Twin wins for Zone 4 Jumpers

By Staff Report July 29, 2011

Southern fliers from Zone 4 grabbed the gold in both the Junior and Young Rider jumper divisions at the 2011 Adequan/FEI North American Junior & Young Rider Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, Friday.

In the YR division, California’s Zone 10 took silver, and Zone 2 – New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania – earned bronze at the July 29 final.

“During the week we only trail ride,” said Samantha Senft, describing the unusual training regimen for her mare Early Morning. “We only do one or two jumps in the warm-up, and before we go in the ring I have to sing Justin Bieber to her. I’m not kidding!” she laughed. “If I don’t, she will not perform as well.”

Senft, 20, was among the quartet of riders jumping for Zone 4 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee). Teammates Chase Boggio (Hennessey), Liza Finsness (Ormsby Hill) and Jordan Coyne (Lazaro) pooled efforts for a combined score of 12 faults. “I’m happy we could make history for Zone 4,” Boggio said of his YR team’s bookend to the JR victory earlier in the day, which marked the zone’s first-ever taste of NAJYRC gold.

The  Zone 10 consisted of Cayla Richards (Faustino), Danielle Korsh (San Diego), Sage Flynn (Hot Pants) and Kendall Skreden (Esperanto). The group barely slid to second, with a score of 15 faults.

Riding for Zone 2 were Katherine Dinan (Vancouver), Francesca Bolfo (Venus TR), Danielle Cooper (Calantus) and Karen Polle (Cachette Z).

Friday marked the second day for the jumpers, with 10 teams vying in round 1 for what would be six slots in round 2.

On the first go, Korsh went clear with only a single time fault; Skreden had one rail; Richards had a rail down plus a time fault and Flynn two rails and a refusal (though she did manage to finish the very challenging course, on 16, which became the team’s drop score for round 1).

Carrying a score of 10 into round 2, the California riders made the most of their somewhat tenuous position. Flynn rallied impressively and produced one of the few clear rounds; Richards toppled only a single rail; Korsh again had a single time fault; and Skedren’s two rails/8 faults was the drop score, for a final result of 15.

“Spirits were mixed in the Zone 10 camp, but all the riders should be proud of themselves. They have ridden well, represented Zone 10, and showed the great talent that Zone 10 continues to produce year after year,” said Langer Equestrian Group’s Marnye Langer, who with her husband Larry Langer served as a judge for the event. “The competition at the NAJYRC seems to get tougher every year,” she continued.

In the Junior division, Zone 4 led the victory gallop with the gold, while Zone 2 carried the silver and a combined Zone 1/Zone 6 team taking bronze. Michael Hughes (Shockwave), Hayley Barnhill (Toucan Tango), Hasbrouck Donovan ( Delilah) and Frances Land (Merlin) took top honors with only 12 faults after two grueling rounds in the Rolex stadium.

The Zone 2 team consisted of Callie Smith (Captain Krutzmann), Gabrielle Bausano (Ubico H), Charlotte Jacobs (Karonda V Schlossihof), and Maria Van Buskirk (VDL Theresa Lady); the combined Zones 1/6 teammates were Brooke Cudmore (Ocelot), Sydney Shulman (Gun Du Desfi), Dana Scott (Caracas 49), and Avery Waite (Brisco).

The USHJA North American Show Jumping Championships continue Sunday with the riders competing for individual medals. The NAJYRC event is presented by Gotham North.

To read Marnye Langer’s “Postcard from the NAJYRC,” click here.
To learn more about the NAJYRC, visit www.youngriders.org.

Short URL: https://theequestriannews.com/?p=3834