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Augusta Iwasaki and Bit of Laughter.
BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL #4671 2011: CHILDREN'S HUNTER PONY: 204. CHILDREN'S HUNTER PONY U/S: #competed: 0: place entry# owner rider; 2: 241: SMALL GIFT: IWASAKI & REILLY. Augusta Iwasaki and Small Occasion Cherie Callandar and Pacific Heights. Armando Pelayo was recognized for his excellence in grooming with the Makoto Farms Groom’s Award for Best Turned Out Horse, partnered with Skyhawk, owned by Laura Wasserman, and ridden by Stella Wasserman.
Lexington, KY – August 6, 2015 – As the over fences phase of the Small Pony Hunters got underway Thursday, all eyes turned to Augusta Iwasaki and Bit of Laughter. They ousted the top competitors to move up the ranks and capture the championship with an outstanding over fences effort, earning the high scoring round to move from the 11th position to the pinnacle of the leader board.
Although Iwasaki and Bit of Laughter, owned by Iwasaki & Reilly of California, kicked off the competition with 10 contenders ahead of them, with 50 percent of the overall scores tabulated from the over fences class, the tricolor was in the air with the young competitors vying for the coveted honor.
Bit of Laughter donned the championship ribbon in 2011 with rider Lindsey Levine in the saddle for the Small Green Pony Hunters; however, this was Iwasaki’s first time showing the talented pony at the 2015 USEF Pony Finals. The young talent, hailing from Calabasas, Calif., has worked to form a partnership with ‘Ceto’ for two years, and it all culminated with their exemplary performance over fences.
“I’m very excited about this win,” Iwasaki expressed. “My favorite part of today was our jumping trip, and it was probably one of my best rounds with this pony.”
Iwasaki admitted that the chestnut can allude to a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality, but he was on his best behavior Thursday.
“He has two sides; he is either really nice or really grumpy, but he’s been really good lately,” Iwasaki laughed. “He doesn’t really like other ponies, but he likes me when I give him treats. I think he likes being at the horse show much more than he likes being at home.”
The 11-year-old rider made the trek east all the way from Calabasas, Calif. for her third consecutive U.S. Pony Finals, and she seems to always enjoy her time in Kentucky. While the majority of the riders and spectators were averse to the constant rain that plagued the day, Iwasaki contrarily welcomed the change to her usual climate. Taking home a few top honors certainly can’t hurt the experience, either.
“I live in California, but I like Kentucky a lot. It is a lot more green and wet,” the young winner laughed.
Iwasaki closed out the competition with 1033.29 points after earning the high scores of 90, 86.5 and 92 from the judging panel. Mimi Gochman followed 10 points behind, making a nostalgic run for the reserve championship with Love Me Tender, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker of Middleburg, Virginia.
Love Me Tender has been a part of the Gochman family for nearly five years, and 10-year-old Mimi was the first to have the ride out of the sisters.
“When she was a baby, she jumped really hard and really high,” Mimi elaborated. “In the beginning, she was green, and throughout the years she has become better and better. By the time Betsee bought her, my sister Sophie was riding her. This year, Sophie wanted to ride Chester [Bit of Love] at Pony Finals, so Betsee asked me if I would ride her. I was thrilled! I knew it would be nice memories for when I used to ride her.”
What Mimi did not expect was that she would earn her first rosette at Pony Finals with one of the first ponies she ever showed.
“She was really great, and I think I know her better now than I did in the past,” Mimi patted ‘Princess,’ as she is known in the barn. “She has a big stride, a low head and a good jump, all in all it is the perfect combination, and it was so much fun to ride her. It is awesome to win the reserve championship; I have never had a tricolor at Pony Finals.”
Iwasaki did not stop at besting a field of 120 small ponies. Earlier in the day, Iwasaki took the early lead in the Large Green Pony Hunters with Kingston, owned by Ava Peck of Topanga, Calif., outshining 86 entrants to earn the top spot in both the model and under saddle portions during the first day of divisional competition. Their overall score of 513.320 points swept them into first position, securing the pair as the last to ride Friday during the over fences phase, the final fraction of competition.
“I am very excited. I really wanted to win this for Ava, his owner, I want to thank her because she is so sweet for letting me ride him; I love him. He is very quiet and sweet and calm,” Iwasaki said.
