Category: PR

Lexington, KY – July 30, 2012 – Californians came home from the 2012 Adequan/FEI North American Junior Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC) with an individual gold medal and team bronze. As Chef d’Equipe, Karen Healey coached Kilian McGrath of Westlake Village, CA, and her mount Salerno to the individual gold medal in the show jumping Young Rider division. In addition, Healey helped Zone 10 win the team bronze medal. It was a great start to a busy finals season that continues through November.

After completing three of five rounds over two days, 18-year-old McGrath and Salerno, 13-year-old KWPN gelding by Indorado x Larena, were in fifth place going into the third and final day. The pair quickly rose in the ranks after round one, earning the best score of just one time fault, and only six faults in the second round. The solid final performances over difficult courses helped secure the gold medal.

Healey said, “Kilian really worked hard to overcome her nerves. was very exciting to have her win the gold.”

“I was hoping I’d make top three at the most,” McGrath revealed. “I honestly was shocked when they said that I won. I asked Karen if this was real. I’ve only dreamed of getting a gold medal. I never thought it would happen this quickly. I just tried to be as consistent as possible and it worked out.”

The Fine Points

When McGrath came to train with Karen Healey, she was already an accomplished rider.  As can happen with a new set of experienced eyes, Healey worked on the fine points. McGrath explained, “Karen really helped me fix little parts of my riding.  She helped adjust my position and with execution of the course.  For example, I used to lock my shoulders. By having her tell me to unlock my shoulders, it changed how I rode completely and made it a lot easier. I found that really helpful, especially for the bigger jumps. It improved my execution and made my horse jump better.”

McGrath worked with another master this past winter. “When I first got Salerno, he wasn’t the most rideable on the flat. George Morris came out to Thermal, and through Karen, he ended up riding my horse for a week. Having George’s insight really helped,” McGrath related. “I was in awe that he would take the time to come to the ring and watch me show and give me insight. I couldn’t ask for anything better. Between George’s flat work and instruction, and Karen’s training, things came together and it really helped.”

Healey found Salerno through Olympian Laura Kraut. “He’s phenomenal,” she described. “He’s so scopey and so careful, but at same time if you make a mistake, he’s not going to hold it against you. He’s let Kilian make a jump into bigger classes.”

“He’s one of the most amazing horses I’ve ever ridden,” McGrath said of Salerno, “He’s really smart, really forgiving and really athletic. He’s the best horse I could have ever asked for. ”

Working As A Team

In the Young Rider team competition, the team of Kilian McGrath, Sage Flynn, Stevie Sorenson, and Charlotte Gadbois brought home the bronze medal.

“We were just time faults away from winning the silver,” Healey said. “The kids were all great, and everybody was focused on working as a team.”

 

Before the Zone 10 team left California, Healey invited the junior and young riders to her house to have them speak with sports psychologist Ken Ravizza. Healey noted, “Competing as a team is much different than what most of these riders have done as individuals. I really wanted them understand what they could do. I wanted them to know that no matter how bad it is, you don’t give up and you fight to the finish. I think it was very helpful for all of them. For Kilian, it definitely helped with her nerves. At the in-gate at Young Riders, she repeated her mantra to herself. She rode so cool and so composed all the way through it.”

McGrath enjoyed the team aspect. “Everyone on the team was so supportive and wanted to do their best. It is truly a nice feeling when you go in the ring and have people cheering for you,” she said.

Triumph Through Adversity

McGrath’s year hasn’t always been successful and triumphant. Two of her equitation horses passed away from different illnesses, so winning at the NAJYRC was a huge boost. “We’ve had a rough year,” McGrath acknowledged. “I’m hoping that if we can afford it, I can go to the Prix de States and finish the year on a good note. I’ve been given the opportunity to help promote and sell an equitation horse. So if it works out, I’ll be using him for the finals.”

McGrath will be one of many talented Karen Healey students that are competing in the equitation finals that round out the end of the show season.  “It’ll be fun, we have a nice group of students.” Healey said with a smile.

Karen Healey Stables will start the medal finals season at the CPHA Junior and Adult Hunter Seat Medal Finals at the Blenheim Summer Classic II on August 16-18, 2012. Following the medal finals in California, the team will travel to the East Coast for the fall indoor circuit.

