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Karen Healey Stables showed at the Oaks Blenheim Spring Classic III this past week on April 7-12, 2009. Many of the riders did well this week including 16-year-old Jocelyn Neff of Newport Beach, CA, who won the $10,000 ASG Software Solutions/USHJA International Hunter Derby with her horse Allegro.

“It was very exciting,” Neff said of her win. “It was really nice because it was my horse’s first show back after nine months off and it was like his debut.”

Neff has owned Allegro for a year and a half and has only ridden the Westphalian gelding for about three of those months after an injury put him on the sidelines for most of the past year. It was great for the young rider to have her horse come back and do so well.

The Hunter Derby course that Neff and Allegro won over had a very unique element that involved the horses and riders jumping out of the ring. “When I first walked the course I thought it was insane to jump out of the ring, but then we practiced jumping in and out of the warm up ring, and I just pointed my horse at the fence and he jumped right over it,” Neff recalled. “I jumped from dirt to grass back and forth and went straight to a four-foot oxer and he didn’t even care, so I went into the ring feeling really confident.”

“It was so much fun and he was really, really brave,” Neff continued. “He is really comfortable and he is a beautiful mover, which made him really nice in the Hunter Derby. He is really easy to ride, he jumps really well, and he is really eager to please. He wants to do anything I ask him to do, and he is very intelligent. You look in his eye and he understands what I’m thinking, and he just trusts me to lead him through the course safely.”

Neff has been training with Karen Healey for a year and a half and praised the trainer for helping her prepare Allegro before the Hunter Derby class. “She does a great job training my horses. She got on Silver that morning before the class and he was so soft and so ready to go, which makes me feel more confident when I am riding him,” Neff acknowledged. “Karen is really honest. She won’t sugarcoat anything; she will always tell you what you did and why it happened, and I really like that. She gets right to the point, and it makes it easier to fix things.”

Navona Gallegos also competed in the Hunter Derby class and placed tenth with her horse Class Action.

There was a $35,000 Grand Prix that two of Karen Healey’s riders competed in this week. Kasey Ament rode Siendefie in the grand prix and placed fourth and Samantha Harrison and Santika made their grand prix debut and placed tenth.

The $5,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic saw top finishes from Navona Gallegos and Lauren Kay. Gallegos placed first in the class with Drossana and third with her horse Acrobat. Lauren Kay showed Damiro 21 and placed fifth.

Navona Gallegos showed her horse Cortes 7 in the equitation classes this week and did very well. Gallegos and Cortes 7 placed first in Pessoa/USEF National Hunter Seat Medal, first in the Equitation 15-17 over fences, third in the Equitation 15-17 under saddle, third in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Medal, and third in the CPHA Foundation Medal.

Hunter Derby winner Jocelyn Neff showed in the jumper and equitation divisions this week as well. Neff competed in the $5,000 Open Jumper Classic with Blue Shot Baco and place fourth. Neff also competed in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search and placed fourth, the CPHA Junior/Amateur Medal and placed second, and was fifth overall in the WIHS Equitation Classic.

Kasey Ament showed several horses in the jumpers this week. Ament won championship honors riding Roma M in the 1.30m Jumpers after placing first in two division classes. In the 1.35m Jumpers Ament rode Zico 13 to a second place finish, Acrobat to a fifth place finish, and Octavia to a fourth place finish. In the 1.25m Jumpers Ament placed fourth with Thallassa, and she showed Siendefie to a third place ribbon in the 1.40m Jumpers.

Alex Block showed both All That and Walk the Line in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division. Riding All That, Block placed second, third, fourth, and sixth in the division’s classes and with Walk the Line she was third, fourth, fifth and sixth. Hannah Bibb also showed in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division this week with Regatton, and placed second, fifth, sixth, and sixth.

Kristi Siam and her horse Krosus showed one day this week and did very well. The pair place fourth in the Equitation 18 and Over under saddle, first in the Equitation 18 and Over over fences, first in the USEF Adult Medal, and third in the CPHA Medal.