Although Iwasaki will have a slight advantage as the leader headed into Friday’s class, she has some stiff competition still in the hunt for the top prize. The second through sixth positions are all within a few points of each other, with sixth position less than 13 points behind Iwasaki and Kingston. Garavani, ridden by Devin Seek and owned by Ashley Vail Aycox of Jones Creek, Georgia, sits in second, while Emma Kurtz in the irons aboard Oliver Twist, owned by Sharrone Peters of Dearborn, Michigan, clinched the temporary third. Ava Leraris and Splendid, owned by San Francisco-based Pretty Penny Farm, hold the fourth spot, followed by owner-rider Michelle Haskins aboard Until Tomorrow, and New York City-based Juliette Mark’s Lead Story, ridden by Lizzy McCrady, taking the final two top six spots.
Iwasaki and Kingston were not the only double blue winners Thursday, as Unforgettable, modeled and hacked by Sophia Calamari and owned by Forget Me Not Farm in Wellington, Florida, also impressed the judges during both phases of competition to earn consecutive blue ribbons in the Medium Green Pony Hunters. The pair took a commanding lead with their cumulative score of 523.560 points, nearly 20 points ahead of the next-closest competitor, with the over fences portion still to take place Friday.
Currently sitting in second position is Jenna Field and Apricot Brandy, owned by Victoria Redman of Ocala, Fla., trailed by Emma Kurtz and Truly Yours, owned by Dr. Betsee Parker, in third place. Samantha Palermo and her own Vienna, Iwasaki and her family’s Small Suggestion, and Devin Seek and Dance with Me, owned by Bibby Hill of Reddick, Fla., hold the current fourth through sixth spots, respectively.
The Regular Pony Hunters continue Friday, with the Medium Regular Pony Model beginning at 7 a.m., followed by the under saddle. The Medium Green and Large Green Pony Hunters will commence their over fences as they compete for the division championships. The Pony Jumpers will conclude the day with the Individual Phase II and Team Championships getting underway in the Alltech Arena beginning at 4:30 p.m.
To learn more about the USEF Pony Finals, please visit www.ponyfinals.org. For live results, please visit www.shownet.biz.
Rebecca Walton for Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
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Phelps Media Group, Inc.
12012 South Shore Blvd #105
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561-753-3389 (phone)
561-753-3386 (fax)
[email protected]
PhelpsMediaGroup.com
Del Mar, Calif. – Ava Stearns and Bocelli conquered the 2018 USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – West Coast, earning the title of Overall Grand Champion in the 3’6” section with a final score of 257.6. Alexis Sokolov and Harvard Grad’s maiden trip to Junior Hunter Championship was successful as they were crowned Overall Grand Champion in the 3’3″ section with a final score of 248.8.
Ava Stearns (Chilmark, Mass.) and Bocelli, Laura Wasserman’s nine-year-old Hanoverian gelding, established themselves as the competitive pair to beat under the watchful eyes of judges Robert Crandall, Steve Wall, and Chris Wynne, who awarded scores of 85, 87, and 86 in the Classic phase to win the class. The new partnership shined in the Under Saddle phase where they earned an 87.5, 84.5, and 83. Stearns’ final ride sealed the deal with a score of 86, 85, and 86.5 in the Handy to win the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 division, where they were awarded the Magic Word Perpetual Trophy donated by Karen Kay. Their consistent rides ultimately earned them the Overall Grand Champion tri colors in the 3’6” section and the Monarch International Perpetual Trophy donated by Show Circuit Magazine.
The New England native, who trains with Missy Clark on the East Coast and with Archie Cox on the West coast, discussed her new partnership with Bocelli. “This is my first time riding him, he’s fabulous and willing to do anything you ask,” said Stearns. “He tries so hard every time you go into the ring, he’s a great partner to have.”
The course, designed by Thomas Hern of Plymouth, Mass., featured full, colorful floral fillers with sweeping turns and approaches that showcased the duo’s adjustability.
“The [Handy] course was very fun and I loved riding in this [Grand Prix] field. When I walked it, it had a lot of challenging questions. The most challenging obstacle was the trot jump after the last oxer, which was quite big,” said Stearns.
No stranger to the spotlight, Kaitlyn Lovingfoss (Santa Clarita, Calif.) was named Overall Reserve Grand Champion in the 3’6” section aboard Castle, Cameron Glassman’s seven-year-old Oldenburg gelding. The dynamic duo were also section champions in the Small Junior Hunter 16-17 section. Winning the Classic with scores of 85, 86, and 87, the pair went on to score the only 90 in their under saddle class followed by an 89 and 85. Their last performance in the Handy confirmed their top placing in the section with scores of 83, 84 and 85 to bring home the River Edge Farm Perpetual Trophy donated by River Edge Farm with a final score of 256.8.
