Category: PR

Burbank, CA – May 27, 2009 – Karen Healey Stables spent the holiday weekend at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, competing at the Memorial Day Classic Horse Show, held May 21-25, 2009. Healey’s students showed in the hunter, jumper, and equitation divisions throughout the weekend and earned top placings in all three disciplines.

The Memorial Day Classic had an exciting equitation team challenge over the weekend that provided a fun opportunity for each team, which was made up of one professional, one amateur, and one junior rider to compete together. After completing the team challenge, it was the Karen Healey team made up of Kasey Ament, Michelle Morris, and Navona Gallegos, who took the first place prize. Amanda Ballew, Yvette Lang-Einczig, and Jocelyn Neff made up the fourth place team.

The equitation challenge consisted of two rounds, with the first round on Friday night and the second on Saturday night. Ament, Morris, and Gallegos scored well with a top score of 86 from Gallegos, riding Cortes 7, on Friday and an 87 from Morris on Saturday.

Morris, who has just returned from the University of Georgia, was excited to be back at home showing her horses. She helped her team win the National Championship for Varsity Equestrian. Morris rode her veteran horse Bergerac in the team challenge.

“It’s nice to be back home,” Morris said. “I’m looking forward to showing this summer.” Since she has been home, Morris has won two USEF Show Jumping Talent Search classes. This will help her towards her goal of qualifying for the finals this fall and help her achieve a Silver Medal. Morris needs just two more wins to acquire the prestigious award.

Morris noted that the courses were particularly suited the variety of riders in the class and helped make the competition challenging. “I really liked the courses. They weren’t outrageously technical or incredibly difficult, but there were still elements to it that got people. You really had to make decision about which track to ride and what the boldest choice might be. They had a nice flow.”

Ament rode Krosus, a six-year-old equitation horse owned by Kristi Siam. “He’s a wonderful horse,” Ament said. “It’s his first year in equitation. We just got a few months ago, and he’s like a dreamboat.”

Ament praised the format of the class and was thrilled to win her second big equitation championship of the year, having taken the top place in the Del Mar Open Equitation Championship a few weeks ago. “It was a really fun class. Our team was called Brown Sugar because we were all on bay horses,” she laughed. “I think we did very well overall as a team. It’s a great class because there are not a lot of team classes here, so it’s nice that you can join up with fellow riders and see how you do together. It paid off for us.”

The winning trainer of the equitation team challenge won a trip to Hawaii, and the junior and amateur riders were awarded new beach cruiser bicycles. Ament won the team challenge in 2004 as a junior rider, but this was her first win as a professional. “I’m very excited, I can’t wait to go!” she exclaimed. “I’m a total beach person. I surf and snorkel, so I would love to go to Hawaii for that kind of stuff.”

After riding on the winning team, Michelle Morris went on to win the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search class this week, as well as the Foxfield Medal, and won the second place ribbon in the USEF Adult Equitation. Morris also earned the reserve championship honors in the 1.20m Jumpers riding Liechtenstein 7.

Navona Gallegos went on from the team challenge to win first place out of 45 riders in the CPHA Foundation Medal. She then won the Equitation 16-17 over fences, was second in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search and the WIHS Equitation Classic, and placed fourth in the Low Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic with Acrobat.

Jocelyn Neff took her team’s fourth place finish and went on to win the LA Junior Medal as well as the overall win in the WIHS Equitation Classic. Neff also placed second in the CPHA Foundation Medal, was fourth in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic with Blue Shot Baco, and second and third in the Low Junior Jumpers with Golden Flip. Neff also rode Allegro in the $10,000 ASG Software Solutions/USHJA International Hunter Derby and placed twelfth.

Samantha Harrison showed at the Memorial Day Classic this weekend as well and placed fifth overall in the Hunter Derby after a brilliant second round improved her place in the standings. Harrison was fourth in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search with Triple Lutz and won first place in the High Junior Jumpers with Santika. Harrison and Santika also placed third in the High Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic.

