Stephanie Danhakl Sweeps Top Two in $5,000 WCHR Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Classic
Stephanie Danhakl of Pacific Palisades, CA, topped the $5,000 WCHR Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Classic aboard her own Enough Said and also took second riding her own Quest.
After earning the Adequan Amateur-Owner Hunter 18-35 3’3” division title earlier in the week, Danhakl collected scores of 90 and 84 in the classic to finish on a 174 total with Enough Said. She bested herself by four points after also piloting Quest to scores of 86 and 84 to sit on a total of 170 for second place. Brad Wolf and Libretto rounded out the top three by combining scores of 82 and 85 for an overall score of 167.
Of Enough Said, a 12-year-old Warmblood gelding, Danhakl noted, “He’s a little bit of a nervous horse, but we have developed a really great bond. Everyone says when he sees me or hears my voice his ears immediately go up and he gets really excited. I love him just as much as he hopefully loves me.
Stephanie Danhakl and Enough Said. Photo by Sportfot Photography
“He’s extremely straight forward, big-strided, careful, kind, and brave,” continued Danhakl, who is based out of Boston, MA, while she pursues her doctorate at Boston University. “He has all the qualities I would want in a horse. My first round was one of the best rounds we’ve had, but he always surprises me with how amazing he is. Today was no exception.”
Danhakl trains with Scott Stewart, who had to catch a flight and had to leave during the second round. She returned with the top twelve for the handy round sitting in second.
“Luckily, I have a great team behind me – I felt confident they would fill in for Scott and they definitely did,” said Danhakl. “I won’t get to show in the International Ring again until next year so I wanted to enjoy it and enjoy my horses. It was a great way to end a great week and I’m looking forward to next year.”
$5,000 WCHR Amateur-Owner Hunter 3’3” Classic
1 ENOUGH SAID STEPHANIE DANHAKL 90.00 84.00 174.00
2 QUEST STEPHANIE DANHAKL 86.00 84.00 170.00
3 LIBRETTO BRAD WOLF 82.00 85.00 167.00
4 ORLON MARGOT PERONI 83.00 82.00 165.00
5 SIENNA LEXI MAOUNIS 78.00 86.00 164.00
6 VERDICT JEAN SHEPTOFF 88.00 75.00 163.00
7 FOREVER JAMES G ANDERSON 81.00 78.00 159.00
8 NOT TO WORRY SARAH HELLMAN 87.00 68.00 155.00
9 BOZEMAN KATHERINE OBERKIRCHER 80.00 70.00 150.00
10 CARAWAY KRISTAN LASSITER 76.50 73.00 149.50
11 CONCEPT KRISTA WEISMAN 79.00 55.00 134.00
12 BELGRAVIA LINDSAY MAXWELL 92.00 35.00 127.00
Caroline Ratigan Guides Trust to WCHR Junior Hunter Classic 16-17 Win
Caroline Ratigan and Trust remained unfazed after a scheduling change that moved the junior hunter competitors out of the International Arena and into the E.R. Mische Grand Hunter ring. The pair took two high scores of 87 in both rounds of the World Championship Hunter Rider (WCHR) Junior Hunter Classic 16-17 and emerged victorious.
With a total of 174, the duo was tough to beat. Ratigan and the 10-year-old gelding have been partnered together for three years, and the two continue to best competitors in the hunter ring. Today marked their third consecutive first-place win this week in addition to winning the division championship on Saturday in the International Arena.
Caroline Ratigan and Trust. Photo by Sportfot Photography
“He has really started to come into his own this year,” said Ratigan. “He is a complete professional in the ring now. To win the classic today was icing on the cake. I want to thank Ken Berkley, Scott Stewart, and Richard Slocum for everything that they have taught me and helped me with. Their entire program is phenomenal and I have been lucky enough to ride with them for a long time now. It’s been great.”
Second place went to Erin Floyd aboard Canal Street with two scores of 80 and 87 for a 167 total. Elly Ficca followed close behind for third with Cleopatra’s Smile and exited the ring with an 82 and an 84 for a combined 166.
WCHR Junior Hunter Classic 16-17 Results
1 TRUST Caroline Ratigan 87.00 87.00 174.00
2 CANAL STREET Erin Floyd 80.00 87.00 167.00
3 CLEOPATRA’S SMILE Elly Ficca 82.00 84.00 166.00
4 ECKO Ella Bostwick 86.00 75.00 161.00
5 CYMPLIFY Erin Floyd 72.00 85.00 157.00
6 FANTASY BOY Taia Lapointe 83.00 72.00 155.00
7 ZANZIBAR Sarah Ekola 81.00 70.5 151.50
8 ESKULTURO Rachel Momrow Darby 70.00 81.00 151.00
9 CASA LOMA Emily Sun 79.00 71.00 150.00
10 WELL PLAYED Emma Jolly 68.00 68.00 136.00
11 QUIBOT Abigail Carlson 63.00 69.00 132.00
12 CARTANI CROFT Ronni Gassib 62.50 45.00 107.50
Stephanie Smith and Clintano Crowned WCHR Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under Classic Winner
Sunday’s final class of the World Champion Hunter Rider week went to one of the last entries to return for their second round in the WCHR Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under Classic, Stephanie Smith and Clintano, owned by Sand Dollar Farm, LLC. The pair had a first round score of 84 and came back to earn an 85. A combined score of 169 was enough for Smith to capture the blue.
Smith entered the Rost Arena with her blue ribbon flowing in the evening breeze and galloped around for a victory gallop as a team of close friends and supporters cheered her on.
“I got him last April, and the last few months have been a bit of a struggle for us,” said Smith. “I’ve had some trouble with his lead changes, but he was such a good boy today and it was so rewarding for me, after going through so many learning experiences with him, to pull it all together.”
Stephanie Smith and Clintano. Photo by Sportfot Photography
Smith, of Saddle River, NJ, and Clintano also won Friday’s section A over fences class in the International Arena with a pair of 83 scores, and the young rider expressed how she entered today’s competition with continued confidence, despite being moved out of the larger ring due to a scheduling change.
“I was ready to [go in the International Arena] and try to shine again, but it worked out,” said Smith. “From the minute we went into the ring today, I felt like we were connected, and I really think that is what made us stand out.”
Stella Propp, who was the division champion this week, combined an 81.50 and an 86 to finish the day aboard Maraschino and captured second with a combined 167.50. Propp secured third aboard Neato with a 78 and an 85 for a total of 163.
WCHR Junior Hunter 3’3” 15 & Under Classic Results
1 CINTANO Stephanie Smith 84.00 85.00 169.00
2 MARASCHINO Stella Propp 81.50 86.00 167.50
3 NEATO Stella Propp 78.00 85.00 163.00
4 REVELRY Gwyneth Babington 74.00 84.00 158.00
5 ROC’S ALL THAT Taylor Holstead 75.00 81.00 156.00
6 SOCIALITE Gabrielle Sokolow 76.00 79.00 155.00
7 DREAM ON Lindsay Sterne 80.50 74.00 154.50
8 CHICAGO Sydney Hamel 81.00 66.00 147.00
9 J’ADORE Gigi Moynihan 86.00 59.00 145.00
10 ILLUSION Ella Sherman 77.00 67.00 144.00
11 GANOSO Tessa P. Brown 82.00 39.00 121.00
12 JUILLIARD Hunter Champey 80.00 40.00 120.00