Devon, Pa. – May 27, 2017 – Spectators at the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair were on the edge of their seats during Saturday night’s $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic as course designer Kelvin Bywater put 28 of the nation’s top junior riders to the test. It was a tough battle to the jump-off as only four managed to navigate the course fault-free and move on to compete in the tie-breaking round.
In the end, it was Madison Goetzmann who took the win, while Friday night’s winner, Coco Fath, walked away with the coveted Junior Jumper Championship.
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Goetzmann and her own Prestigious kicked off the jump-off round fault-free, setting the pace to beat at a quick 38.300 seconds. Caitlyn Connors riding Bink-A, owned by Caitlyn Connors LLC, followed but couldn’t quite catch Goetzmann, finishing fault-free in 43.08 seconds.
The third rider to enter the ring was Fath aboard Hillside Farm LLC’s Huckleberry. Fath and the 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding were quick, but not quick enough to surpass Goetzmann, finishing in 39.002 seconds.
Brian Moggre was the fourth and final rider to tackle the jump-off, but collected 4 faults and stopped the timers in 36.505 seconds. Goetzmann ultimately finished with the quickest time to earn Saturday night’s win. Second place was awarded to Fath, with third going to Connors and Moggre rounding out the top four.
Combining Friday night’s win and Saturday’s top finish, 16-year-old Fath of Fairfield, Connecticut, clinched the Junior Jumper Championship as well as the Leading Junior Jumper Rider Award, presented by Capital Grille King of Prussia, earning the most points overall and showcasing her consistency throughout Junior Weekend at Devon.
In addition, Goetzmann was awarded the Junior Jumper Reserve Championship.
The Shalanno Style of Riding Award, presented by Shalanno Farm LLC, went to Taylor St. Jacques aboard her own Qantar Des Etisses.
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FROM THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Coco Fath – 2017 Junior Jumper Champion
On Saturday’s class and Huckleberry:
“I was thinking he might be a little tired after yesterday but he was on his game. He was so ready to go. I could not have asked for a better horse. Every single jump he was there with me. It was perfect.”
On her strategy for the jump-off:
“I just wanted to be competitive and come in and do the inside turns. I’m still a little bit green on the jump-off side so I wanted to have a nice jump-off and go clear and hopefully win. [Madison Goetzmann] was amazing so I was still really happy with tonight’s result!”
On training with Molly Ashe Cawley:
“I’ve been training with her for over a year and a half. She’s given me a lot of confidence. I was thinking I could never move up to the highs and she really gave me the confidence and the skills to be able to do an event like this. She’s just been an amazing supporter of my career so far.”
On her goals for this summer:
“This summer I’m heading to Europe to place and possibly get some top ribbons in the 2* grand prix events there. I’d like to move up in the jumpers, ride some young ones and just improve my riding this summer. That’s my short-term goal.”
On concluding Junior Weekend at Devon with the Junior Jumper Championship:
“It was a little bit of a rough start on Thursday. I’m beyond ecstatic, I could not have asked for anything better. My horses were amazing. They really helped me, every single one. I could not be happier. It was just a great weekend and everything got better as it went and I was really happy with it.”
Madison Goetzmann – 2017 Junior Jumper Reserve Champion
On winning Saturday’s $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic:
“It’s an amazing win. I got the Devon blue this year, which I’m very happy about. It’s obviously a very prestigious event and I’m honored to be competing here. To have this win under my belt is definitely a nice feeling.”
On her plan for the jump-off:
“I went first in the jump-off so our strategy was to be prompt but smooth – don’t do anything out of control. I went in there and my horse was perfect. He made very tight turns, stayed very light and he jumped amazing. I could not have asked for a better horse in that jump-off.”
On Prestigious:
“We just recently bought him in December and we’ve been working very slowly with him. He’s an incredible horse that has a lot of scope, and his ride is a little different for me from what I’m used to so it’s taking me a little longer to click with him. These last few months, our partnership has definitely developed. The last week of March we just started doing 1.45m classes, and we’ve been consistently doing that. We’re going to Spruce Meadows next week so hopefully I can keep stepping up and working on our partnership. I hope to be jumping national grand prix events with him in the future.”
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RESULTS, $20,000 Show Jumping Hall of Fame Junior Jumper Classic:
Place / Horse / Rider / Owner / Round One Faults / Time / Round Two Faults / Time
1. Prestigious / Madison Goetzmann / Madison Goetzmann / 0 / 83.579 / 0 / 38.300
2. Huckleberry / Coco Fath / Hillside Farm, LLC / 0 / 79.057 / 0 / 39.003
3. Bink – A / Caitlyn Connors / Caitlyn Connors, LLC / 0 / 83.881 / 0 / 43.080
4. Condero 3 / Brian Moggre / DDM Equestrian, LLC / 0 / 80.407 / 4 / 36.505
5. Paola 233 / Emily Perez / Emily Perez / 4 / 77.578
6. Shaq / Kaitlyn Williams / Ramble On Farm / 4 / 78.307
7. Qantar Des Etisses / Taylor St. Jaques / Taylor St. Jaques / 4 / 78.540
8. Alberto II / Daisy Farish / Stoney Ridge Farm, LLC / 4 / 78.994
9. Caretina III / Giavanni Rinaldi / Haylie Rolfe / 4 / 80.832
10. For Jef VD Wezelse / Briley Koerner / BKS Horse Farms, LLC / 4 / 80.940