Grace Shelton showed in the equitation this weekend and did very well. Shelton came in first place in the CPHA Junior Medal and was second in the LA Junior Medal as well as fourth in the CPHA Foundation Medal and third in the Equitation 14-15 on the flat.

Yvette Lang-Einczig placed second in the Foxfield Medal after riding on the fourth place team in the equitation challenge.

Kristi Siam and Krosus won the blue ribbon in the USEF Adult Equitation. Siam also placed fourth in the Ariat National Adult Medal.

Yvette Harris showed this weekend and placed third and fifth in the Adult Amateur 36-50 division. Harris also placed sixth in the PCHA Adult Horsemanship class. Alex Block showed this weekend, placing second in both the Pessoa/USEF Hunter Seat Medal and the Junior Hunter Classic.

Tammy Chipko won a blue ribbon in the Six-Year-Old Jumpers at the Memorial Day Classic. Chipko also placed second in the Classic with Wonderfull and fifth in the Futures with Quinolli. Other placings for Chipko include a fourth place ribbon in the 1.35m and a second place in the 1.40m Jumpers.

Following her team’s win in the equitation challenge, Kasey Ament went on to earn multiple wins in the jumpers throughout the weekend. Ament showed Roma M to a first place ribbon in the 1.30m Jumpers and was awarded the division’s reserve championship. She also won in the 1.30m with Damiro 21 and The Jackal, and placed third with Golden Flip. Damiro 21 was also fifth in the Low Junior Jumper Classic with Lauren Kay, and The Jackal was sixth in the Low Classic with Dylan Kornbluth.

Kasey Ament then showed Bailey’s VH Muelenhof to a first place win as well as the division championship in the 1.35m Jumpers, and placed first in the 1.40m Jumpers with both Acrobat and Zico-13. Bailey’s VH Muelenhof was also third in the Low Classic with owner Elizabeth Dickinson.

Other top finishers for Karen Healey Stables include Hannah Bibb and Kristen Holwick. Bibb won the first place ribbon in the Equitation 16-17 on the flat and then placed seventh and eighth in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division with Regatton. Holwick placed third and fifth in the Six-Year-Old Jumpers with Catch Me If You Can.

Karen Healey Stables will compete next at Blenheim Equisports’ Showpark June Jamboree Festival, held on May 28-31, 2009, at the Del Mar Horse Park.

Reprinted with permission from EquestrianMag.

Karen Healey Stables showed at the Del Mar National Horse Show this past week and posted several big wins throughout the competition. The horses and riders competed on April 28 through May 3, and put in a successful weekend of hunter, equitation, and jumper competition and were led by head trainer Karen Healey of Hidden Valley, CA.

For the second straight year, Kasey Ament won the $25,000 Del Mar Open Equitation Championship. Ament showed Octavia, owned by Bastion LLC, in the two rounds of competition and won the blue ribbon and first place prizes. Other riders to compete in the Equitation Championship were Navona Gallegos, who finished fourth overall, Hannah Selleck, who finished fifth overall, and Samantha Harrison, who finished seventh overall. 

Karen Healey student Hannah Selleck also won the award for Best Adult Rider and the Grand Amateur-Owner Hunter championship after a very successful weekend of competition in Del Mar. Selleck and her horse Bella won blue ribbons in all four classes of the Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 over fences, placed third under saddle and came in second in the $2,000 Amateur-Owner Hunter Classic. The pair also placed first in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search.

Rider Samantha Harrison was second in the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, coming in just behind Selleck, and Navona Gallegos placed fifth. Harrison and Gallegos also showed in the USEF Hunter Seat Medal. Harrison placed first and Gallegos placed fourth.

Jocelyn Neff is another student out of Karen Healey Stables who had a successful weekend in Del Mar. Neff won the WIHS Equitation Classic jumper phase and was second in the hunter phase, ending up in first place overall after the two rounds of competition. Neff also won the WCE Medal and was second in the ASPCA Maclay Horsemanship Medal.

