on their own horse, then again on each of the other three. All riders went into the last phase with a clean slate, so their final performance would be crucial in determining the overall placing. “It was such an amazing group of talented riders and horses in the top four. All of the horses were so different but wonderful to ride,” Champ said. “Once I was in the top four, I just tried to think about going in there and having fun because that’s all you can do. I always try to relax and ride tough.”

“Olivia was the most consistent throughout the phases without a doubt,” Porter explained. “She made no major mistakes in the final phase like the others did.” Torano heartily agreed. “She was a real stylist all the way through. She never cracked; she just kept bringing it and getting the job done.”

Champ did ride tough and consistently on all four horses, as did Fry who has some experience with riding different horses. “I ride for the equestrian team at the University of South Carolina,” Fry explained. “It is pretty difficult to switch horses, especially at this level, but I think it helped to have the experience of riding on the team. We ride a lot of different horses in lessons and in competitions.”

“Erin had a little trouble on the first horse she switched to, but she got better and better throughout the phase,” Torano commented. “She had a nice style on the flat. We think she’ll be one to watch once she gets some more experience.”

Robinson and Nagler rode the final phase well, but each made major mistakes that placed them third and fourth, respectively. “We loved Halie; she’s a very good rider and was another who kept coming in and getting the job done,” Porter added. “We gave her the highest score of the day on Lamont, which was a 90. It was unfortunate she had a cross-canter on Whisper, which dropped her down.”

Fry was thrilled to win second place. “This was my first year doing this class, so I was really looking forward to it,” Fry elaborated. “It just means everything to me and I’m so excited to win the reserve championship. Whisper went through an injury and came back so beautifully and to get to do this with him and have it go so well was unreal.”

Fry has had Whisper for three years and the two have worked through a lot together. “I’ve come such a long way with him. He was my first 3’6” horse and I had a difficult time with him at the beginning,” Fry recalled. “But as the years have gone on, I’ve gotten to know him better and now we know each other inside and out.”

Though she didn’t know Lamont well, Champ was grateful to ride such a talented horse. “Lamont was literally pulled out of a field in Europe, and Catherine, who used to ride with Karen, brought him over about a month ago. He’s never done anything remotely close to this,” Champ explained. “He is the most willing horse. He will do whatever you ask him to.”

“Lamont was definitely the best horse in there, so we gave him the best horse award,” commented Torano.

It was Lamont’s calmness on the grass field on LEG’s Jumper Schooling Day after Gold Coast 6 that convinced Champ to ride him in the finals. “I actually brought my jumper and Lamont to see which horse would take better to the grass field. My jumper was really sensitive about it, so I went with Lamont. I advise anyone who does the Talent Search Final in the future to definitely go to the schooling day because it’s the best way to see if your horse will react well to the grass field.”

Champ had planned on riding her own horse Le Prince in the Talent Search finals, but his recent injury meant she had to find another horse. “I would have so loved to do this final on Le Prince, but I have been so fortunate to be able to ride so many nice horses the last couple of weeks and throughout my career as well. I think that also helped me to adapt to all the different horses during the final round.”

Her win was a triumphant finish to a difficult year. “It’s been a year of ups and down. I was trying to qualify for young riders and it didn’t work out and then my horse got injured,” Champ enumerated. “Karen has been so supportive the whole way through and I can’t thank her enough for everything she’s done for me. She is the most dedicated trainer on the show grounds and is an amazing person.”

Reprinted with permission from the USEF Network.

Showpark Summer Festival was an exciting show for all of our riders.  Hannah Selleck and Barla took 3rd place in their second Grand Prix – two Grand Prix and two clear rounds!  Kelsey Gray and Scirocco were 3rd in the Low Jr/Am Jumper Classic and she was 3rd with Count Chumley in the 1.10m Jumper Classic.  Morgan Dickerson and Shelby Drazan were both double clear in the Children’s Jumper Classic.  In the eq ring Gemma Geist and Emily Maclean (both co-trained by Devon Gibson) were Champion and Reserve Champion in the 14 & Under division.  Gemma also won the USEF and CPHA Foundation medals.  In the 15-17 division Shelby was Champion and Savannah Dukes took home 1st and 2nd place ribbons in the over-fences.  Morgan was 2nd in the WIHS Jumper Phase.

It was a thrilling and successful week for the KHS students.  The riders and parents were understanding and supportive when Karen was unable to be there.  We do have the best group of people!  There was a lot to celebrate:  Morgan and Shelby had birthdays, and our team rocked the equitation!  KHS students took home ribbons for 1st and 2nd in the USET; 1st in the USEF; 2nd and 3rd in the ASPCA Maclay; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the WCE; 2nd in the CPHA; 1st through 5th in the WIHS Jumper phase; and 1st through 4th overall!  Emily was Champion in the 14 & under equitation and won the THIS medal, Morgan successfully moved up to the Modified Jr/Am Jumpers, and Mackenzie beat all the pros in the 1.35m speed class.  Kelsey and Count Chumley were 2nd in the 1.10m Jumper Classic (darn that Lane Clark!).  All in all, a terrific show!

What an amazing week it was! Olivia Champ was 2nd to Jenny Karazissis in the $15,000 Del Mar National Horse Show Equitation Championship, and she also won the Shallanno Style of Riding Award.  Alexis Graves won the WIHS Medal and came in 4th place in the Equitation Championship.

Morgan Dickerson was champion in the younger section of the Large Junior Hunters, won the Stash the Cash trophy for high point 13-15, was 2nd place in the Junior Hunter Classic, and took 3rd place in the WIHS Medal.  Killian Mcgrath celebrated her birthday by winning the $5,000 Celebrity Ride and Drive, and placed 3rd in the 1.25M Jumper Classic with Georgy Maskrey-Segesman’s new horse Cascoretto.  Hannah Selleck was Reserve Champion with Ria in the 1.30M Jumpers after winning the first class.  Lauren Kay and the 18-year-old Siendifie were 4th in the $3,500 High Junior/ Amateur Owner Classic, as well as 4th in the $10,000 Junior/ Amateur Owner Grand Prix.  Savannah Dukes won the WCE Medal aboard Perhaps, owned by Emily Sowski. Leina King was 2nd in the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal and Gemma Geist (co-trained by Devon Gibson) won the THIS Medal.  Kristi Siam and Boneparte Z were 1st and 2nd in the Amateur Owner Working Hunters and rode to a 3rd place finish in the Classic.

With our incredible group of clients and great horses, life is good!