California Youth Team Scores at AQHA Congress
Congratulations to the California’s American Quarter Horse Association’s (AQHA) 2007 Youth Team. The Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association sent 37 youths to compete at the 41st annual AQHA Congress in Columbus, OH, Oct. 6-28. The team had 15 top 10 placings in several divisions including: public speaking, horsebowl and horse judging.

Gold Coast Horse Show Series Wraps up the 2007 Season
The sun was shining and spirits were high at the seventh and final 2007 Gold Coast Series Horse Show at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, Oct. 18-21. The highlight of the four day show was the competitive CPHA Horsemanship Medal Finals and the CPHA Children’s-Adult Regional Medal Finals.
Veronica Robinson and her gelding, Above and Beyond, defeated 42 other horse and rider teams to claim the blue in the CPHA Horsemanship Medal Finals. Reserve went to Lacy Green, who led the first round aboard her horse, Tres Chic, but ultimately was overtaken by Robinson in the second round.
Riding Megan Sweasey’s Liolani, Hayley Selch led wire to wire in the CPHA Children’s-Adult Regional Medal Finals, dominating both rounds of competition. Hot on her heels was Chandler Marlin aboard Lyrical, who pulled ahead of third place contestant Devon Manze and Elastic, in the final round.
The show concluded on Sunday with the $1,000 Junior-Amateur Owner Jumper Classic. Allison Van Sickle piloted Korsair to a blue in the classic. Allison started the show by winning the SFVHSA Challenge Medal aboard Marian Giffin’s Beatrix.

Karen Healey Stables Heats Up the East Coast
It all started on Oct. 23, when the riders of Karen Healey Stables came out in force for the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg, PA. In the USEF/Pessoa Medal Finals, one of the oldest and most competitive equitation finals in the country, Karen Healey students Hannah Selleck of Thousand Oaks, Tina DiLandri of La Jolla and Shelby Wakeman of Westlake Village, finished second, third and fourth, respectively. The riders were some of the best in a field of 295 competitors.
In addition to equitation success, Tina DiLandri was on the Zone 10 gold-medal winning team in the Prix des States junior jumper competition.
“They were absolutely fabulous,” says Healey. “They rose to the occasion and never gave up. They’re good riders and they handled themselves beautifully.”
Two weeks later, Wakeman finished third in the ASPCA Maclay National Championship at his year’s Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament. Wakeman competed on San Francisco, the horse she rode to top placings at Capital Challenge and fourth place in the USEF/Pessoa Medal Finals. Wakeman had a solid first round over fences and was called back for the flat phase. From there, she was asked back for a second round of jumping. Out of the 18 riders asked back for the second round, Wakeman was placed ninth.
In the second round, Wakeman was on her game. “I really didn’t have anything to lose,” explains Wakeman. “I just wanted to go in and have a good round. Hopefully it would all work out.” For her great ride, the judges moved her up to third place for the final standings. It was a great finish to the year for the talented rider.
Healey was proud of Wakeman’s ability to stay cool under pressure and move up in the standings, like she did two weeks ago in the medal finals. “Sometimes it’s a better spot (to be lower in the standings) because you just go in and give it your best. Instead of protecting your round, you go for it. It’s better to lose trying to win than not to try.”
This information was provided courtesy of Phelps Media.

Griffin Leads Zone 10
in USEF National Junior Jumper Championships
Aurora Griffin made her trip from Westlake Village to the Pennsylvania National Horse Show well worth the miles. Griffin rode Tucker, a 9 year old Dutch Warmblood gelding, through three rounds of competition to win the individual portion of the Adequan USEF Junior Jumper National Championships. One of Griffin’s Zone 10 teammates, Karl Cook, was fault free and leading until the final round where a rail relegated him to second place.
“Tucker is definitely a horse who rises to the occasion,” says Griffin. “Both times he has come out East he has jumped better than ever. He’s a pretty quick horse. I was a little worried he may have been tired but he jumped fabulously even in the last round. I really enjoyed myself. My only concern was that I had to go first. There was a lot of pressure that day. It was pretty nerve-wracking. I’m ecstatic! It was a nice surprise.”
Griffin’s championship run started on Thursday night when she was second to Cook in the Table III speed class. The following evening in the team portion of the competition, the $7,500 Adequan/USEF Prix des States Team Championship, she rode in the lead off spot for Zone 10 and jumped two immaculate rounds. Teammate Paris Sellon, riding Cordelia B, followed suit, Tina Dilandri had one rail down with Chanel 292 and anchor rider Cook only had to jump one round with Notories Utopia because Zone 10 had secured such a convincing victory over their first five rounds.
Zone 10’s final score of four faults was 12 points better than Zone 4 who settled for second. Zone 5 ended up third on 18.
Griffin also won the William C. Steinkraus Style Award, donated by Karen Healey and presented by the USEF. This award was based on rider’s performance and style during the team portion of the competition.

California’s Finest
Claim Six IFSHA National Championships
The 2007 International Friesian Show Horse Association World Grand Nationals took place this year in St. Louis, MO. The best-of-the-best were presented Oct. 4-7 at the National Equestrian Center, including Rancho Vista Show Horses, who made the 36 hour drive from Vista, CA.
Friesian Focus trainer Lance Bennett took eight entries to the show and came home with six National Champions. The other two returned as Reserve National Champions. Some of the highlights included Joan Fernandez and her daughter Nichole giving a one-two punch in the Walk/Trot Amateur division capturing both the Worlds Champion and Reserve Worlds Champion titles. Fernandez is also the owner of Friesian Focus which is located at Rancho Vista Show Horses.
Crowd favorites Otto Van’t Reitho and Wodan Van Klaverfjouwer (featured on California Riding Magazine’s Sept. 07 cover) returned home as the Open Park Saddle Worlds Champion and the Open Saddle Seat Pleasure World Champion, respectively. Feije Fan De Slachtedyk, owned by Bob Nugent and shown by Bennett, claimed the Friesian Walk/Trot Pleasure Open World Championships. Lastly, the Show Pleasure Driving division saw the Friesian Focus entry Winze Fan Wyns as National Champions.
To celebrate, Rancho Vista and Friesian Focus hosted a ‘champagne and sweets’ party one evening in their barn aisle. Bennett says, “Who knew a real baker from Paris, France could be found and created all the delicious desserts.” Not a single crumb or drop of champagne was left when all was said and done.

The Winners Circle welcomes submissions and photos. E-mail them to rebecca@ridingmagazine.com.