Beat Mandli and Dibatsja. Credit Al Cook
Swiss Olympic veteran Beat Mändli bested a six horse jump-off to win the marquee event at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, the $132,000 Prix De Penn National on Dibatsja, owned by Grant Road Partners, LLC. Mändli also won this class in 2014. "I didn't expect to win. I was already happy with my first round because I have a few big weeks ahead of me, so I just wanted to put in a nice round and see what happened and it turned out great for me," said Mändli, who is based in North Salem, NY.
Three riders tested the Michel Vaillancourt-designed course in the tiebreaker before the first clear round. Pathfinder Abigail McArdle on Victorio 5, owned by Victorio Equine Group, LLC, had two rails down for eight faults. Recent World Equestrian Games U.S. Team Gold Medalist Adrienne Sternlicht had a rail for four faults on Toulago, owned by Starlight Farms, LLC, but the time was 35.59, which was quick enough for third place. Then Canada's Jonathon Millar, third in the order, set the target time of 38.45 seconds with a clear round on Bonzay, owned by Isotropic Networks Inc.
Millar's compatriot, Olympic veteran Mario Deslauriers (CAN) on Amsterdam 27, owned by Luja, LLC & Wishing Well Farm LLC, knocked down a rail for fifth place. Mandli was next, finishing clean in 37.66 seconds. The last to ride, four-time Olympian and 2017 Longines FEI World Cup Champion, McLain Ward on Contagious, owned by Beechwood Stables, LLC, pulled a rail and ended up in fourth place.
Joe Hena received the Moira Jane Caffarey Memorial Perpetual Trophy and The George L. Hennessy Memorial Perpetual Trophy as the caretaker of the Prix de Penn National winning horse. Beat Mändli and Dibatsja were crowned Open Jumper Champions and the Reserve Championship went to Kelli Cruciotti and Hadja Van Orshof. Beezie Madden received both the Leading Rider Award for Open Jumpers and the Leading Lady Rider Award for Open Jumpers. The trophy had been retired by Madden for winning it three times, but she generously returned it to the competition, only to receive it once again.
Open Jumpers
Kelli Cruciotti defeated two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and reigning Longines FEI World Cup Champion Beezie Madden by one tenth of second to win Thursday's $50,000 Pennsylvania Big Jump. Riding Hadja Van Orshof, the 21 year old resident of Elizabeth, CO, bested the seven horse speed round out of a field of 34. Madden had set the target time with the first double clear on Chic Hin D Hyrencourt, owned by Abigail Wexner in a time of 33.09 seconds. The lead was short lived as Cruciotti followed on Hadja Van Orshof setting a new goal with a clear round time of 32.99.
On Friday evening, the tables turned as Madden scored her second victory in as many days on Jiva, owned by Abigail Wexner, winning the $35,000 Keystone Classic Speed Stake. The pair also won the $35,000 1.45m Harrisburg Sprint the day before and as a result were crowned Open Jumper Speed Champions. Madden defeated Cruciotti by one second, going double clear in a time of 54.29 seconds. The two have been sharing the top two spots as Cruciotti also came in second to Madden in the Harrisburg Sprint.
"My horse was fantastic tonight," said Madden. "Kelli has been fantastic all week. We traded places. The other speed class I won and she was second. Then last night, I was second. If it keeps going this way that will be fine with me."
Hunters
Just Ask, a bay 9-year-old Warmblood gelding, owned by Roberts Stables LLC, trained by Patty Rogers and ridden by Jeff Gogul, won the Grand Hunter Championship for their performance in the 3'6" Green Conformation division.
Just Ask, the 2017 3' Green Hunter National Champion, earned two championships, a Leading Hunter Rider title for Gogul and a Grand Champion Hunter Trainer Award for Rogers. Benny Fuentes won the Groom's Award for his caretaking duties.
The High Performance division title went to Private Life, ridden by Scott Stewart and owned by Dr. Betsee Parker. Last year at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, Private Life won the championship in the Green Conformation division. Lucador, also owned by Parker and ridden by Stewart, was Reserve Champion.
Private Life also received the EMO Agency High Five Award, given to the horse and rider who receive the highest score in these divisions, for his 90-point score in the High Performance Conformation Hunter Over Fences class. Private Life shared the High Five Award with Private Practice, owned by Brad Wolf and ridden by Victoria Colvin, as they also scored a 90 in the Green 3'9" Hunter Handy round.
Martha Ingram and Lyons Creek Bellini won the Grand Championship for Amateur Owner 3'3" Hunters following two days of competition in the 3'3" Amateur Hunter Riders 18-35 division.
Side Saddle
Ashleigh Glorioso of Burke, VA, and Southern Will were Sidesaddle Division champions with a total score of 18 points. This was the second consecutive championship for Glorioso, who took top honors last year on her other Thoroughbred named Turtle. The reserve championship title was shared between two entries, Amy Jo Magee of Coatesville, PA, riding Little Lady and Julie Bigham of Ashton, MD, on Pas de Chat. Each received a total of 14 points in the division, so the judges decided to leave the tie unbroken.
