Shining Stars include Cavour, Captain America, Small Illustration, Joseph, Iwasaki and more…
July 3, 2016 – San Juan Capistrano, CA – Starting with the Emerson Burr Horsemanship Grant Exam, a Zone Ten Pony Challenge in the middle and ending with a Markel Pony Derby, Pony Palooza days were filled with gorgeous small, medium and large ponies that modeled, strutted and jumped on the grass. When not competing, pony riders participated in quizzes, cupcake and ice cream parties and wore smiles that could be seen for miles.
The $5,000 Markel Pony Hunter Derby
Seventeen ponies participated in the $5,000 Markel Pony Hunter Derby on a sunny Saturday morning during the Blenheim Red, White & Blue Classic. After two rounds and all the scores were tallied, Cavour (Grace Russo, owner) and Juliette Joseph earned the top call, blue ribbon and high score of the day.
Cavour with Juliette Joseph and (l-r) Blenheim EquiSports’ Melissa Brandes, Brandon Seger and Chris Norden of Markel Insurance, Karen Perlow, Equitex Leading Hunter Trainer Archie Cox and Balmoral Farm Leading Hunter Owner Grace Russo
Starting the morning with donuts and drinks courtesy of Blenheim EquiSports, pony riders negotiated the classic round with twelve returning for the handy. As can happen in a round with tight turns and trot jumps, minor mishaps affected scores. However, several showed some true handy colors and earned top scores. Augusta Iwasaki on the adorable medium True Colors moved up to second overall by scoring an impressive 88 + 9 handy points. Joseph and Cavour came in with an 83 and stayed on top with a handy score of 86 + 8 handy points.
Joseph and Cavour, trained by Archie Cox, met this winter at Thermal when she first competed on him. “He is still green, but is a very brave and dependable pony. He’s super fun to ride and easy to find the distances on. He is not spooky and is very predictable,” she remarked.
Other stellar handy scores went to Iwasaki on Goodness Gracious (85+8), ultimately third in the class, Skylar Wireman and Little Cutie Patootie (84+7), who also earned the Small Pony High Score Award and finished fourth overall. Northern Californian Avery Glynn and Pink Cadillac were fifth, with handy scores of 84 +4.
Little Cutie Patootie and Skylar Wireman
High Score Awards, generously sponsored by Liz Reilly and Chris Iwasaki of Makoto Farms with Nick Haness of Hunterbrook Farms were awarded to: Cavour for the Large section, True Colors for the medium section and Little Cutie Patootie for the small section.
True Colors and Augusta Iwasaki
Congratulations also to Archie Cox, winner of the Equitex Leading Hunter Trainer prize, and to Cavour’s owner, Grace Russo, who won the Balmoral Farm Leading Hunter Owner Award.
Martine, the groom for Charlie’s Angel, took home the Shapley’s Best Turned Out Award.
Shapley’s Best Turned Out Pony Hunter Charlie’s Angel
The USHJA Zone 10 Pony Challenge
Over 50 ponies came to play in the USHJA Zone 10 Pony Challenge on a lovely weekend during the Blenheim June Classic III. Saturday’s scores on the line and under saddle, were tallied with Sunday’s over fences class to determine the top Zone 10 ponies of 2016. Medium pony Captain America (owner, Mackenzie Root), with Augusta Iwasaki in the irons, had a grand total of 259 to earn the Overall Grand Champion award. It was Iwasaki’s first time showing this pony and they hit it off, finishing with solid scores of 86 (model), 88 (under saddle) and 85 (over fences) in the three classes.
Overall Grand Champion Captain America with Augusta Iwasaki
On a pony she started riding in June, Iwasaki also piloted Small Illustration (Lorelei Riding Ponies, breeder and owner) to the Green Pony Grand Champion. This East Coast-bred Welsh pony also earned a grand total of 259.
Erin Marbut, of Lorelei Riding Ponies, knew that they had a special pony when they imported Small Illustration from the U.K. in 2014. “I’ve seen lots of ponies over the years, and had never seen one move like this one – as if she’s floating on clouds, and so quiet.”
Marbut continued, “In all my years of showing, I had never won a cooler – and at Blenheim, she won two!”
Lorelei Farm’s Small Illustration and Augusta Iwasaki
More congratulations go to the ponies and riders that also earned high scores for division championships and reserve championships, including Medium Pony Reserve Champion Stella Wasserman aboard Trillville, with 82, 85 and 83. Wasserman was also Reserve Champion in the Small Pony division on Blueberry Hill, earning 86, 84 and 81. And Evelyn Walker walked away with Small Pony Champion on Royal Moment with scores of 84, 88 and 80.5.
Royal Moment, owned by Maddie Stiles, and ridden by Evelyn Walker
Emerson Burr Horsemanship Grant
During the first week of Pony Palooza, pony riders participated in the Emerson Burr Horsemanship Grant Exam. Testing the equestrian knowledge of the sport’s future star riders, the winners were: Stella Wasserman (age group 9-11); Juliette Joseph (age group 12-14); and Hannah Heiber (age group 15-17).
PC: Sarah Abdi
Makoto Farms & Hunterbrook Farms kept everyone smiling after racking their brains on the exam, by sponsoring the Zone 10 Pony Hunter Challenge Cupcake Party. Thanks also to the Walker and Seltzer families for sponsoring the Ice Cream Party.
Blenheim EquiSports wishes all ponies large, medium and small a great second half of 2016. Looking forward to Pony Palooza 2017!
RESULTS
$5,000 Markel Pony Hunter Derby
(Place – Entry – Horse – Rider – Owner – Rd 1 Score/Rd 2 Score/Overall Score)
1. 466 – Cavour – Juliette Joseph – Grace Russo – 83/86+8/177
2. 393 – True Colors – Augusta Iwasaki – Joe White – 76/88+9/173
3. 396 – Goodness Gracious – Augusta Iwasaki – John French – 75/85+8/168
4. 509 – Little Cutie Patootie – Skylar Wireman – Shayne Berridge – 68/84+7/159
5. 423 – Pink Cadillac – Avery Glynn – Carol Lynne Nelms – 70/84+4/158
6. 358 – Whispering Mikado – Skylar Wireman – Kelly Covey – 81/68+8/157
7. 454 – Trillville – Stella Wasserman- Stella Wasserman – 65/83+7/155
8. 274 – Hidden Spring’s French Vanilla – Ella Kaplan – Alexis Cluer – 72/76+5/153
9. 508 – Thin Mint – Juliette Joseph – Nicole Husky – 86/40+4/130
10. 421 – Small Addition – Augusta Iwasaki – Evelyn Walker – 74/50/124
11. 155 – Charlie’s Angel – Juliette Joseph – Nicole Husky – 78/40+5/123
12. 129 – Always Happy + Avery Glynn – Brooke Morin – 79/40/119
Blenheim EquiSports, an equestrian event management company based in San Juan Capistrano, CA, produces events in three locations: San Juan Capistrano, Del Mar and Las Vegas, NV. The events include USEF “Premier” rated hunter-jumper shows featuring multiple grand prix events, a Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping North American League event, USHJA International Hunter Derbies, Pony Finals, Medal Finals and more. More at showpark.com.