Dedicated to excellence at all levels, Karen Healey Stables provides an advanced program for the serious competitor. Since coming to California, her riders have won over 90 medal finals including the 1990 ASPCA Maclay National Finals and the USET Talent Search Finals in 1986, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Jumper clients have earned spots on numerous teams and won medals at the NAYRC and the Prix de States, including Double Gold Medalist Hannah Selleck and Team Gold / Individual Silver Medalist Samantha Harrison. She has also trained numerous hunters and jumpers to tri-colors at indoors over the years.

Karen’s methods of teaching the steps to good riding have produced a multitude of top riders, including European champion and three-time FEI World Cup champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, the only woman to be first in the world rankings. Along with Meredith, many of Karen’s former students have gone on to be top professionals.

Reprinted with permission from Jennifer Wood Media.

Karen Healey Stables is pleased to announce that they have moved their training operations. Located in Somis, CA, Karen Healey Stables is now based at Whitethorne Ranch, a mature, full-care equestrian facility in a quiet, peaceful location with outstanding facilities.

The ranch is located between Moorpark and Camarillo and features boarding facilities with a total of 76 stalls. There are three year-round, large green pastures including a hand grazing pasture, five standard pastures and five large turn-outs.

“The grand prix field is beautiful, and there are lots of places to trail ride,” Healey described. “It’s a lovely, lovely place and we’re very happy to be at Whitethorne.”

When focused on competition, clients have two grand prix-sized jumping arenas with permanent water jumps, liverpools and Newcourse Jumps™; an FEI Standard sized Dressage Court with mirrors, a riding arena, longeing arena and floodlighting. Riders can take time to enjoy a walking trail and a full quarter-mile riding track edged with orange, grapefruit and pepper trees, plus currently under construction is a three-acre grass field which will have derby obstacles in addition to grand prix jumps, banks and a grob.

Whitethorne also features a specially designed 70-foot diameter European Exerciser, and a floodlit 60-foot round pen with a seven-foot wooden enclosure and double, full-height entry doors.

Karen Healey Stables Assistant Trainer and Manager Melissa Jones said, “We’re really excited to get settled into the new place. I can’t wait to watch Karen teach on the grass grand prix field. Georgy Maskrey-Segesman, her parents, and staff have been great fixing things up for us, including our new tack room. The horses are loving it here; they are so relaxed and happy.”

Healey herself noted, “One of the main reasons that we moved to Whitethorne is because they will handle all of the boarding, and we can focus solely on training. It will suit our business much better.”

Proving this to be true, riders at Karen Healey Stables had a very successful week at the Ranch & Coast Horse Show in Del Mar. Kristi Siam and her new horse Bonaparte Z won the Amateur-Owner 3’3″ Hunter Classic, while Savannah Jenkins and Winter Rose captured the Junior Hunter Classic. Karen Healey Stables riders swept the Junior/Amateur Jumper Classics as well – Kilian McGrath and Salerno won the $10,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic, and Grace Shelton rode Friponnier II to the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic win.

Karen Healey Stables will compete next at the Memorial Day Classic in Burbank, CA, on May 24-28, 2012.

Karen Healey will be based at Whitethorne Ranch along with Assistant Trainer/Barn Manager Melissa Jones and Assistant Trainer/Rider Tasha Visokay. Karen is a founding member of the USHJA Trainer Certification Program (TCP). Both Melissa and Tasha have successfully completed their USHJA TCP Certification.

Reprinted with permission from Jennifer Wood Media.

Riders celebrated Mother’s Day weekend at Verdugo Hills 4 (May 12-13) with the addition of a new main hunter ring as well as a brand new jumper ring. Not only were the rings improved, but the competition took on a higher level of quality. Riders tested out the new jumper ring while competing in the WCE Junior/Amateur Medal, the USEF Talent Search, and a full complement of jumper sections, from .70 to 1.30 meters. Positive changes enhanced the overall experience for riders, horses, and spectators alike.