Demi Stiegler placed second in the Equitation 15-17 under saddle, second in the WIHS Equitation Classic jumper phase, and was fourth overall in the WIHS.

Carol Bird showed her horse Mambo in this week’s $2,000 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic and placed fifth. Kylee Arbuckle showed Lord Conda G and placed first in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Medal and third in the CPHA Foundation Medal. Yvette Harris placed fifth over fences in the Limit Equitation.

Karen Healey Stables will compete next at the Showpark Spring Classic and Flintridge Children’s Horse Shows on April 23-26.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

The horses and riders of Karen Healey Stables competed in San Juan Capistrano, CA, this week at the Blenheim Equisports Spring Tournament. The competition ran from March 25-29 and featured winning rides from some of Karen Healey’s top students.

Tina DiLandri was very successful riding Patricia Applegate’s horse Teddy this past week. DiLandri and Teddy showed in the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division, placing first in the under saddle and third in all four classes over fences.

DiLandri catch rides Teddy for the Applegate family, and this was her second time showing the horse since competing during the third week of the HITS Desert Circuit in Thermal, CA.

“He was fantastic for me in Thermal; he was reserve champion there,” DiLandri stated. “This week was the second time that I have shown him, and he was great. He is a slow, lopey, really nice hunter. He just floats across the ground and he has a fantastic jump; he always tucks his head between his knees.”

Seventeen-year-old DiLandri is from Scottsdale, AZ, and has been training with Karen Healey for four years now. “Karen is a great trainer,” DiLandri acknowledged. “She puts pressure on you to do well, but it’s just enough that when you go into the ring, you know that it is time to perform. I love that about her, and she really knows everything about what to do with the horses and how to prepare them; she is really knowledgeable in the equestrian world.”

Another rider out of Karen Healey Sables to do very well at Blenheim this week was Hannah Selleck. Hannah Selleck showed three of Descanso Farm’s horses. Selleck showed Bella in the Equitation 18 and Over and placed first and second in the division’s classes. She also rode Bella in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search and placed sixth. Another ride for Selleck was aboard Tosca. Selleck and Tosca placed first and fourth in the Low Junior Amateur-Owner Jumpers and won the $5,000 Junior Amateur/Owner Jumper Classic. Selleck’s third ride was with Bauer, and the pair placed sixth in the $2,000 Low Junior Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic.

Demi Stiegler showed in the Small and Large Junior Hunter 15 and Under divisions. Stiegler placed first in the under saddle and first, fourth, and fifth over fences in the Small Junior Hunter 15 and Under with Violet Hill, owend by Citrus Hill Farms, LLC. Stiegler also showed in the Large Junior Hunter 15 and Under with Classified, owned by Virginia Fout, and placed sixth.

Alexis Graves showed her horse Posh in the equitation and hunter divisions this week. Graves showed Posh to second and third place ribbons in the Equitation 14 and Under. The pair also received third and sixth place ribbons in the Children’s Hunter 13 and Under and placed fourth in the Children’s Hunter Classic.

Other top finishers for Karen Healey Stables at the Blenheim Spring Tournament included Tammy Chipko and Dylan Kornbluth. Tammy Chipko showed her horse Wonderful in the 5 & 6 Year-Old Young Jumpers, placing sixth. Chipko also showed John Endicott’s horse Tollstoi and placed first in the USEF Adult Medal and sixth in the 1.10m Jumpers. Dylan Kornbluth showed Faldero, owned by Plaid Ranch, LLC, and won the blue ribbon in the 0.09m Jumpers.

Karen Healey Stables will compete again this week at the second series of the Blenheim Equisports Spring Tournament, which runs March 1 through March 5.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

Karen Healey Stables had a successful winter show season with multiple wins and top placings throughout the HITS Thermal Desert Circuit’s eight weeks of competition. The horses and riders out of Karen Healey Stables showed from February 23 through March 22 in Thermal, CA, and were at the top of the circuit’s championship standings after the show’s conclusion.