Hunt Night
Members from thirteen recognized or registered Hunts, from across Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia, traveled to Harrisburg Monday for a night of friendly competition.
The Penn-Marydel hounds of the River Hills Foxhounds, Kirkwood, PA, led by MFH James Paxson entertained the crowd with a demonstration of how foxhounds as a pack, work together.
Two-time Olympic eventer Boyd Martin returned to the Pennsylvania National Horse Show to defend his title in the Gentleman's Hunter Hack with Right On Que for Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhounds. Martin is the only rider in the world to have competed at every 4-star event in the world, including the Olympics and the World Equestrian Games, and now he can add two back to back PNHS Hunt Night wins to his resume.
"I love it," said Martin. "You just have to go around in a circle and they tell you what to do."
The Hunt Teams competition, always a hotly contested class where three riders from the hunt follow each other over a course of fences and then jump the last fence in unison, saw 16 teams vie for the title. Emerging victorious was Mr. Stewart's Cheshire Foxhounds Team 2, with riders Erika Nesler, Tanya Emslie and Anabel Barnett, who showed Sunday in the Medal Final.
"Showing is what I mainly do, but on the side I hunt with my Mom and Dad. It is something we can all do together,” Barnett said. “It is an honor to be a part of a team doing something you love and it is all the better when you have this kind of outcome."
Medal Final
After a year of qualifying, 238 riders started their quest for the top prize in the Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final on Sunday, October 14.
The top 25 from the first round were invited back to test over a second course to further demonstrate their control, position and technical skills. The top six then returned for one final test where they had to change leads, counter canter to two fences, hand gallop another, halt and demonstrate sitting trot.
After undergoing all these tests of riding ability, judges Geoff Teall and Robin Ros Brown, herself a Medal Final winner, announced Brian Moggre of Flower Mound, TX the winner of the 2018 Dover Saddlery/USEF Hunter Seat Medal Final. Alexandra Worthington from Las Vegas, NV, earned second place and Coco Fath, Fairfield, CT, was third.
"This is my third year doing the equitation and it means so much for me to go in and have the result I did," said Moggre.
On Saturday, Alexa Lignelli, New York, NY, took both Small Pony Hunter Champion and Reserve Champion with her ponies, Rollingwoods Knee Deep and IParty. Lignelli had won the championship last year with IParty. First time champion at the PNHS, Tessa Downey of Huston, TX, and her pony, Anisette, won the title of Medium Pony Hunter Champion. His Way, owned by 16-year-old Josephine Rose of Dayton, OH, took home the Large Pony Hunter Championship, her first win at the PNHS. Grand Champion Pony Hunter was awarded to Downey and Anisette. The Pony Hunter Sportsmanship award was given to Calder Trotz of Memphis, TN.
Emma Kurtz, Hudson, OH, walked away with two titles, Small Jr. Hunter 3'6" 16-17 Championship, which she won with A Million Reasons, and the Large Jr. Hunter 3'6" 16-17 Championship with Dedication.
Junior Jumpers
You could hear a pin drop in the main arena as Sophie Gochman and Carola BH, rode towards victory in the 2018 Neue Schule/USEF Jr. Jumper Champion title. The pair posted a combined total, over three days of competition, of six faults. Until Gochman entered the ring, Madison Goetzmann and Prestigious, Goetzmann's 11-year-old bay Westphalian gelding, led the field with a total of 8 combined faults for a silver medal finish. Earning the bronze medal, was Lily Gottwald with her own Gaston Van T Steentje.
Defending their historic 2017 team win, Zone 7 was once again victorious on Saturday, winning team gold in the 2018 Neue Schule/ USEF Prix des States Team Championship. The gold medal team was comprised of Briley Koerner 18, of The Woodlands, TX, riding For Jef VD Wezelse, owned by Bks Horse Farms, LLC; Sloan Hopson, 17, of Huston, TX, aboard Costa Rica VH Waterschoot Z; Anna Beth Athey, 17, of Enid, OK, riding For Serrano Sr, and Brian Moggre, 16, of Flower Mound, TX, on MTM Flutterfly.
Zone 2 was reserve and Zone 4 finished third.
The 2018 recipient of the William C. Steinkraus Style Award was Madison Goetzmann. The award is given to a recipient competing in Prix des States Junior Jumper competition who exemplifies the American style of equitation and sportsmanship.
Therapeutic Riding
The PNHS Foundation Therapeutic Riding Championships were held for the third year. The Assisted class was won by Charles Turnbaugh on Nimble George from Cumberland County 4 H Boots and Hooves Equine Club. Second place went to Ashlyn Noss on TZF Toby's Sandy from Leg Up Farm. The Unassisted class was won by Brianna Bevans on Zephyr from Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy. Second place went to Aiden Gill on My Impressive Touch from Manito Life Center.
The Pennsylvania National Horse Show was held October 11-20 at the Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA.