Wellington, FL – March 13, 2016 – Competing on Saturday and Sunday during week nine, the Autism Speaks Small/Medium Children’s Pony Hunter division awarded championships honors to Allison Sinclair and Iwasaki & Reilly’s Somekindawonderful after the pair earned first and second place ribbons over fences.
The reserve championship was presented to Aerin Genatt with Joe Currais’s Look at Me, who earned a second place ribbon over fences and a win under saddle.
Allison Sinclair and Somekindawonderful. Photo: Sportfot
Sinclair, an 11-year-old rider from Winnetka, IL, trains with Maria Rasmussen at Sea Change Farm and has been riding since she was four years old. Her championship win came with Somekindawonderful, a 15-year-old New Forest Pony (by Justice H.R.), known in the barn as Ronald.
“He is new. He is showing in the Medium Pony Hunters with Natalie Jayne and then I show him in the Children’s Ponies,” Sinclair detailed. “He loves peppermints, especially before he goes into the ring. He is really cute, and he is fun to ride. He also loves to snuggle, and he is really friendly.”
Speaking of her first and second place finishes over fences, Sinclair explained, “My rounds were good yesterday. I am working a lot on my position right now, and so I just made sure I sat up and looked up, and it helped a lot. Ronald is really experienced. He is pretty forward, and he has a big stride. He is also really fun to jump. He has a lot of scope and he loves it, so he is just fun.”
This is Sinclair’s first year competing at WEF, and although she did not want do the competition at first, she has had a great time. She was also champion of the Small/Medium Children’s Pony Hunter division in week two with another pony, Webster, and won the championship in week five with Somekindawonderful.
“This is my first year at WEF. I did not want to come at first because I was a little overwhelmed and nervous, but then I finally said, ‘Okay, fine, I will go.’ It has been really fun,” Sinclair stated. “There are so many good riders and good ponies, and it feels really good to win here.”
Sinclair will compete at the Devon Horse Show, moving up to the Medium Pony Hunters, since Somekindawonderful is already qualified. Her plans then include competitions in Kentucky and Michigan throughout the summer followed by goals to qualify for indoors.
The 2016 Winter Equestrian Festival continues with its tenth week of competition, sponsored by Horseware Ireland, on March 16-20, 2016. The week features the $130,000 Horseware Ireland Grand Prix CSI 3* on Saturday, March 19. For more information and full results, please visit www.PBIEC.com.
Lauren Fisher for Jennifer Wood Media, Inc.