Kasey Ament rode Alexandra Block’s horse Walk the Line throughout the Thermal Circuit’s eight weeks of competition. The pair placed consistently well each week and was overall circuit reserve champion of the Adequan Hunter division at the show’s conclusion. Ament and Walk the Line were champion of the Adequan Hunter division during week four and received top placings throughout the rest of the circuit.

Alexa Anthony showed her horse Vogue, owned by Potcreek Meadow Farm, in the Equitation 14-15 division throughout the circuit and ended up tied for reserve champion at the conclusion of the series. Anthony and Vogue won the championship honors during week six and seven and placed very well in the equitation classes throughout the other weeks of competition.

Drossana, owned by John Huggins was reserve champion of the High Junior Jumpers for the Thermal circuit standings. Junior rider Navona Gallegos out of Karen Healey Stables showed Drossana during the eight weeks of competition for the mare’s circuit win. Gallegos and Drossana did well throughout the series, and were champion of the High Junior Jumper division during weeks two and six.

Several of Karen Healey’s other riders placed high in the HITS Thermal Desert Circuit Standings for the 2009 series. Addy Graves finished sixth in the standings in the Equitation 12-13 with Dante, Hannah Bibb finished fourth in the Equitation 16-17 with Regatton, and Tina DiLandri and R.S.V.P. finish sixth in the standings for the Equitation 16-17.

Karen Healey Stables is now competing at the Blenheim Spring Tournament on March 25 through 29 in San Juan Capistrano, CA.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

Karen Healey Stables of Westlake Village, CA, had its horses and riders in top form as they competed during week four of competition at the HITS Desert Circuit. Winning leading rider titles, division championships, and big money classes, Karen Healey Stables continued to top the competition.

Kristi Siam, of Chatsworth, CA, was very successful in Thermal this week, winning the award for Best Adult Rider and riding her horse Krosus to the Low Amateur-Owner Hunter reserve championship. Siam and Krosus placed second, second, and third in the division’s individual classes. The pair also placed first in the Ariat National Adult Medal, second in the Foxfield Medal, and third in the USEF Adult Medal.

Siam just recently purchased Krosus and brought him over from Germany in mid-November with the help of Karen Healey. “This is really our very first horse show attempt, and his first time adapting to horse shows in this country. He is just a wonderful guy,” Siam said of the five year-old Oldenburg gelding. “He is very relaxed, very even and rhythmic, and he wants to please. He is an absolute pleasure to ride, and I feel very lucky to have him as mine.”

“As an older amateur rider, getting a five year-old is not always an easy task because of what young horses are about, and so far this horse has been an absolute dream for me,” Siam continued. “When he first got here, Karen worked so beautifully with him and with me, to get us accustomed to each other and to get him accustomed to his new job.”

Siam has been riding and showing with Karen Healey for five years and is very grateful to have the help of such an upper echelon team of professionals. That help is what has led her to be so successful competing in Thermal, and she has really enjoyed herself.

“The Thermal show is very well-run, and the footing is great,” Siam commented. “The classes start when they are supposed to, and you can check the night before for the posted order of when you should be going. You can count on that, which I am very appreciative of. The footing has also been very good in both the warm-up areas and the show rings, and the team there is very diligent in trying to keep it maintained and well-groomed.”

Siam was just one of several riders to achieve championship wins for Karen Healey Stables this week. Rider Navona Gallegos also won a reserve championship during the competition. Gallegos rode her horse Cortes 7 to a tie for the reserve champion win in the Equitation 16-17. Gallegos and Cortes 7 won the first place ribbon in the Equitation 16-17 under saddle and also went on to place first in the USEF Talent Search Medal, first in the CPHA Hunter Seat Junior Medal, second in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Medal, and fifth in the USEF Hunter Seat Medal. Gallegos also rode Cortes 7 to a first place win in the jumper phase of the WIHS Equitation Classic, coming in third place overall. With Acrobat, owned by Bar X Ranch, LLC, Gallegos was also eighth in the Low Junior Jumpers.

Samantha Harrison was reserve champion of the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division riding Laura Wasserman’s horse Overseas. Overseas and Harrison won a first, three seconds, and a fourth place ribbon in the individual classes and were also fourth in the $1,000 Large Junior Hunter Classic.