Olivia Champ (Santiago Rickard and Karen Healey, trainers) triumphed in both the USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal and the USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Medal aboard Le Prince (Orcas Stables, Inc., owner). Olivia’s goal was to qualify for the Talent Search Final, which she accomplished this weekend. Her plan was to make it around the course while still enjoying herself, and she exceeded her own expectations with her win.

Olivia credits her success to her trainers Santiago Rickard, who helps her with the jumpers, Karen Healey Stables for equitation coaching, and Le Prince. She commented, “I’ve had Le Prince for about three years, and I love spending time with him. He just loves to jump. At Verdugo Hills 4, I really enjoyed the new rings and thought the footing was great. I think the addition of a new jumper arena was a huge improvement. I also loved how everyone was so supportive and that all of the classes filled.”

Reprinted with permission from LEG Up News.

The Zone 4 USEF/USHJA members gave its riders a unique opportunity to join a clinic at the Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex in Wellington, FL on Monday, February 20, 2012. The clinician chosen for the first Riders Clinic of the year was the renowned Karen Healey. The clinic was free for all Zone 4 USEF/USHJA members of varying levels to either ride or audit at absolutely no cost, and the event proved to be nothing short of a success.

Healey’s reputation speaks for itself with numerous accolades and years of experience in the equitation, hunter and jumper rings. Not only did the Chronicle of the Horse name her the 2007 Hunter/Equitation Horseman of the Year, but also her winning system has led her clients to achieve success in the show ring time and time again. Similar to that of her mentor George H. Morris, Healey prides herself on developing horsemen in the truest sense of the word.

Healey started off the first session by explaining that she doesn’t teach equitation; however, she teaches riders to ride and horses to jump. She emphasized the importance of aids to the group of six riders: Charles Jacobs, Katie Jacobs, Olivia Woodson, Alex Cleveland, Natasha Mackoba and Sydney Casady. Healey observed the riders and their mounts to get a better feel for them before starting her demonstration, and to gain an additional amount of insight into each of the rider’s and their mount.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re jumping 2′ 6″ or 4′ 6″,” expressed Healey. “The same basics apply; when you close your leg the horse should go forward; you close your hands the horse should come back. You want to turn right and have the horse follow, you want to turn left, and the horse should follow you to the left.”

“Karen is such an amazing professional, she gives such good advice, and she’s so patient,” said Callahan. “She really took her time with each rider and horse. She gave us some great advice on how to work out issues we were having. I’m definitely going home knowing that I can improve on the softness of my hands and working on my corners and turns in my jump courses.” Callahan rides and trains out of Vero Beach, FL, with Atlantic Crossing.

The final session of the day had a more advanced group of six riders. The focus again was geared to each individual and their horse, but to advise the effect of aids and how the riders should release and follow the horse. The riders worked on being ahead of their mount and working on making the horse more aware of what was going to happen next.

The clinic was successful in getting riders out not only from Lakeland and Vero Beach, FL, but also from other states within Zone 4. “I think it was a great clinic today,” smiled Healey. “We had a lot of different issues, green horses, green riders, but that’s life and that’s how you learn varsity. If you have a great lesson then you have a great rehearsal, but if you have a problem and you solved it during the lesson then you had an even better lesson. Sometimes you have to fail in order to succeed.”

Other than teaching clinics, Healey’s dedication to the equine industry also involves the governance and guidance of the sport, through serving on the USHJA Committee as a Chairperson for the Equitation Taskforce, a member of the Hunter Taskforce and as a committee member of the Trainers Certification Program. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the American Hunter-Jumper Foundation since 1995, as well as being an active member of the Trainer’s Committee.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

Future stars made their presence known in the Platinum Performance USEF Show Jumping Talent Search Finals West, hosted as part of the L.A. International. This is the only national equitation championship held on the West Coast, and there was no shortage of talent in the 45 entry class. Taylor Ann Adams made the trip from Florida to ride in the West Coast version of the Finals. “My trainer, Don Stewart, always goes to Capital Challenge and that conflicted with the East Coast Finals, so we decided to come to California,” explained Taylor of her decision. She leased El Toro (Lindsay Anderson, owner) and Karen Healey stepped in to coach the talented rider. Basics and fundamentals were the traits judges Ralph Alfano and Ellen Raidt rewarded throughout the multiple phase competition.