Lovingfoss was also victorious in the USHJA Hunterdon Cup Equitation Classic – West Coast on Monday, July 23, with Caracas 89, Elvenstar Farm’s 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding. Alexis Sokolov (Santa Fe, N.M.) and Harvard Grad Dynamic Sporthorses LLC’s seven-year-old Oldenburg mare, was Overall Grand Champion in the 3’3″ section with a final score of 248.8. Sokolov piloted “Elle” to an 82, 84, and 79 in the Classic round, then to an 86, 85, and 80 under saddle, and finally to a 73.5, 80, and 82 in the Handy round. The combination also claimed the top spot in the Small Junior Hunter 17 and Under 3’3” section.
Alexis Sokolov and Harvard Grad (Captured Moment Photo)
“Elle is only seven and is hard on right lead, which was my biggest concern as the [Handy] course called for many right lead turns,” said Sokolov. “The most thrilling was the gallop and the oxer to the trot jump in the Handy. It was tricky, but I liked it.”
As for the best part about competing in the Junior Hunter Championship, Sokolov remarked that her favorite part of the finals is getting closer to the people she normally shows and competes with.
The Overall Reserve Grand Champion in the 3’3” section was awarded to Katalina Ricard (Flintridge, Calif.) and Balletomane, Micaela Kennedy’s eight-year-old Holsteiner gelding, who ended the competition on a final score of 246.6. Consistency was key with this partnership, scoring an 82, 83, and 83 in the Classic, then an 80, 85, and 78 under saddle. Their final round of the competition in the Handy produced an 81, 81, and 85.
Additional Champions Crowned at the 2018 USEF Junior Hunter National Championship – West Coast
Brooke Morin (Calabasas, Calif.) and Fine Design, Laura Wasserman’s 13-year-old Warmblood gelding, were crowned Champion in the Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under section, finishing with a total of 255 points and earning The Huntover Farm Perpetual Trophy, donated by Huntover Farm. Morin and Fine Design placed first in the Classic round with an 88, 87, and 87. The combination earned scores of 87, 81, and 77 in the under saddle phase and finished second in the Handy round with scores of 83.5, 84.5, and 85.
Brooke Morin (Calabasas, Calif.) and Fine Design, Laura Wasserman’s 13-year-old Warmblood gelding, were crowned Champion in the Small Junior Hunter 15 & Under section, finishing with a total of 255 points and earning The Huntover Farm Perpetual Trophy, donated by Huntover Farm. Morin and Fine Design placed first in the Classic round with an 88, 87, and 87. The combination earned scores of 87, 81, and 77 in the under saddle phase and finished second in the Handy round with scores of 83.5, 84.5, and 85.
Augusta Iwasaki and Small Affair (Captured Moment Photo)
Augusta Iwasaki (Calabasas, Calif.) and Small Affair, Lyn Pedersen’s 15-year-old Selle Francais gelding, returned to the Large Junior Hunter 15 & Under 3’6” section to claim Grand Champion on a final score of 255.6. The combination scored an 83, 85, and 86 in the Classic, an 85, 82 and 77 under saddle, and an 87, 88 and 88 in the Handy. The win earned the pair The Escort Me In perpetual trophy, donated by Shalano Farms.
Emily Williams (Newhall, Calif.) and Carlo, her 12-year-old Warmblood gelding, were Champion in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 3’3” section with 244.4 points. The combination earned a 78, 79, and 79 in the Classic, a 79, 85, and 80 under saddle, and an 86, 84, and 83 in the Handy.
Zoe Brown (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Catina, Sofia Baiker’s 13-year-old Holsteiner mare, bested the field of 21 in the Large Junior Hunter 15 and Under 3’3″ section with a final score of 241. Brown earned scores of 80, 75, and 86 in the Classic,. a 77, 81, and 77 under saddle, and an 81.5, 81, and 81.75 in the Handy.
Small Occasion with Liz Reilly and Augusta Iwasaki presenting (Captured Moment Photo)
Small Occasion, Elizabeth Reilly, Chris M. Iwasaki, and Augusta Iwasaki’s nine-year-old Holsteiner mare, was named Best Mare and awarded of the Small Collection Perpetual Trophy as the overall top placing mare on the West coast. With Jordan Allen in the irons, Small Occasion earned Reserve Champion in the Large Junior Hunter 16-17 3’6” section on a final score of 251.3.
For additional information or questions regarding the USEF Junior Hunter National Championships, please contact Kelsey Shanley, Director, National Affiliates, by phone at (859) 225-6960 or via email at [email protected].
Find out more about the hunter discipline and all of US Equestrian’s 29 recognized breeds and disciplines in this Learning Center video. Stay up to date throughout the competition by following the USEF Junior Hunter National Championship on Facebook and follow US Equestrian on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Use #JoinTheJoy.