Harrison had success with Patricia Applegate’s horse Teddy this week as well. Teddy and Harrison competed in the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 division, placing first in the under saddle and sixth, second, fourth and third over fences. The pair was third in the $1,000 Small Junior Hunter Classic. Harrison competed in the equitation classes this week riding Ampy Benach’s horse, Leon. Harrison and Leon placed fifth in the WCE Junior/Amateur Medal, fifth in the Central Equine Medal, and were sixth overall in the WIHS Equitation Classic after a fourth place finish in the hunter phase and a sixth place finish in the jumper phase.

Another reserve championship for Karen Healey Stables came from Kasey Ament, who rode Walk the Line, owned by Alexandra Block, to first and second place wins in the Adequan Hunter division. Ament competed with several horses in the jumper divisions this week. She rode Sjapoo, owned by Julianna Ball, to a second place finish in the Level 4 Jumpers. Ament rode Chris Surbey’s horse Siendefie to a fourth place finish in the Hidden Creek Farm Level 6 Jumpers and a fifth place finish in the $1,000 Level 6 Jumper Classic.

Jocelyn Neff rode several horses to top placings during this week’s competition. Neff rode Lord Loxley, owned by Liza Finsness, to third place in the CPHA Hunter Seat Junior Medal, fourth place in the USEF Hunter Seat Medal, sixth place in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Medal, and sixth place in the Equitation 16-17 under saddle.

Neff also rode in the equitation classes with Karen Healey’s horse, Safira 9. They placed first overall in the WIHS Equitation Classic after placing first in the hunter phase and second in the jumper phase. Neff and Safira 9 were eighth in the USEF Talent Search Medal.

Neff rode two horses in the jumpers this week; Golden Flip finished in fifth place in the High Junior Jumper division and fifth in the $10,000 Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic. Neff rode Blue Shot Baco, owned by Donna Neff, to a sixth place finish in the $5,000 Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic.

Mackenzie Baker competed in the jumper and equitation division this week. In the jumpers, Baker rode Kona, owned by Thea Disney, to third and seventh place finishes in the Modified Junior Jumper classes and a fourth place finish in the $4,000 Modified Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic. Baker rode Safira 9 as well, placing third in the Central Equine Junior Medal.

Grace Shelton rode Eventual, owned by Michelle Morris, for week four of Thermal competition. Shelton and Eventual took home the sixth place ribbon in the CPHA Hunter Seat Junior Medal, the seventh place ribbon in the Equitation 14-15 under saddle, and the eighth place ribbon in the USEF Hunter Seat Medal. Shelton also rode in the Large Junior Hunter 15 and Under division, placing eighth with Eventual, and eighth with her horse Lanos in individual classes.

Topping off Karen Healey Stables’ successful week of competition, Hannah Selleck placed second in the USEF Talent Search Medal riding Bella, owned by Descanso Farm.

Karen Healey Stables will compete again this week as the HITS Desert Circuit continues with week five of competition running February 24 through March 1.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

Karen Healey Stables swept equitation awards at last weekend’s L.A. National Horse Show. They took home a medal finals win, along with three equitation division championships. In addition to those top finishes, riders won in the jumpers and hunters as well.

The winner of the West Coast Equitation (WCE) Junior/Amateur Medal Finals was 16-year-old Navona Gallegos of Santa Fe, NM. The young rider and her horse Class Action were steady through three rounds of jumper-style courses to take the win. Second place and the top amateur in the finals was Hannah Selleck of Thousand Oaks, CA. Jocelyn Neff of Newport Beach finished fourth, Demi Stiegler was sixth, and Samantha Harrison placed ninth.

This was Gallegos’ first equitation finals win. The WCE Medal Finals consisted of three rounds and 47 competitors. The first was a Table 2.c format, in which Gallegos placed tenth. In the second Table 2.a course, Gallegos moved up to third place. The top 15 riders were brought back for one more round, in which Gallegos moved into the lead for victory.

Gallegos noted that there was a tight time allowed in each round, but that her horse is great for the jumper-style courses. She has only been riding Class Action for three months. “He’s been amazing. He was a little backed off for the first round because he’s never been in the Equidome before. Then he was really relaxed the second night and was going forward more,” she described.

This was Gallegos’ best equitation finish in her career and capped off a great 2008, along with her fifth place individually in the junior division at the North American Junior Young Rider Championships. She has been training with Healey for three years and gave credit to her trainer for helping her succeed. “It was really great to win with my horse because he’s still pretty green. He was doing the Pre-Green Hunters before we got him. He went back east for the first time this year and was great. It’s been amazing to see how far he’s come so quickly,” she said. “It’s amazing how she can transform a horse in such a short amount of time. I’ve come a really long way with Karen.”

The Equitation 14 and Under Championship went to Demi Stiegler, who rode Vigo. Stiegler placed second in the first round and fifth in the second round to finish with the top ribbon. Kylee Arbuckle, who also trains with Seahorse finished third.

Jocelyn Neff and her new mount Lord Loxley took the Equitation 15-17 Championship after she placed third and first in the two rounds. Carly Anthony placed second, while Gallegos was sixth. Gallegos also won the ASPCA Maclay class, with Arbuckle in third. Elizabeth Dickinson of Los Angeles piloted The Graduate to first place in the Equitation 36 and Over Championship. Dickinson took first place in the Foxfield Medal class, while Selleck won the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search class.

Neff continued her success in the jumper ring when she and Golden Flip won the $2,500 Low Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic over 30 other entries. Lauren Kay and Damiro 21 placed third in the low classic. Alex Block and Kool Shoes were third in the 1.20m Jumpers and fourth in the 1.20m Jumper Stake class.

Samantha Harrison and Santika were close to winning yet another classic in 2008, but finished just off the pace in second place in the $5,000 High Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic. They also placed third overall in the PCHA Junior/Amateur Jumper Championship. Their great success this year netted them the big win in the Show Jumping Hall of Fame Jumper Classic Series Western Conference in the junior jumper division.

Tammy Chipko of Westlake Village, CA, and All That brought home the championship in the Amateur-Owner Over 35 Hunter division. They won two firsts, two seconds, and a third in the division. Navona Gallegos rode Limo in the Large Junior 16-17 Hunters and placed second, third, third, and sixth. Hannah Bibb and Regatton were in the same division and placed first, sixth, and sixth.

It was a great end to the year for Karen Healey Stables, but more is in store for riders, including a clinic at Karen Healey Stables with legendary coach and rider, George H. Morris. There are still spaces left for auditors in the 2008 George H. Morris clinic, to be held on December 12-14, 2008. Karen Healey Stables is located at Shelburne Farms in Hidden Valley, CA. Please call Melissa Jones at 805-370-1941 to reserve your auditing spot today!

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

Karen Healey Stables competed at the Oaks Blenheim Fall Tournament this past week and came up with huge wins in the equitation and jumpers. Shelby Wakeman of Westlake Village, CA, won the ASPCA Maclay Region 8 qualifier, and Karen Healey riders won three jumper classics at the competition.

Healey stated, “We had a heck of a horse show. The regionals went beautifully. The jumpers couldn’t have been better. I generally put all of my focus at that horse show on the Maclay Regionals and so having them win in the jumpers on Sunday was icing on the cake.”

Wakeman, 17, rode San Francisco to the win in the ASPCA Maclay Region 8 qualifier. After a fall in last year’s qualifier, Wakeman was nervous for this year, but determined to improve her performance. She sat in second place after the jumping phase and moved up to first after the flat phase. There was no test given in the class.

Wakeman rode San Francisco to the win this year and plans on riding him in the ASPCA Maclay National Championship in Syracuse this November. “My horse was amazing and everything just worked out beautifully. I don’t really know how to explain it. When I walked into the ring, I just relaxed and everything came naturally,” Wakeman recalled. Having been in school at New York University, Wakeman came into the regionals without having ridden for a month, but as the weekend progressed she felt more confident.

As far as her plans for this fall, Wakeman wants to be consistent and ride to top ribbons in the three equitation finals.