Taylor sat tenth after the Flat Phase with a solid score of 76.50, and after a strong performance in the Gymnastics Phase she found herself in sixth going into the Show Jumping Phase. Her strong show jumping performance vaulted her to second and a position in the Final Four in her first time contesting the challenging Talent Search Finals. Jocelyn Neff (Karen Healey, trainer), Jennifer Parker (Benson Carroll, trainer), and Caroline Ingalls (Hap Hansen, trainer) all joined the final four where each rider competes on the each of the others’ horses over a shortened course.

Although the temperatures soared to unseasonably hot weather, the four girls kept their cool and rode proficient rounds on the different horses. Unlike previous years, no one horse stood out as an absolute favorite nor as the most difficult. Favorites were spread out, but in the end the judges deemed El Toro as the Best Horse with his rider Taylor Ann Adams as the overall champion.

“It was so exciting,” Taylor recounted. “It was a last minute thing – I decided to compete just three days before, so it was a little stressful with the last minute arrangements, travel, the time change and not knowing what horse I would ride. When I made the top four, it was already better than I expected to do, and all the riders were really good. However, I felt really comfortable changing horses because I’m a catch rider so I’m used to riding different horses. Karen Healey knew all of the horses in the top four, so she helped me a lot.”

Seventeen-year-old Taylor is a senior in high school, although she home schools so she can devote a large part of her day to riding. She looks forward to entering her last season as a junior rider next year. “I hope to keep riding in college. I’ll always have animals in my life,” she added.

Karen Healey was awarded Best Trainer with two riders, Taylor and Jocelyn (Neff), in the Final Four. Karen is one of the top equitation coaches in the country and has coached numerous riders to wins in the Talent Search Finals.

“It was amazing,” Taylor said of working with Karen. “Karen is very patient and understanding. She explains every step to every student in the way that’s best for them. She’s such a great rider and trainer, and working with her was the chance of a lifetime!”

Reprinted with permission from USEF Network.

Thirty-nine leading West Coast junior equitation riders competed in Blenheim Farm’s covered arena at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park on the evening of September 18th in the ASPCA Maclay West Coast Regional Finals. With thirty returning for the flat phase and five for the work-off, it was 16-year-old Kylee Arbuckle aboard Kimberly Lynch’s D’Anconia Copper, who finished on top to secure her place in 2010 ASPCA Maclay National Championship on November 7th at the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament.

Scott Starnes’ course of fourteen obstacles asked the riders to commit to a flowing pace while riding the track. Eighth to compete in the over fences phase, Arbuckle (Karen Healey & Devon Gibson, trainers) showed mastery of the course and rode her mount with style and poise, earning her a spot in the top ten of the flat phase.

Following the jumping portion of the competition, the top thirty riders in the class were called back to work on the flat, divided into three groups of ten with the highest scoring riders flatting last. Judges Kip Rosenthal and John Roper asked for the walk, trot, and canter in both directions as well as a lengthening of stride at the trot down the long side of the ring. Several riders were solid in their seat, including Healey students Arbuckle and Theodore Boris.

The judges then chose their top five and asked them to return to the ring for a work-off. In reverse order, the juniors were asked to jump several jumps, including a trot jump and a rollback turn as well as to demonstrate two simple changes through the walk before returning to the line-up. Sitting second after the over fences and flat phases, Arbuckle had the advantage of watching three riders test before her, Audrey Coulter (Mary Manfredi, trainer), Clementine Yost (Benson Carroll, trainer) and Morgan Geller (Peter Lombardo, trainer). She clearly commanded the work-off requirements, having the most solid ride of the five. Sitting first after the first two rounds, Theodore Boris (Karen Healey, trainer) was the final junior to tackle the test. Unfortunately, he missed to the jump after the rollback turn, leaving the win open for Arbuckle.

“[In the work-off] I tried to get my horse out in front of my leg before the first jump and move up to the trot fence,” gleaming winner Arbuckle explained. Her plan worked, impressing both the judges and her trainer.

“[Kylee’s] work-off was great,” commented Arbuckle’s trainer of three years, Karen Healey. In addition to being happy with her student’s test, Healey was also glad to see that Arbuckle’s over fences trip was scored properly despite pulling a rail on course. “Her first round was scored just how it should have been – as if the rail didn’t come down – and then four points were taken off of her [final over fences] score.”

