The $2,500 Low Jr-A/O Jumper Classic and the $5,000 Medium/High Jr-A/O Jumper Classic, both presented by Caves Farm, wrapped up the Lexington Spring Encore show in the Dee Dee Arena for the last events of the two weeks of the Virginia Festival of Champions.
The $2,500 Low Jr-A/O Jumper Classic saw twenty two entries and awarded sixteen-year old Caroline Blum of Keswick, Virginia, in the irons of Deer Path Far, LLC’s Glitter Glider the blue ribbon.
Only four horse and rider teams advanced to a second round opportunity where the time allowed was set at 52 seconds.
“Well, I rode two horses in this class and with my first ride [MTM Kappa Kappa Gamma] we didn’t make it to the jump off round. So, I was even more determined to make it with ‘GG‘ [Glitter Glider],” said Blum.
“I think it was a really technical course. ‘GG‘ is game for anything. A lot of people had problems with the first round fences 3 to 4 and everyone seemed to be missing that line. It was a five stride and it worked out well for me with ‘GG‘, but I came in too slow with my other horse and it was tough,” she added.
Of the four horse and rider teams who advanced to a second round opportunity, all would earn jump faults. Blum and Glitter Glider earned only four jump faults, while her second round competitors all earned eight.
Second place was awarded to Ella Duffy of Marietta, Georgia aboard Royal Sport Horses’ RSH Glamorous for their eight-fault second round in a time of 42.099 seconds.
Amanda Hood of Washington, D.C. riding her own Dealbreaker placed third with their eight-fault second round in a time of 43.501 seconds.
Jennifer Melhalko of Woodbine, Maryland aboard her own Contador finished in fourth place for their eight-fault second round in a time of 43.960 seconds.
Mackensie Bowles of Staunton, Virginia riding her own Lando Van De Oude Molenhoeve was the fastest four-fault first round and secured a fifth place with their time of 80.169 seconds, well within the first round time allowed of 86 seconds.
Addison Reed of Mechanicsville, Virginia and Gail Thompson’s Bridles Holiday finished in sixth with their four fault first round in a time of 81.491 seconds.
The $5,000 Medium/High Jr-A/O Jumper Classic 1.35 m, presented by Caves Farm, was the last class of the show and the second place finisher in the $2,500 Low Jr-A/O Jumper Classic, presented by Caves Farm, sixteen-year old Ella Duffy, in the irons of Over the Top Stables’ Vicomte De La Cour, took home the blue ribbon, besting a field of ten horse and rider teams and earning the only double clear round in the class in a time of 42.311 seconds.
Molly Wolfe of Owings Mills, Maryland and her own Kempo Caretino Boy placed second with their four-fault second round in a time of 38.925 seconds.Sophie Hauptmann aboard her own Chicago finished the class in third place with their sixteen-fault second round in a time of 45.582 seconds.
Kristin Stolpe of Charlottesville, Virginia and Open Prairie, LLC’s Miss Ley Van De Vlasput earned a fourth place finish as the fastest four-fault first round rides in a time of 79.461 seconds and Wolfe returned for a fifth place ribbon aboard her own Contagio Girl for their four-fault first round in a time of 80.091 seconds. Peyton Preblick of Glen Allen, Virginia earned a sixth and an eighth with Happy Valley Show Jumping’s Pinnacle and Altezza Du Jardin, respectively.
Felicia Russell of Leesburg, Virginia and her own Habsburg 2 won a seventh place and Lily Gottwald of Richmond, Virginia and her own Upper East 3 placed ninth. Kate Phillips of Montpelier, Virginia and her own Zara WWW wrapped up the class with a tenth place.
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