In addition to Wakeman’s win in the class, other Karen Healey riders placed very well. Tina DiLandri of La Jolla, CA, was second, while Jocelyn Neff of Newport was fifth. Michelle Morris of La Canada, CA, finished tenth. In the Region 7 qualifier in Washington state, Carly Anthony finished in second place.

The winner of the $1,500 Modified Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic was Alex Book on Kool Shoes, who were the fastest out of 39 entries in the class. Carol Bird and Mambo led the victory gallop in the $2,000 Low Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic, and she finished third with W.C. Swing. Jocelyn Neff and Golden Flip finished seventh in the classic and were second in a Low division class. Lauren Kay and Damiro 7 were tenth.

Samantha Harrison of La Canada, CA, rode Santika to first place in the $5,000 High Junior/Amateur Jumper Classic over 27 other entries. At the previous week’s show, Harrison and Santika took the blue ribbon in the $10,000 Seahorse Open Jumper Classic. Also in the High Classic were Navona Gallegos and Acrobat, who finished sixth. Tammy Chipko on Limerick took third place in the High division class. Juliana Ball rode Sjapoo to a second place finish in the Children’s Jumpers and a win in the Modified Junior/Amateur Jumper division.

Besides her regional win, Wakeman also took first place in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search class. Alex Block finished third in the USEF Junior Medal, while Kristi Siam of Chatsworth, CA, finished third in the PCHA Adult Medal.

Karen Healey Stables will compete next at the L.A. International Horse Show on September 17-21. They then make the trip East to compete at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, starting September 27, in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

It is no surprise that Karen Healey’s team is yet again successful after another week of showing. They came home with many awards to add to their list so far. The team competed under Karen Healey’s watchful eye at the Oaks Blenheim Summer Classic II Horse Show, which ran from August 13-17, 2008.

Tina Dilandri had a huge win at the show. She was champion in the CPHA Junior Medal Finals. Holly Dickinson was seventh in the class, not far behind Dilandri. Both had excellent rounds and were major contenders throughout the competition.

“The show was actually a really good show. I was first in the Jumper Phase in the WIHS and second overall. Actually, last year I had a rough patch. This final has been the first one to gear me up for the big finals,” said Dilandri. “For the last round, I walked in and said to myself, this is mine, I own it, and I am going to lay down a perfect trip. My horse was right with me and Karen was right with me; it was a great feeling. I feel like this win set me up for back east and now I have my feet wet and I know where I am.”

Dilandri was responsive to the competition in the class. She knew there were a lot of great riders, and she acknowledges much of her success to Karen Healey and her team.

“When I see round like that, of course it makes me raise my game, but I really wanted to use this final as a warm-up for the back east finals and test out where I am and where I stand,” said Dilandri. “I think without the help of Karen and her staff, I for sure wouldn’t be where I am. I haven’t shown a lot this summer. They prepared him, and got him ready. Karen did some great training and I just walked into the ring.”

Throughout the different rounds, Dilandri thought the hardest part was in the second round of competition. She and Karen made a risky decision that ultimately led to her win.

“There were some blind turns and skinny options. There was a skinny vertical with just three rails and another skinny vertical with three planks. There was a big swedish oxer to a bending line to another bending line to a set of planks to another set of skinny rails,” said Dilandri. “I think that was pretty trappy because the planks were definitely a different option, but with the rails, if your horse isn’t careful, you are going to have both of those down. So it was pretty tricky, you had to think about it. Overall, it separated who went in and who went in with something to prove. In the last round, Karen said to me, go get it. There was a line everyone was getting eight in, so Karen said go get seven. So I galloped it, and I think that was what the judges wanted to see; to show you wanted it.”

Reserve champion of the CPHA Amateur Medal Finals was barn-mate Lauren Hester. She was close to winning in all of her rounds, and came away with a well-respected reserve champion. Liz Dickinson rode well and ended up sixth in the class.