Although winning is glorious, earning a place in the top fifteen will hopefully earn a spot in the prestigious finals in Syracuse this November. Once the final regional competition of eight throughout the country is complete, the exact number of qualified riders per regional will be announced.

Reprinted with permission from Blenheim Equisports. 

Thirty-three horse and rider duos stepped up to the challenge of the Leopoldo Palacios designed course in the $35,000 Summer Classic II Grand Prix, presented by Equ Lifestyle Magazine on August 21st in San Juan Capistrano. Out of all who had aspirations of going clean, only the first two on course, Lane Clarke aboard Bay Rose’s Nikko and Hannah Selleck riding the fiery mare Tosca of Descanso Farm, were able to do so. After a battle of the sexes in the jump-off, it was twenty-one-year-old Selleck who came out on top with a stellar double clear ride for the win.

Master course designer Palacios presented competitors in Saturday’s event with a difficult course. The track was technical and demanded a careful, yet gutsy ride. A total of 17 obstacles, including three combinations and a water jump in a keep-up-the-pace time allowed of 87 seconds. “This was a very tough national grand prix. I tried to challenge the group as much as possible,” commented Palacios.

The first two horse and rider teams made fault-free rides appear possible. First to gallop onto the grass, Clarke jumped Bay Rose’s Nikko around the course just under the time allowed in 86.72 seconds. Next in the ring, Selleck brilliantly answered Clarke’s call and forced the jump-off, laying down a clean and aggressive first round ride in 79.98 aboard her chestnut mount Tosca.

“The track suited Tosca,” said Selleck of her 14-year-old Belgium Warmblood. “The opening and shortening between fences is exactly what she likes.” Selleck appreciated the course too. “Leopoldo’s designs are great because they make me think about the track, which helps me ride better.”

As the rest of the thirty-three competitors took to the course, Palacios’ challenge was evident. All remaining exhibitors picked up faults of some kinds – rails fell, time allowed was exceeded, hooves landed in the water, and refusals, run-outs and accidental dismounts also occurred.

“Leopoldo’s courses are hard, technical and have a tight time allowed,” explained second place rider, Clarke. “He does a great job of getting rails in different places, plus the horses and the riders always learn something.”

As the first to take on the shortened track, Clarke knew his ride had to be strong.

“Hannah is a rocket and I knew I had to put the pressure on her,” Clarke explained. Clarke and Bay Rose’s Nikko navigated the shortened track in a time of 48.98 seconds and picked up eight faults towards the end. “I am really happy with my horse,” said Clark of Bay Rose’s Nikko. “He is green at the grand prix level and is coming along fantastically.”

Having the advantage of following Clarke in the jump-off, Selleck and Tosca galloped onto the International Field with an air of determination. “In the jump-off, the pressure was on. I just had to go out there and stick to my plan,” Selleck noted.

Selleck presented the crowd with a masterful ride and triumphantly crossed the timers without fault in 45.15 seconds to surpass Clarke and clinch her first win in the grand prix arena.

Although close but not clean in round one, some of the remaining prizewinners deserve mention. The fastest four-fault ride was Mexico City’s Jaime Azcarraga aboard his grey partner Selsius, who had just one unlucky rail at the second element of the 5A-B combination in 82.52, for third place honors. Slightly over half a second behind Azcarraga, Susan Hutchison and El Dorado 29’s Cantano picked up the fourth place prize, with four faults at 13A, the tall black and white striped vertical, the first element in a combination that caused trouble for many. Fifth through seventh went to four fault rides from Mexican riders Eduardo Menezes and his horse Utopia, last week’s winner Otavio Penedo aboard Carando Equisearch and Eduardo Menezes riding Avargo Mercedes Benz.

Earning the eighth spot, Michelle Parker and Socrates De Midos (Cross Creek Farms Inc., owner) thrilled the crowd when they miraculously cleared fence six from a near standstill. It looked as though the duo was going to go clean until, like so many others before them, they lowered the height of the first element in the one stride at 13A for four faults. In addition to finishing second in the competition, Clarke also finished in the money aboard his second mount, Mickey Hayden’s McLord’s First John, stopping the clock just over the time allowed for one time fault in addition to eight jumping faults. Winner Selleck rode Descanso Farm’s Bauer to an eleventh place finish as the fastest of the twelve fault rides.

