Edited Press Release

Carmel, IN – November 16, 2021 – Grand Prix rider Michael Burnett of Carmel, IN, wrapped up a stellar 2021 show season with his string of talented jumpers and his growing list of clients. Adding eight grand prix wins to his resume along with 14 top-three grand prix placings, Burnett continues to bring his horses up the ranks, earning close to a million dollars in jumper money to date. 

Burnett’s Chagrand, a twelve-year-old Oldenburg by Chacco-Blue, visited the winner’s circle numerous times this season claiming the win in seven grand prixs including Brownland, Midstates, Culpeper, and Saugerties. They started the season as well as they finished, earning a win in the 1.40m jumpers at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and continued their success from there. The pair also took second place honors in the $50,000 Lamplight Grand Prix and the $25,000 World Equestrian Center (WEC) Grand Prix and finished third in the $25,000 Devon Fall Grand Prix. 

“I love that he’s [Chagrand] extremely hot and smart about the rails!  He’s a great competitor and what makes us click is our very straightforward program.  We only jump as much as it takes for him to understand the job and the rest is just great fitness and conditioning,” commented Burnett.  

 In Traverse City, MI, at the Platinum Zone 5 Jumper Championships, Burnett rode Windara Farms’ Luxus Liner S to the Individual Bronze Medal. Burnett started with Luxus in 2020 after Wanda Dodd purchased the horse at the end of the WEF circuit. Burnett rode the twelve-year-old to the win in the $10,000 St. Louis Grand Prix in December of 2020 and went on the win the Maffit Lake Welcome Stake. They also earned several top-three finishes in the Maffit Lake and Midstates grand prixs and took home the 1.30m Jumper Championship at the Constitution Classic in Culpeper, VA. 
 
Owner Wanda Dodd and the family enjoy having a string of horses to support Burnett and their granddaughter Kait Meggenhofen’s goals. While some of the horses Dodd has purchased have hit the grand prix ring, the rest are still inexperienced prospects gaining mileage with Burnett in the tack. One of the young prospects is by Arezzo VDL, who had siblings in the recent Olympics. 

VDL Ivar is one of the younger ones, owned by Windara Farms and Dodd, working its way up the ranks as an eight-year-old KWPN by Gaillard De La Pomme. Burnett rode the horse to the win in the 1.25m Jumper Stakes at Midstates and Maffitt Lake and took a second place ribbon in the 1.20m at the Great Lakes Equestrian Festival. In addition, the horse earned great ribbons with Meggenhofen in the Modified Children’s/Adult Jumper division. 

Claiming another grand prix victory was Burnett’s Fiji Moon, an eight-year-old Holsteiner by Diarado, who won a $20,000 Midstates Grand Prix. The duo also placed first and third in the 1.40m division at the Devon Fall show and won the Welcome Stake at Swan Lake.  

Burnett Farm’s Program

Burnett’s program is dedicated to the details and concentrates on one-on-one training for both riders and horses. Flatwork is essential and the fitness of the horses is key. Burnett hosts a Chris Kappler Clinic annually and gets a great school on his horses early in the summer from the Olympian. Burnett is very disciplined when it comes to riding and is passionate about his goals. His riders love his focused attention and the success that follows. 

Burnett Farm riders added great ribbons to the tack room banner during the season from the hunter rings as well as the jumper rings. Even owner Dodd [Pendleton, IN] gets in the tack for the Low Adult Jumpers and claims prizes with her Casal I. 

Gabriella Lewis [Zionsville, IL] earned her spot in the Gold Star Clinic East with Anne Kursinski from her performance in the jumper ring. In the hunter ring, Lewis piloted Lex Toccino to top ribbons in the 3’3” Junior Hunters and collected a championship in St. Louis.

Rider Taylor Embs [Westfield, IN] of Sterling Shields Stables, earned top jumper ribbons on Burnett’s Irbywoodand Italian Syndicate and landed a championship in the Hopeful Jumpers at Brownland.

Emma Green [Carmel, IN] and Clinton stole the Low Junior/Amateur Owner Jumper division at the Midstates show taking home the championship and the Classic win. Green also rode to a second place finish in the 1.20m speed class at Split Rock.

Annie Crawley [Catawissa, MO] of Sunridge Sporthorses, claimed the High Adult Jumper Classic and the championship at Brownland Farm. She also won the High Adult Jumper Classic at Maffitt Lake with her Thoroughbred, Kris.

Burnett Farm also welcomed Corinne Mitchell [Worden, IL] and her horse Roscoe to the program this year.

Grand Prix Highlights
         
CHAGRAND
1^st– $30,000 Brownland Grand Prix
1^st– 2 weeks in a row $15,000 Maffitt Lake Grand Prix
1^st– $20,000 Midstates Grand Prix
1^st– $20,000 HITS Culpeper Grand Prix
1^st– $25,000 HITS Saugerties
2^nd– $25,000 World Equestrian Center
2^nd– $50,000 Lamplight Grand Prix
3^rd – $25,000 Devon Fall
1^st– 1.40m at WEF
 
LUXUS LINER S
Individual Bronze Medal $25,000 Platinum Zone 5 Jumper Championships
1^st– $10,000 Dec. St Louis Grand Prix
1^st– Welcome Stake Maffitt Lake
2^nd– Welcome Stake Brownland 
3^rd– $15,000 Maffitt Lake Grand  Prix
3^rd– $20,000 Midstates Grand Prix
Champion 1.30m Jumpers /HITS Culpeper 
1.35m Class winner/ World Equestrian Center
 
FIJI MOON
1^st– Welcome Stake Swan Lake PA
1^st– $20,000 Midstates Grand Prix
1st and 3rd in 1.40m Devon Fall Classic
1^st– 1.30m HITS Chicago 
 
VDL IVAR
1^st– 1.25m Jumper Stake / Midstates and Maffitt Lake
2^nd– 1.20m Great Lakes Equestrian Festival