Juliana Ball’s horse Sjapoo was a star in the 1.25m Jumpers with rider Kasey Ament. In the division, the pair rode to first and second-place finishes. Sjapoo and owner Juliana Ball were winners in the $1,500 Modified Junior Amateur Jumper Classic, beating the class for a first-place finish.

Shelby Wakeman also had a fantastic show last week. In the Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumpers, Wakeman and Punker, owned by Golden Goose Investors, LLC, came out on top with a blue ribbon. Jocelyn Neff was right behind Wakeman with a second-place ribbon on Donna Neff’s horse Golden Flip. Liz Dickinson was right behind them with a fourth-place finish aboard HMG Farm’s horse Dimenos 3.

Coming in third in the $2,000 Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic was Carol Bird and her horse Mambo. Right behind Bird in the fourth-place spot was Lauren Kay and her horse Damiro 21.

Continuing her success in the jumpers and equitation ring, Navona Gallegos was first in the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search. She was second in the $5,000 Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic on Acrobat, owned by Bar X Ranch, LLC. In the Junior/Amateur Owner Jumpers, Gallegos was fourth. In the Pessoa/USEF National Hunter Seat Medal, Gallegos was sixth and she was also seventh in the WIHS.

In the Junior/Amateur Owner Jumpers, rider Sam Harrison and her horse Santika received some great ribbons. The pair came away with second and fifth-place ribbons in the division. In the $5,000 Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper Classic, they were a respective eighth in the class. In the hunters, fourth place award went to rider Yvette Harris and horse Christopher Robin in the Schooling Hunters.

In the equitation ring, Healey’s clients continued to dominate. In addition to Gallegos winning the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, Sam Harrison was second and Shelby Wakeman was third, sweeping the top three. Wakeman also took a blue, winning the Overall in the WIHS. Dilandri was first in the Jumper Phase and ended up second Overall. Harrison won the Hunter Phase and was third overall, again sweeping the top three places in the class. Winning the ASPCA Medal Maclay was Hannah Bibb.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

The 2008 North American Junior Young Riders Championships (NAJYRC) wrapped up competition on Sunday at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, and the big winner in show jumping was 19-year-old Hannah Selleck of Thousand Oaks, CA. Selleck trains with Karen Healey Stables of Westlake Village, CA. Selleck and her horse Bauer took home the team gold medal with Zone 10 and the individual gold medal in the Young Rider competition.

Selleck has owned the 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding for two years. They competed at the 2006 NAJYRC and won the team silver medal in the junior division. Selleck and Bauer competed lightly throughout the year, winning at Oaks Blenheim and competing at Spruce Meadows, all as preparation for the NAJYRC.

The show jumpers rode the World Championship format, which included a speed class as the first event. Selleck and Bauer had one rail, but their speedy time in the faults converted format put them into fifth place after the first round.

In the two-round team competition the next day, Selleck was the first rider to complete the difficult course with no faults, which she did in her second round. Two of her other teammates repeated that feat, which gave Zone 10 the gold medal. “I went first out of my teammates and went second in the class. It was a really tough course and there were no clears in the first round. We were sitting in first after the first round,” she recalled. “We ended up winning the gold that day. It was pretty cool. Two of my other teammates went clear in the second round. It was great because it wasn’t led by just one person; we all really contributed and all had great rounds.”

It was a great achievement for Selleck, who enjoyed the team aspect of the sport and the camaraderie. She added that the format of the competition is great practice if she represents the United States in the future. “It really prepares you for international competition and hopefully the Olympics. I would like to show in the Olympics one day if I have the horse,” she said.

 

Selleck returned on the final day for two more rounds to determine the individual champion. Selleck sat in second place, while her teammates Paige Dotson and Karl Cook were in first and third, respectively. After Selleck went clear in the second round and Dotson and Cook faulted, Selleck was named the gold medal winner.

“I didn’t really want to watch my teammates go because I want them to do well but at the same time I want to win,” she noted. “Paige had the last fence down, and I thought she was going to go clear. It was a surprise.”

Selleck was happy with Bauer, who has been very successful this year. “He was great throughout the week. He hadn’t shown too much before this,” she explained. “He was really consistent and jumped great.”

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.