Reprinted with permission from Blenheim Equisports.

Despite the fact that trainers aren’t allowed to assist riders when they’re warming up or walking the course for the R.W. “Ronnie” Mutch Equitation Classic, Theodore Boris wasn’t too worried. He felt like he could hear the words of his trainer, Karen Healey, in his head.

“It’s so nice to have Karen as a trainer,” Boris said. “It’s very confidence-building to be with someone who has so much knowledge. Even if she’s 20 miles away, you can still hear her voice.”

That voice obviously helped, and Boris, 17, added another win to his already impressive resume tonight, March 13. Last year Boris won the USEF Talent Search Finals-West with Carol Bird’s W.C.  Swing, the same horse he rode in tonight’s class at HITS Thermal Desert Circuit VI.

Riders must qualify for the classic by winning at least one major equitation class in any of the major winter circuits: HITS Thermal (Calif.), HITS Arizona, HITS Ocala (Fla.), Winter Equestrian Festival (Fla.) or Gulf Coast (Miss.). Only eight riders entered the covered ring in Thermal, Calif., for the Ronnie Mutch Classic. All eight completed the first two courses, and then Boris and second-placed Cassandra Kahle, riding Taylor Harris’ Vindoctro, returned for a test.

The test called for several canter fences, a trot jump, one tight turn and fence to be negotiated in counter-canter, and then two flying changes and a halt on the quarter line in front of all six judges.

Kahle tested first. Her horse wouldn’t pick up the counter-canter, and she did simple changes instead of flying changes, which opened the door for Boris. However, because the riders were told to face the stands, he didn’t know that. Boris’ horse also broke from the counter-canter, and Boris assumed he’d lost. But two perfectly executed flying changes and smooth, bold lines still left him standing in first.

“I messed up that counter-canter,” Boris admitted. “I could have had him around my right leg more, and it just came up really quickly. Things don’t always go as planned. It will give me something to work on!”

Besides being judged in the ring, riders are also judged in the warm-up for the Ronnie Mutch Classic. For each of the first two rounds they are given up to three bonus points or three points taken off their score in the ring for their warm-ups. Boris received three bonus points for each of his warm-ups. He attributed the extra points, and his win, to his theory of keeping it simple. Before the first round he only jumped about five jumps, and then only two before the second round.

“My warm-up was very brief,” Boris said. “Karen told me earlier today, ‘They’re not going to see how many jumps you’re going to jump in warm-up when you’re in the ring.’ I had done a few classes during the day, so I was already pretty much warmed up. He’s a very easy horse to prepare. I know the horse, and I know myself. I like to keep things simple. When I start jumping too much or thinking too much it just starts complicating things.”

Boris said one of the biggest challenges in the class was the size of the covered ring at Thermal.

“It’s a very small indoor ring,” Boris, Los Angeles, Calif., said. “My plans a little bit changed in the first round. You really had only two strides to the first fence, which was a triple bar, and usually you want a lot of room to get to the base of the triple bar. I got a little deep, and I just didn’t have enough to do four strides in the next line, and if I did it would have been ugly. I did the five, and that worked out well.”

Boris hopes to qualify for the fall indoor shows on the East Coast again this year. He also has a newly purchased junior jumper and would like to qualify for the North American Junior And Young Rider Championships (Ky.). Despite his East Coast aspirations, he said that he still enjoys riding on the West Coast because the pressure is slightly less.

“Even if you put this same course in the ring at Harrisburg, it would feel totally different,” he said. “It’s a psychological thing. It’s stressful.”

 

Reprinted with permission from The Chronicle of the Horse.

Karen Healey Stables showed at the Blenheim Fall Tournament in San Juan Capistrano, CA, on September 9-13, 2009, and the L.A. International Jumping Festival in Burbank, CA, on September 16-20, 2009, excelling in the hunters, jumpers and equitation throughout the two weeks of competition. The Blenheim Fall Tournament hosted the 2009 ASPCA Maclay Regionals for Region 8, and the L.A. International Jumping Festival hosted the 2009 Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Finals – West, USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal Zone 8, 9, and 10 Finals, and USEF Zone 10 Adult Medal Finals.