Other top finishers include Haley Harrison, who won the PCHA Horsemanship Medal 14 and Under, Mackensie Baker, who was second in the CPHA Junior Hunter Seat Medal and fourth in the WCE Medal, and Grace Shelton, who placed fifth in the WCE Medal.

Karen Healey Stables will compete this week at the Showpark Ranch and Coast Tournament May 5-10.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

The riders of Karen Healey Stables in Orange stayed busy in April. Addy Graves placed first in the PCHA Horsemanship class, first in the Onondarka Medal and first in the THIS National Children’s Medal at the Gold Coast series at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

Samantha Harrison showed her mare Santika at the Pebble Beach Spring Horse Shows, too, and placed first in the $3,500 Junior/Amateur-Owner Jumper Classic. Harrison also competed for a spot on the B team in the North American Junior Young Rider Trials.
At the Oaks Blenheim Spring Classic II, Healey trained her many other students, including Alex Block, who showed Tammy Chipko’s All That and was reserve champion of the Large Junior Hunter 16 -17 division. Holly Dickinson showed HMG Farm’s Beckham and placed first overall in the WIHS Equitation Classic after a first place finish in the jumper phase. She also placed first over fences in the Equitation 15-17.

Other Healey students who enjoyed success include Kylee Arbuckle, Kristi Siam, Hannah Selleck, Carol Bird, Mackensie Baker and Kasey Ament.

Reprinted with permission from Riding Magazine.

Trainer Karen Healey has taught some very talented young equestrians throughout her career, and this past weekend two of those riders showed in national and world championship competitions. This year’s Rolex FEI World Cup champion, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, began her career in California and trained with Healey as a junior rider. Current Karen Healey student Michelle Morris rides for the University of Georgia’s equestrian team and was part of the team’s national championship win this weekend.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum is currently the number one ranked rider in the world competing for Germany, but at one time she lived in California and trained for about six years in the Equitation and Junior Jumpers with Karen Healey. Michaels-Beerbaum showed her once in a lifetime horse Shutterfly in Las Vegas, NV, this past weekend for the Rolex FEI World Cup Finals and swept the competition. This was the rider’s third year winning the World Cup championship and although she competes for Germany, she still considers herself 50% American and enjoys the support of her American family and friends.

Karen Healey traveled to Las Vegas to cheer on her former student this weekend, and was very proud of her big win. “It was fabulous,” Healey smiled. “I would like to think that I did something, but she did most of this herself. I mean, I think I gave her a very nice foundation, but her determination and mind set and just the nerve control and all the rest of it, she did all of that herself over the years.”

“Meredith just lost her father. He passed away about a month ago,” Healey continued. “I had a long history with him and her mother, and I still am very close with her mother, so it was very special.”

Healey still stays in touch with Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, speaks to her often, and has two of her sale horses at her farm in California right now. “I talk to her at least once a month and sometimes more,” Healey stated. “And I will say that her first grand prix that she won over there, she called me immediately. We have quite a good relationship, and I feel very privileged to have been a part of her career.”

 

Another successful student of Karen Healey’s is Michelle Morris of La Canada, CA. Morris is one of Healey’s current students and rides as a freshman on the University of Georgia’s NCAA equestrian team. The 2009 Varsity Equestrian National Championships were held in Waco, TX, this past weekend, and the Georgia Bulldogs were the overall national champions. Morris rode in the Equitation on the Flat division for the UGA team.

Karen Healey commented on Morris riding on the college team, stating, “I used to tell them all the time, I’m not going to ride these horses for you, you are going to have to ride horses that I haven’t prepared. That is the hardest thing with the school competition is just being able to get on horses that are maybe not as nice as they are used to, not as prepared.”

Healey added, “I think that Michelle took away a lot and learned a lot. She was always a good student and always tried really hard. They still have a horse with me, and when she gets back she will ride a little bit over the summer.”

Karen Healey congratulates both Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Michelle Morris for their individual successes this weekend and is proud to have contributed to their riding careers.

Reprinted with permission from Phelps Media Group.

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.