Sixteen-year-old Theo Boris of Culver City, CA, began training with Karen Healey just three months ago, and he has come a long way since the start of the summer. At the Blenheim Fall Tournament, Boris earned a second place finish in the ASPCA Maclay Regionals and a first place victory in the WIHS Equitation Classic riding his eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood Du Calme (by Voltaire). Boris then went on to earn the championship in the 2009 Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Finals – Westriding Carol Bird’s W.C. Swing, who also won last year’s finals with Karen Healey student Hannah Selleck. Boris earned his second championship of the week in the USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal Zone 8, 9, and 10 Finals again riding his horse Du Calme.

Theo Boris has been riding since around the age of five and decided to start training with Karen Healey this year in order to get a fresh perspective. “I think that everybody at some point needs to change, and I just felt like it was the right time,” Boris stated. “Really there was nobody else that I considered going to; I just really wanted to ride with Karen. I have always watched the way she teaches and I really liked her.”

“What she does isn’t magic, it is just proper training,” Boris said. “She makes sure that you are really prepared, so that when you get to the ring there are no surprises.”

Boris explained that Healey has brought a lot of confidence to his riding that he did not feel before. “I think that I did really well because I am a lot more positive about things now,” he acknowledged. “At the beginning of the week I just told myself, ‘My horse feels really good, I feel ready, and I am going to do well.’ I should have been that way a long time ago, but riding with Karen gives me so much confidence and I think that really brings a positive feeling to the whole experience.”

In addition to improving his confidence, Boris noted that Healey has also had a very positive effect on his equitation horse, Du Calme. “Du Calme just turned eight, so he is relatively young still. I have owned him for a year, and in the past three months that I have had him with Karen, he has become a completely different horse. He is so rideable, so adjustable, and he is really, really brave, which has given me a lot of confidence with him. He is a really good horse with a good mind and he is a very sweet, funny character.”

Boris has a busy fall schedule ahead as he prepares to travel to the East Coast for indoors. He will compete at the Capital Challenge Horse Show, in Upper Marlboro, MD, followed by the PA National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA, and the Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament and 126th National Horse Show in Syracuse, NY. Competing against some of the top horses and riders in the country, Boris will show in the prestigious USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal Finals and ASPCA Maclay National Championship, and will then return to California to compete in other West Coast medal finals.

As the 2010 show season nears, Boris hopes to maintain his biggest goal, which is to be consistent. He also hopes to buy a jumper so that he can start showing consistently in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumpers and would like to do more catch riding throughout the season. Boris will again pursue the top honors in the equitation divisions, and hopes to qualify for the Washington International Horse Show next year, as it has eluded him in 2009. The astute young rider noted that he does not like to set his goals too high or too far ahead in the future, but would rather take it day by day according to how he is riding.

Following Boris’s second place in the ASPCA Maclay Regionals at Blenheim was Karen Healey student Jocelyn Neff, who placed third. Healey had several other riders qualify for the Region 8 Finals as well, including Navona Gallegos and Holly Dickinson, along with Samantha Harrison and Demi Stiegler, who both placed in the top ten.

In the jumpers, three of Karen Healey’s strongest partnerships placed in the top ten of the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Navona Gallegos rode Drossana to a fifth place finish, Samantha Harrison and Santika came in sixth, and Elizabeth Dickinson rode Bailey’s VH Muelenhof to an eight place finish.

Other top competitors out of Karen Healey Stables at the Blenheim Fall Tournament included Alexandra Block and Kristi Siam. Alexandra Block placed second in the USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal and also received top ribbons in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 riding her horse All That. Kristi Siam won the USEF Adult Medal and continued a winning year with her horse Krosus by earning the championship tricolor in the Low Amateur-Owner Hunters.

Following Theo Boris in the championship of the 2009 Platinum Performance/USEF Talent Search Finals – West at L.A. International, Karen Healey student Jocelyn Neff rode Thea Disney’s Kona to the third place honors, while Navona Gallegos and Class Action placed fourth and Kylee Arbuckle came in ninth.

In the USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal Zone 8, 9, and 10 Finals, Kylee Arbuckle followed behind Theo Boris, coming in third place riding Karen Healey’s Fairbanks. Navona Gallegos and Cortes 7 placed in seventh, and Holly Dickinson rode Beckham to the ninth place honors.

The L.A. International Jumping Festival hosted the USEF Zone 10 Adult Medal Finals as well this weekend, and Karen Healey riders Kristi Siam and Yvette Lang-Einczig both placed in the top ten. Kristi Siam rode her horse Krosus to a fifth place in the finals and also placed second in the regular USEF Adult Equitation during the week. Yvette Lang-Einczig rode Landino to a ninth place finish in the final and also placed first in the Foxfield Medal and Equitation 36-50 over fences.

Mackensie Baker and Tolstoy were top finishers at L.A. International, placing first in the WCE Medal and Equitation 16-17 on the Flat, and placing second overall in the WIHS Equitation Classic. Demi Stiegler placed second in the USEF Pessoa Hunt Seat Medal and was third in the ASPCA Maclay, and Haley Harrison came in fourth place in the CPHA Foundation Medal.

In the jumpers, Karen Healey students continued to excel as Samantha Harrison and Santika came in sixth place in the $5,000 High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic.

In addition to the great success at the Blenheim Fall Tournament and L.A. International horse shows, one of Karen Healey’s top students, Hannah Selleck, did very well at the Spruce Meadows Masters. She was fourth in the $75,000 BP Cup 1.50m as well as fourth in the $50,000 Suncor Energy Cup 1.50m class, both with her horse Tosca.

Karen Healey Stables will compete next at the Capital Challenge Horse Show in Upper Marlboro, MD, September 26 – October 4, 2009, and the Flintridge Autumn Classic in La Canada, CA, on September 25-27, 2009.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

Karen Healey student Samantha Harrison of La Canada, CA, had a very exciting week of competition at last week’s Adequan FEI North American Junior/Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC), held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY. Harrison rode her nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Santika to an individual silver medal and team gold medal representing the Zone 10 junior show jumping team. Karen Healey student Navona Gallegos represented the Zone 8 junior team riding Drossana, and finished in fifth place individually after leading the Zone 8 team to a fourth place finish overall.

The junior competition ended with an exciting finale when the Zone 2 and Zone 10 teams jumped off for the team and individual gold medals. Samantha Harrison jumped clean through every round of individual competition and ended up with the silver medal after the final individual jump-off round. Harrison also jumped clean in both rounds of team competition and then had the only clear round in the team jump-off to secure the gold medal for Zone 10. 

“I had so much fun,” Harrison smiled following the competition. “Santika was really, really good. She was jumping fabulous, and she was really on top of her game all week. My team did really well, and it was a very close competition between Zone 10 and Zone 2. I loved riding on the team; my teammates were all really nice and funny and the whole thing was a great experience.”

Harrison noted that she really enjoyed having the opportunity to ride in the brand new stadium that was recently built at the Kentucky Horse Park in preparation for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. “It was so beautiful there,” she stated. “My favorite thing was riding in the ring because it was huge and the footing was awesome. It poured really hard one day that we had to show, and the footing wasn’t affected at all.”

“I loved the stadium,” Harrison continued. “All of the bleachers were so nice and walking into the ring it felt like you were meant to be there; it just felt so special. There were a lot of press there and they asked us all questions after we got our medals, so it felt like a really big deal and it was such a fun experience.”

Harrison added a special acknowledgement, stating, “I just want to say thank you to Karen Healey, and my mom, who was there. I would also like to thank Butch Thomas, the Chef d’Equipe, who was awesome, and everyone who participated in Zone 10. It was amazing.”

After an intense week of competition, Harrison and Santika will now take a well-deserved break before preparing for the fall show season. Harrison’s goals for the rest of the season include a possible trip back to the east coast to compete in the Prix de States Junior Jumper competition at this year’s Pennsylvania National Horse Show.

Karen Healey Stables will compete next at the Showpark August Festival, which runs July 29-August 2 at the Del Mar Horse Park in Del Mar, CA.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.